175 years Lindt & Sprüngli

Passion — 175 years of chocolate history 13 Passion THE BEST-KEPT SWEET SECRET When, after numerous attempts and relentless tinkering, Rodolphe Lindt developed the recipe for the first smooth-melting chocolate – the “Chocolat Fondant” – in 1879, he revolutionized the entire chocolate industry. This secret recipe, which is still well-guarded today, is one of the cornerstones of Lindt&Sprüngli’s successful history of chocolate. Prior to the ground-breaking invention of the “Chocolat Fon- dant”, chocolate was difficult to process, had a sandy and bitter consistency, and was still far from being a feast for all senses. After extensive experimentation and many unsuccessful attempts, Rodolphe Lindt left his factory in Bern one Friday evening with no success and without turning the machines off. They worked tirelessly all weekend and welcomed him on Monday morning with a sweet surprise. The stirrer tank con- tained not a hard, burnt chocolate mass, but a glossy and fra- grant composition. He was the first person ever to experience aromatic and smooth-melting chocolate dissolving on his tongue. The invention was met with great success and recognition. However, the limited range could not meet the huge demand for the chocolate with its velvety, fine glaze. The small, old factory on the Aare River in Bern was simply too small and, by the 1890s, the situation had become so critical that a solu- tion was urgently needed. Almost 20 years after the invention of the extremely popular “Chocolat Fondant”, Mr Lindt and Mr Sprüngli met in Olten and came to a mutually beneficial agreement. Sprüngli proposed that he purchases the Lindt brand along with the brilliant conching secret from Rodolphe Lindt. He offered a good price for this, as well as a say in de- cisions and no further obligations. And, most importantly, he would take on all the staff at the Bernese Lindt factory. This situation, in which every party got exactly what they wanted from the other, marked an important milestone in Lindt &Sprüngli’s 175-year success story. To date, no chocolate manufacturer has wholly succeeded in uncovering this unique, well-guarded original Swiss recipe. What makes Lindt&Sprüngli chocolate special besides its exquisite recipes is quite clear. The high-quality Lindt products are made with only the best ingredients and the Lindt Master Chocolatiers reinvent themselves time and time again thanks to their keen intuition for trends. Each creation starts with a handmade sample and handiwork is still used in the produc- tion today, for example to place chocolate beads onto Lindt Connaisseurs Pralines. Whatever the product, Lindt & Sprüngli always focuses on the consumers’ smooth-melting chocolate delight.