Why is Switzerland so famous for chocolate? Is Swiss chocolate really the best?
To get right to it:
Because of their achievements within the industry
And no, it is not.
Allow me to elaborate.
What did they achieve?
Switzerland made two industry changing inventions in the late 19th Century that made them a power house of chocolate making and chocolate making skills.
In 1879 Rudolf Lindt invented the conche. The English invented the chocolate bar as we know it in 1847, by Fry & Sons. However, their chocolate bars were not as smooth and silky as we know it today. For that, we have Mr. Lindt to thank. The conche made the chocolate silky smooth. It decreased the particle size to less than 30 microns so that our tongue cannot detect the little particles of sugar and cocoa solids. They called it “chocolat du fondant” because it was smooth, and it was a huge hit! The conche also tempers or refines the flavour, and can sometimes reduce or remove any unfavorable aromas in the chocolate.
In the same year, 1879, Daniel Peter (a chocolate maker) & Henri Nestle (a chemist) joined forces to make the worlds first milk chocolate bar. Since chocolate is a fat based product, we can’t add liquid milk into the liquid chocolate while it’s refining. Since The Swiss invented milk powder, the two decided to combine that into chocolate.
Therefore, in 1870, the Swiss invented the smoothest silkiest creamiest milkiest chocolate in the world. And for that, their popularity grew. Of course, skilled people of any industry gravitate towards countries and cities that are making the best advancements, and so Switzerland became a powerhouse of chocolate, and poured out into surrounding countries.
Why don’t they make the best chocolate?
Don’t get me wrong, Swiss chocolate can be very delicious. When comparing regular commercial grade chocolate, Switzerland often comes on top compared to other countries such as USA, Canada, Germany, etc.
However, if you know anything about the top quality fine chocolate in the world, you will know that the country where it was made has little basis on the quality of the chocolate. Today, fine chocolate can be made literally anywhere in the world where a skilled chocolate maker gets their hands on some high quality cacao beans. A rare pairing indeed.
Switzerland today, similar to other European countries, get away with using the glory of their past in regards to chocolate, to market their chocolate of today. Truth is, many of the top chocolate makers don’t come from these countries. One reason is these countries have loyalty to their local brands. The people have been accustomed to accept that chocolate should taste the way these brands dictate.
This doesn’t mean there are not a few small fine chocolate makers popping up in Switzerland and other similar countries, but they are very rare and often unheard of.
Something to consider next time someone gets you a chocolate bar made in Switzerland.
Where can I find the best chocolate?
Use the Bean To Bar World Map App! This is a map and app I created from scratch to locate many of the fine craft chocolate makers around the world. In your city or country, or in a place you may visit. You may not enjoy all the makers, just as you may not enjoy every bakery in your city, but it’s a great place to start and begin your journey with fine chocolate. Supporting these companies means you’re supporting small-scale chocolate entrepreneurs who care about quality chocolate and even where their cacao is coming from!