Lindt | Success Story of the Swiss Chocolatier Company

Lindt is a luxury Swiss chocolate brand based in Zürich, Switzerland. Lindt is famous for its excellent blending of flavors. It has been known as one of the best chocolates in the world for over a century. Lindt’s chocolate truffles are considered the finest in quality, texture, and richness. Most of its products are best-sellers in over 120 countries. 

About

Lindt is a gourmet chocolate brand founded by Rodolphe Lindt and David Sprüngli in 1845. With a net worth of more than $490 million, Lindt has been growing each year considerably, with over 4.5 billion sales worldwide. In 1879, Rudolphe invented the revolutionary conching machine that changed the business of chocolate-making forever. To date, his contribution to the chocolate and confectionery world is known to be substantial. 

Origin & Founders

David Sprüngli

David Sprüngli was born in 1776 in Zürich, Switzerland. In 1836, he established a company producing chocolate, pralines, and pastries on the street called Marktgasse in Bern. He ran the company under his name, Confiserie Sprüngli. His older son, David Sprüngli-Schmidlin, worked as an architect in Basel, Switzerland. By 1838, with his younger son Rudolf Sprüngli, he started selling chocolate in a solidified form. They were the first to produce a hardened form of chocolate in Zürich. After some time, the demand heavily increased. Soon, the father-son duo moved to Horgen to expand the business.

Upon moving, Rudolf bought a house and established a chocolate factory. He used to travel to Horgen from Zürich on his feet twice a week to check on the factory. His father died in 1862. In 1870, he changed the company’s name to David Sprüngli & Sohn chocolate factory. Rudolf retired in 1892 and handed over the company to his sons. Confiserie Sprüngli was bequeathed to his younger son David. Whereas his older son Rudolf Junior inherited the chocolate factory in Zürich. 

Rodolphe Lindt

On 16th July 1855, Rodolphe Lindt was born in Bern, Switzerland. At the age of 24, he founded a chocolate factory in Mattequartier, Bern, after receiving an apprenticeship in Lausanne with the Amédée Kohler & Fils chocolate company. In the same year, he made a revolutionary invention by creating the conching machine. The conching machine improved the quality of chocolate by stirring it into a more acceptable consistency and evaporating unwanted aroma. He was one of the first chocolatiers to add cocoa butter to the chocolate-making process. These innovations made him a top-tier chocolatier in Switzerland. 

Acquisition of Rodolphe Lindt’s Factory

In 1879, Rudolf Sprüngli noticed Lindt. After the historical inventions, Sprüngli started gaining interest in his fellow chocolate connoisseur. However, the two chocolatiers met for the first time in 1899 after 20 years of acquaintance. Lindt’s business was growing rapidly in Bern. At the same time, Sprüngli had established a new factory in Kilchberg. Soon, Sprüngli offered Lindt a bounteous amount of 1.5 million gold francs to buy Lindt along with its secret recipe. As a result, Lindt & Sprüngli was established. 

The 1900s: Worldwide Recognition Followed by Struggles

In the initial years of the 20th century, Lindt made outstanding progress by exporting its products. Throughout the First World War, Lindt made incredible progress. By 1925, the company established its agencies in the United Kingdom, Germany, and the United States of America. However, The Great Depression (1929-1939) significantly affected the company’s growth. The company faced many challenges due to the global condition of the market and incurred heavy losses. After the end of the Second World War, chocolate demand and consumption exploded. The market grew significantly during the mid-1940s. As a result, Lindt enjoyed an incredible profit. 

1949-1998: Innovative Products That Created History

In 1949, Lindt launched Lindor. Customers compared the velvety smooth texture of Lindor to melting gold. People all across the globe cherished the Lindor chocolate bar. In 1952, the historical Lindt Gold Bunny entered the chocolate world. The gold bunny had a solid base filled with incredibly smooth chocolate filling. The luscious milk chocolate became an instant hit when wrapped in a gold foil with a red ribbon. In 1969, Lindt accomplished itself as the biggest chocolatier in the world by creating Lindor Truffles. The truffles had a rich, creamy outer layer with a velvety, smooth, delectable filling. People around the globe celebrated its taste and enjoyed every bit of the heavenly truffles. During the 1990s, Lindt multiplied its success in the Northern American, Italian, and Australian markets.

21st Century and Growing Endeavours

In 2008, Lindt established several farming programs in Ghana, Ecuador, Madagascar, Papua New Guinea, and the Dominican Republic to help sustain cocoa beans’ ecological and social cultivation. The next year, legendary Swiss tennis star Roger Federer became the brand ambassador of Lindt. In the same year, Lindt focused on enhancing and strengthening the brand’s image and connection with people and launched its own Global Retail Network.

2011 marked the entry of Lindt Teddy into the chocolate industry. The delightful teddy stepped right into the hearts of chocolate lovers with a delectable milk chocolate filling and a red heart charm. As of now, Lindt has been conquering the world chocolate market and making groundbreaking success. In the premium segment of chocolates, Lindt stands predominantly at the Number One spot.

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Also read: Mondelez International | Success Story of the Confectionery Giant