The Brussels chicory, Chicorium Bruxellensis, also known as witloof (literally ‘white leaf’), originated in 1847. Evere was the cradle of large-scale chicory growing. In 1975, a group of local traders joined forces to boost retail activity in the neighbourhood and chose this vegetable – a speciality of the municipality – as the emblem of their trade association. Drawing inspiration from folklore, they created a giant called Kiete Witloof and his wife, Krooske. In 1986, their association was admitted to the Conseil Noble des Confréries Gastronomiques du Brabant Wallon et de Bruxelles. Today, its aim is to nurture, defend and develop the traditional, gastronomic and folk values surrounding the witloof.