12 Best Swiss Chocolate Brands (What Locals Actually Eat)

Switzerland consumes more chocolate per person than anywhere else in the world – around 10kg per year. And that chocolate isn’t just in luxury gift boxes. It’s supermarket staples, factory-shop favourites, and small regional brands you won’t find outside the country. If you’re wondering which Swiss chocolate brands are worth trying  – and which to bring home – this guide will walk you through the best of them.

What Makes Swiss Chocolate Different?

Swiss chocolate is famous for three things: smoothness, milk content (yes, from those Swiss cows!) and Swiss precision. There is also a strong culture of high quality here in Switzerland, with even budget supermarket chocolate in Switzerland tasting pretty good. Chocolate is not just a special occasion treat, it is part of daily life. A common childhood snack is a chocolate “Stängeli” and bread roll “Weggli” and there is even special Swiss military chocolate that was part of emergency rations.

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The Best Swiss Chocolate Brands

Lindt

You’ve got to start with Lindt. Founded in Zurich in 1845 and is the most recognisable of the Swiss chocolate brands. You will find it all over the world, but its home is on the Lake Zürich in a village of Kilchberg, it is here you will also find their museum.

Best for: Reliable gifts, available internationally, last-minute airport purchase

Cailler

Cailler is Switzerland’s oldest chocolate brand and is part of the Nestlé group. You’ll find it in every supermarket and they produce a variety of flavours including the famous purple-wrapped milk chocolate. so smooth. You can visit Maison Cailler close to Gruyere, which offers tours and workshops.

Best for: Everyday Swiss chocolate, family-friendly flavours

Chocolat Frey

The chocolate brand Frey comes under the supermarket Migros banner and can only be purchased there. Frey is affordable, excellent quality and also comes in endless varieties. I love to grab a Frey Suprême  · Noir Noisettes as a weakened treat,  I just love the large chunks of hazelnuts and dark chocolate.

Best For: Authentic “what the locals actually eat” chocolate.

Camillie Bloch: Regusa

Founded in  1942, Swiss chocolatier Camillie Bloch and their Ragusa is a firm family favourite. My teen loves the combination of the crunchy hazelnuts with the soft praline filling. You can buy these in supermarkets or why not visit Chez Camillie Bloch located just a 60-minute drive past Bern in the French-Swiss village of Courtelary.

Best for: Something easily available that isn’t a traditional chocolate bar

Ovomaltine

If there is a bar of Ovomaltine chocolate in our house, it takes all my will power not to finish it in one sitting. The Ovomaltine Crunchy Extra bars are my favourite, and have a different texture thanks to the malted pieces. We all like the light puffy balls called Ovo Rocks, too. Ovomaltine has recently become my go-to chocolate that I gift to my Aussie relatives and friends.

Best for: Gift for friends abroad who want something uniquely Swiss.

Felchlin

This is what professional Swiss pastry chefs and master chocolatiers use. Their factory shop in Schwyz is worth a visit if you are in central Switzerland. You won’t find this brand in airports. The factory shop doesn’t have much in the way of chocolate bars or gift boxes, this is more large bags of chocolate ready to make your own chocolate treats.

Best for: Serious chocolate lovers who love to bake

Sprüngli

Often confused with Lindt (there is though a historic connection), Sprüngli, with their headquarters in the center of Zurich (but with locations dotted around) is known for their luxury pralines and iconic Luxemburgerli (not chocolate, but like macaroons). It is here, at their Paradeplatz location, I would suggest to trying their hot chocolate, which is made from 70% Gran Cru chocolate. For more Zurich tips, check out our local guide.

Best for : Fancyt gifts and classic Swiss chocolate shop experience.

Läderach

Läderach made the broken slabs of chocolate famous. They sell the a variety of flavours which you purchase by weight. My favourite is anything with nuts in them – orange flavoured chocolate with almonds, macadamia milk and Florentine dark are some of my favourites.

Best for: A unique gift with a variety of flavours

Teuscher

Teuscher is a chocolate institution in Zurich and are well known for their champagne truffles. Their shop on the Bahnhofstrasse is always beautifully decorated and worth even stopping by for a peek inside.

Best for: Traditional Chocolate shop atmosphere

Villars

Based in Fribourg, Villars chocolate goes back to 1901 and was the first manufacturer to create its liqueur chocolates in tablet shape, called Larmes de Kirsch. A more high-end block of chocolate.

Best for:  An international lesser known brand with deep Swiss roots.

Maestrani

Maestrani is a traditional family-owned chocolatier known for its focus on 100% natural and sustainable ingredients, and fair-trade cocoa. It is the parent company of the Minor and Munz brands and is located in the eastern Switzerland. They also have an interactive Chocolarium, one of the best chocolate museums for families.

Best for: Families: Maestrani’s Munz bread has “fun” chocolate creations like ladybugs, chocolate branches and the iconic Munz banana.

Toblerone

Did you know that the Toblerone chocolate was inspired by the Matterhorn? And that in its logo is a hidden bear, a nod to the city of Bern where it was founded. Sure it’s touristy, but it’s iconically Swiss.

Best for: Iconic Swiss gift

Small Swiss Chocolatiers Worth Seeking Out

And then you have hundreds, if not thousands, of independent chocolatiers all through the country. You will find them in speciality chocolate shops, gourmet supermarkets, online and even in bakeries.

• Favarger: is a seven generation Geneva chocolate family who create luxury chocolate including one of my favourites the Pavé de Genève
• Taucherli: Based in Zurich, doesn’t just melt chocolate, they create it. Importing carefully selected cacao beans, grinding it in their Zurich factory, and then creating amazing bars and unique flavours. My favourite is the popping candy and the Tschüri Schoggi dark orange.
• Kürzi Kakao: Another bean to bar producer creating amazing chocolate. Choose from a single bar or go all out and get a 12 bar mixed pack that you can divide amongst all your family!
• Max Chocolatier: Named after the founder’s son, Max Chocolatier serves up boutique-style chocolate from their stores in Lucerne and Zürich. From classic to more out-of-the-box flavours, these handmade chocolatiers also offer tastings and chocolate workshops. Lucerne Locals recommend Max Chocolatier too. 
• Billy & Bugga Chocolates: is an artisanal chocolate brand combining Swiss quality and Brazilian creativity.
• David Pasquiet: A artisanal chocolate-maker who brings his pastry chef experience into mastering unique chocolate flavours and creations

Types of Swiss Chocolate

Walk into any Swiss supermarket or chocolate shop and you’ll quickly realise something: chocolate is more than just a bar. It comes in slab (Bruchschokolade), sticks (Stängeli), truffles, delicate pralines and seasonal figures. Chocolate is also very seasonal, with easter bringing the famous Lindt bunnies, Valentine’s Day heart shaped chocolate and Christmas you will find Santa characters.

Where to Buy Swiss Chocolate?

In Swiss Supermarkets

If you want to buy chocolate where the Swiss buy their everyday chocolate, head to the two major supermarkets. Here you will be greeted with the wall of chocolate, with more selection of Chocolate than almost any other product in the supermarket. A great time to pick up a chocolate bargain is just after easter, where the chocolate often goes on 50% sale. It is here I also grab a pack of  “bränchi” the chocolate to share with classmates, with a soft white weggli breadroll at school on birthdays.

• • Migros: Frey (exclusive), Migros (exclusive), Lindt, Côte d’Ivoire
  • Coop: Cailler, Lindt, Ragusa, Maestrani, Vilars and Ovomaltine and their own brand Halba (exclusive).

In Speciality Chocolate Shops

The Swiss though will purchase their special occasion chocolate, to give as birthday, thank you or hostess gifts are more speciality chocolate stores.

• • Sprüngli boutiques
  • Läderach
  • Teuscher  (Zurich)
  • Max Chocolatier (Zurich & Luzern)
  • Aeschbacher (Zug)
  • Favarger (Geneva)
  • and other regional chocolatiers

Chocolate Factories Visits and Unique Experiences

For a more up close and personal chocolate experience, consider visiting one of the chocolate factories. My youngest daughter is the only one who has been to most Chocolate factories, and she helped created this list. I would, however, only visit one chocolate museum and choose the closest to your base point.

1. 1. Maestrani Chocolarium – fun for kids, you can make a chocolate bar here too
   2. Lindt – Home of Chocolate – best for Lindt fans and the history.
   3. Haus of Läderach – tasting fountains were a hit as was the chocolate making station
   4. Maison Cailler – great to combine with a trip to Gruyere and almost 1.5 hours from Interlaken
   5. Camillie Bloch Discover World – great for those near Basel, Biel and Bern and an alternative for those staying in Interlaken.
   6. Unique Chocolate Experiences especially created with tourists in mind
      1. Interlaken: A chocolate fondue float on the lake 
      2. Zürich: A chocolate, art and history walking tour of Zürich
      3. From Zurich: A chocolate and cheese tour of Appenzell
      4. Geneva: Premium chocolate and patisserie walking tour

Buying Swiss Chocolate Online

In Switzerland

Almost every Swiss chocolate brand these days has its online shop, and both major supermarkets offer home delivery. Coop delivers via coop.ch and Migros via Migros.ch – so if you are living in Switzerland and can’t get to the shops, you can have your Frey or Ragusa fix added to your online grocery order. Läderach, Sprüngli and Teusche all ship within Switzerland too, which is handy for last minute gifts.

Outside Switzerland

This is where it gets tricker. If you’ve visited Switzerland and fallen in love with a certain brand of chocolate and wish to restock (it happens to us all), you don’t have that many options. I’ve done my best do look around for you and here is what I’ve found:

• • Amazon.com: Amazon carries your standard Lindt chocolate not forgetting the easter favourite Gold Bunny.
  • Amazon.de carries Lindt, Frey, Munz, and Ovomaltine
  • Läderach is available online and does have stores outside of Switzerland.
  • Sprüngli also ships internationally but expect high shipping costs.

FAQ – Swiss Chocolate

What is the most popular Swiss Chocolate?

Internationally, Lindt is the most recognised Swiss brand of chocolate. But within Switzerland itself, brands like Frey and Cailler are extremely popular too.

Is Lindt really Swiss?

Yes! Lindt was founded in Zurich in 1845 and is still one of Switzerland’s largest chocolate producers.

Is Swiss chocolate better than Belgian chocolate?

They may take my Swiss passport if I don’t say, of course. But honestly, they are a little different. Swiss chocolate is smoother and more milkier. Belgian chocolate is often darker and more of a cocoa flavour. It really is personal preference.

What makes Swiss chocolate so smooth?

The technique called conching, which refines chocolate for hours, was developed in Switzerland, is the reason Swiss chocolate is so smooth.

What chocolate should I buy in Switzerland?

For authentic everyday Swiss chocolate head to the supermarket and purchase brands like Frey or Ragusa. For luxury chocolate gifts head to speciality chocolatiers as well as  Sprüngli or Läderach.

Planning a trip to Switzerland? Don’t leave without trying at least three of these brands. For more insider tips on Swiss food, culture and family life, join my free newsletter. The Weekend Edit.  I share what I’ve leaved from 25 years of living here – no fluff – just the real Switzerland.

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