The Bite Magazine - Spring/Summer 2022 - Issue 31

L Heavenly Swiss Chocolate äderach Jada Brookes treats her palate to delicious Swiss chocolate from Läderach, which takes her to a place of sweet contentment. bitechocolate F or hundreds of years, the Swiss have been renowned for many things such as innovative watches and clocks, army knives, macaroons, cheese, milk and chocolate (thanks to the cows that feed on the grass high in the mountains). Most winters, thousands flock to the Swiss Alps to ski the slopes, indulge in cheese fondue, hike to Matterhorn (the Toblerone mountain) or ride the Swiss trains that the Swiss say, “works like a Swiss clock” since Switzerland has the most-developed train network in the world. Amongst the many famous Swiss chocolate brands, Läderach produces the creamiest, indulgent-enriched, gone-to-heaven-and-back and moreish chocolate I have ever encountered. It melts in your mouth and takes you to a higher place of confectionery ecstasy as the smooth, rich chocolate tantalises your palate. For sweet tooth enthusiasts, this Swiss brand houses a variety of choco- lates and savoury snacks that will have you desiring their extensive selection. Läderach’s delicious delights are thanks to chocolatier Rudolf Läderach Jr. who founded the company in 1962 in Glarus, a then small village in Switzerland, with the idea of creating a ‘confectionery of sweet gifts.’ In 1970, he revolutionised the chocolate world through his pat- ented invention of thin-walled hollow balls for chocolate truffles that improved the taste and texture and made pro- fessional manufacture significantly easier and enhanced their quality. In 1994, Rudolf passed the baton to his son Jürg, a revo- lutionary entrepreneur whose primary focus was to create exceptional chocolate for the people. With the acquisi- tion of Merkur Confiserien AG in 2004, Läderach made use of its 40 branches to reach private consumers. At the same time, the idea of FrischSchoggi® (fresh chocolate) was born with the intention that chocolate lovers would receive the piece in its desired size, broken off the large, unique fresh-chocolate platter fresh from the bar. The brand name was extended with the sub-name ‘chocolatier suisse’ in 2008, followed by the opening of two show confectioneries in Läderach’s boutiques on Bahnhofstrasse in Zurich and Spitalgasse in Bern, Swit- zerland. Two years later, the Swiss chocolatier opened more boutiques in Freiburg, Constance (Konstanz) and Munich in Germany and a second Läderach chocolatier shop in Seoul, South Korea. To date, Läderach has over 60 boutiques around the world. In 2018, chairman and former CEO Jürg Läderach handed the operational responsibility to his oldest son, Johannes, who took over as CEO. His second son Elias became Head of Production & Innovation, and his youngest son, David, tackled the brand's digital trans- formation. Thanks to his exceptional chocolate expertise, Elias won the title of Swiss Chocolate Master in 2017. He then represented Switzerland at the World Chocolate Master in 2018 in Paris, where he became the first Swiss person to win the title. From this celebrated Masters Collection, discover Tablet Caramel, an intense dark chocolate combined with an exotic fruit and caramel filling and Chocolate Bonbon Mandarine, a fresh cream truffle filling made from milk and dark chocolate combined with a fruity mandarin coulis on a crunchy base. The other tablets are Blond Caramel and Milk, both a warm, reddish-brown colour with the prominent flavour of lightly roasted cocoa beans, fresh Swiss milk, delicate caramel and a subtle note of vanilla. Tablet White is white cream chocolate characterised by its ivory colour and delicate aromas of milk, cream and vanilla, harmonised with top-quality Swiss milk and creamy cocoa butter. Vegan chocolate Tablet Grand Cru Ecuador 70% Single Origin has a rich, dark brown colour and a glossy sheen supported by a luscious, floral bouquet paired with a mild sweetness, toasty notes and the unmistakable flavour of natural vanilla. Its nuances of earthy cocoa, black tea, hibiscus and rose are sure to delight tastebuds. SWEET

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