Toblerone products will lose the mention “from Switzerland” on the front of their packaging after the decision to open a production site for chocolate in Slovakia. The brand was established in 1908 at the Tobler family factory in Bern. The triangular chocolate, shaped like Swiss alpine peaks, has been produced in the Swiss capital ever since.
The owner of Toblerone, the American confectionery giant Mondelez, says it is opening a new production line in Slovakia, “in response to growing demand”.
Why will it be manufactured elsewhere?
The company told the AFP news agency that it would continue to invest in the original plant in Bern. He said launching a production line in Slovakia would also unlock significant cargo at the site in Bern. Mondolez already manufactures Milka and Suchard chocolates in Slovakia.
The company said the move would eventually allow it to “manufacture millions of additional bars”.
However, the fact that it is no longer produced exclusively in Switzerland means that, under Swiss law, Toblerone can no longer be described as a Swiss product.
The company says it will change the wording on its packaging before the change in production, starting from 2023. The new design will simply say that Toblerone originated in Switzerland.
Alpine Inspiration
Toblerone produces 7 billion chocolate bars a year, and 97% of the production is exported to 120 countries. It is commonly seen in airport duty-free shops around the world.
The uniform triangular shape of the Matterhorn in the Swiss and Italian Alps is believed to have inspired Theodor Tobler for the shape of the product . A bear, which is the symbol of Bern, is also depicted in the Toblerone logo.
The Tobler company was independent for decades, but was eventually merged with Suchard and bought into 1990 by Kraft Foods. It became part of the Mondelez consortium in 2012.