From cocoa to chocolate

The great botanist Carl von Linné (Linnaeus) was by no means the first torecognise the unique merits of the plantto which he gave the botanical name of “Theobroma Cacao L.”. “Theobroma”means “food of the gods”. Cocoa wasalready recognised as such by the Toltecs,Mayas and Aztecs, from whom we got thename “cacauatl”. Around 600 AD theMayas were already cultivating cocoa inCentral America. They used the cocoabeans to prepare a very nourishing drink,which they called “Xocolatl”, fromwhich we probably get the modern word“chocolate”.

The Spanish Conquistadors of the 16thcentury were also interested in chocolate.In 1528, Cortez took the first cocoa toSpain, along with the equipment neededto prepare the exotic drink, and it soonmet with great approval in the Spanishcourt. In 1615, the infanta Anna of Aus-tria, who grew up in Madrid, introduceddrinking chocolate to the French courtwhen she married King Louis XIII. InParis it became a badge of status and thefashionable drink of the aristocracy, andfrom there it spread throughout thewhole of Europe. Whereas in the 19thcentury, the importance of drinking cho -colate declined, solid chocolate, whichhad its origins in France in the years fol-lowing 1830, grew in importance.

Chocolate arrives in Switzerland …

In 1819, François-Louis Cailler openedone of the first mechanised chocolate pro-duction facilities in Corsier near Vevey,establishing the oldest brand of Swisschocolate still in existence today. Thuschocolate had finally arrived in the coun-try where it was soon to find its greatestpatrons and pioneers. Philippe Suchardset up a chocolate factory in Serrières in1826. He was followed by JacquesFoulquier (predecessor of Jean-SamuelFavarger) 1826 in Geneva, Charles-Amédée Kohler 1830 in Lausanne,Rudolf Sprüngli 1845 in Zurich, AquilinoMaestrani 1852 in Lucerne, later movingto St. Gallen, Johann Georg Munz 1874in Flawil, and Jean Tobler 1899 in Berne.

Daniel Peter founded a chocolate factoryin Vevey in 1867. After many attempts, he succeeded in combining chocolate with milk, an obvious but difficult move,thus inventing milk chocolate in 1875.Rodolphe Lindt opened a chocolate fac-tory in Berne in 1879. He developed“conching”, a process which created theworld’s first “melting chocolate”.

Many other Swiss entrepreneurs set upcompanies over the next few years, theiractivities helping to shape the reputationof Swiss chocolate, which soon becameknown throughout the world.

Swiss chocolate flourishes

The years between 1890 and 1920 saw areal blossoming of the Swiss chocolateindustry, coinciding with the golden ageof Swiss tourism. Members of the top ech-elons of society throughout the worldwho spent their holidays in Switzerlandcame to know and appreciate Swisschocolate, and took its reputation homewith them. The initiative of Swiss choco-late producers conquered the worldchocolate market between 1900 and1918. Up to three quarters of Swisschocolate was exported. Thus “littleSwitzerland” became a world power inchocolate. Of course, “Swiss chocolate”owed its global reputation not just to thequantities exported, but above all to itsquality, which made it stand out abovethe great amount of chocolate producedin other countries.

Through crises to a new golden age

The late 1920s saw the beginning of hardtimes for the Swiss chocolate industry.Increased protectionism, and the econom-ic crises of the 20s and 30s, led to the lossof export markets. The Second WorldWar brought strict import restrictions onsugar and cocoa, with rationing beingintroduced in 1943.

Since 1950, the Swiss chocolate industryhas enjoyed constant growth. Automa-tion and new chocolate production tech-nologies have made great strides forward.Advances in economic integration, andthe dismantling of customs controlsthroughout the world, have promoted theinternational exchange of goods. Manu-facturers recognised the signs of the timesand extended their market position inmany parts of the world.

The development of new products andproduct forms in keeping with modernconsumer habits, the maintaining of qual-ity, the consistent pursuit of modernisa-tion in factories, and the promotion ofprofessional training for employees, arethe methods being employed by the Swisschocolate industry to assert its globalmarket position into the 21st century.

Aztecs preparing “Xoco-latl”: cocoa beans wereroasted, ground, andmixed with water andspices to form a foamyliquid.

Where in the past womenstood at long tables, and later conveyor belts,carefully placing choco-lates in boxes, todayrobots do the same job in a fraction of the time.Attentive staff check and correct the work ofthe robots.

François-Louis Cailler(1796–1852)

Rodolphe Lindt(1855–1909)

Philippe Suchard (1797–1884)

Daniel Peter (1836–1919)

The largest Swiss choco-late production plant at the end of the 19thcentury was that of Philippe Suchard in Serrières.

The oldest way of shap-ing chocolate : the fragrant liquid chocolateis measured out into flat moulds, the shape of which represents the finished product inreverse.

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Cocoa

Cocoa is a particularly fine product of thetropics. The cocoa tree grows in the trop-ical regions to the north and south of theequator. Its fruits, which grow right on thetrunk, are harvested twice a year and con-tain 20 to 30 white cocoa beans each. Thebeans, after being removed from the skin,are shaken into heaps, covered, and leftto ferment. This causes the beans to losetheir capacity to germinate, and at thesame time some of the chocolate aromasbegin to develop. Once they are dry, thecocoa beans are ready for shipping. Theyare bought by processing companies atthe international cocoa exchanges in Lon-don and New York.

How chocolate is made

Chocolate production depends on theancient craft of the confectioner and thechocolatier. Even today, industrial manu-facturing still follows the basic stages ofthe original craft, although highly sophis-ticated technical apparatus has taken overthe work at every stage. As well as mak-ing it possible to rationalise production,this also guarantees consistently highquality.

Cocoa beans are the most important rawmaterial for making chocolate. Afterdetailed quality control checks, the rawcocoa is cleaned thoroughly, crushed,roasted and ground, to produce cocoapaste. Mixing this paste with sugar andadditional cocoa butter gives the basicmixture for traditional plain chocolate. Ifpowdered or condensed milk is added, theresult is the basic mixture for milk choco-late. For white chocolate, on the otherhand, the brown cocoa paste is omitted.These three basic mixtures form the start-ing point for all types of chocolate.

After mixing, the basic mixtures areground very finely and refined by “conch-ing”. This produces a chocolate mixturewhich is now ready to be made into solidbars, or bars filled with nuts, almonds,fruit or liqueur, filled chocolates, andmany other specialities. Now the deliciouschocolates of various sizes are packed intowrappers and boxes, before finally beingpacked into large shipping cartons to besent to the dealers’ intermediary storesand to be exported all over the world.

Quality

Connoisseurs recognise quality when theybreak a piece from a bar of chocolate : the break is hard and crisp, the edges ofthe break are clean, the surfaces do notcrumble. The nose can also detect thequality : the smell of a fine chocolate is fulland rounded, but never obtrusive. Onethen becomes very aware of true qualityon the tongue : good chocolate melts likebutter, does not stick to the roof of themouth or feel gritty, and leaves hardly anyaftertaste. Its flavour is fine, delicate,complete—unique.

Shelf life

Depending on the recipe, chocolate willremain at its best for up to 12 months,and plain chocolate for as long as 15months. Chocolate should be kept at atemperature of between 10° and 18°C,protected from light and moisture.

Chocolate is good for you

Seldom do we find concentrated in such asmall space in a single food such largequantities of valuable and energy-givingsubstances such as proteins, carbohy-drates, trace elements, vitamins and min-erals, all of them completely natural. A100 g bar of milk chocolate providesaround 2300 Kilojoules (KJ) or 550 Kilo-calories (kcal) of usable energy.

Chocolate is good and healthy. It supportsthe balanced diet which should always beour aim, but it does not replace it.

Harvest on a cocoa plan-tation. Workers usemachetes and long polesto remove the fruits carefully from the trunks.The location is shady, the climate humid andbalanced.

The fermented and driedcocoa beans as they are supplied to factories.

Many confectioners stillmake their own choco-late products, with a greatdeal of love and skill,making their own impor-tant contribution to thefame of Swiss chocolate.They normally obtain the chocolate in the formof “couverture” fromspecialist businesses orfrom the chocolate fac -tories.

S w i s s

C h o c o l a t e

View of a chocolate barplant. The moulds are filled and shaken toremove trapped airbefore they enter thecooling tunnel.

Connoisseurs recognisequality when they breaka piece from a reallygood bar of chocolate :the break is hard andcrisp, the edges of thebreak are clean, the surfaces do not crumble.

CHOCOSUISSE, its members and the Swiss Cocoaand Chocolate Foundation hope that fine SWISS CHOCOLATE will give you great pleasure and enjoyment.

Chocolat Alprose SABarry Callebaut Schweiz AGChocolat Bernrain AGChocolats Camille Bloch SACSCC Compagnie de Chocolats et Confiseries AGChocolats et Cacaos Favarger SAMax Felchlin AGChocolat Frey AGGysi AGChocolats Halba Confiseur Läderach AGChocoladefabriken Lindt & Sprüngli (Schweiz) AGMaestrani Schweizer Schokoladen AGMondelez Schweiz GmbHNestlé Suisse SAConfiserie Sprüngli AGChocolat Stella SAVillars Maître Chocolatier SA

For more information, see the CHOCOLOGY booklet, available from CHOCOSUISSE and from all Swiss chocolate manufacturers, or see our homepage : www.chocosuisse.ch

© CHOCOSUISSE 2013This material may be reproduced provided the source is quoted.

CHOCOSUISSEAssociation of Swiss Chocolate ManufacturersMünzgraben 6PO Box3000 Berne 7SwitzerlandTel. +41 (0)31 310 09 90Fax +41 (0)31 310 09 99

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