Lotus used the brand name Biscoff for its speculoos biscuit starting in 1986.
Lotus Bakeries is a Belgian company founded in 1932 by brothers Jan, Emiel and Henri Boone. Its speculoos was already being served with coffee in Belgian cafés and restaurants by the 1950s, and the company began distributing it in neighbouring countries in 1960.
The name Biscoff was created for international branding and is commonly explained as a blend of “biscuit” and “coffee.” It highlights the biscuit's traditional role as a small accompaniment to coffee. The product remains a caramelised, spiced biscuit, even though “speculoos” remains the familiar generic or regional name in parts of Belgium, France and the Netherlands.
In the mid-1980s, airlines began serving Lotus Biscoff as an in-flight treat, helping introduce it to a much wider audience. The brand was gradually introduced across countries, and Biscoff is now also associated with products such as cookie butter.