The company, formerly known as Italo Suisse, decided last year to shorten it to ISIS. (ISIS)
Would you eat chocolate from a company called ISIS?
A Belgian chocolate maker named ISIS doesn't think so and is changing its name to distance itself from the terrorist organization Islamic State of Iraq and Syria.
The company, formerly known as Italo Suisse -- a nod to the countries where the founder learned the chocolate craft--decided to shorten it to ISIS last year.
Now customers are confusing the brand with the jihadist organization and the negative connotation is hurting business, reports Reuters.
"We chose ISIS as that was the brand name of our pralines and tablets," Desiree Libeert, marketing manager of the ISIS the chocolatiers, told Reuters. "Had we known there was a terrorist organization with the same name, we would have never chosen that."
ISIS chocolate has now switched its name to “Libeert,” the family name behind the company. But the website IsisChocolates.be is still up and running with the old branding.
The medium sized company turns out more than 5,000 tones of chocolate products every year, with annual revenues reaching $44.17 million.
But this ISIS isn’t the only company coming under hard times as the terrorist organization captures international headlines.
According to the Daily Mail, the US Patent and Trademark office has over 270 records of products, services or businesses registered with the name “isis.” In the U.K., 35 companies are still operating under the ill-fated name.
No word on whether stores have actually been pulling ISIS products from the shelves or just hoping they sell quickly.
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