Lindt & Sprüngli

Chocoladefabriken Lindt & Sprüngli AG, more commonly known simply as Lindt, is a Swiss chocolatier and confectionery company founded in 1845 and known for its chocolate truffles and chocolate bars, among other sweets.

"Lindt" redirects here. For other uses, see Lindt (disambiguation).
Not to be confused with Confiserie Sprüngli.

Chocoladefabriken Lindt & Sprüngli AG
TypeAktiengesellschaft
SIX: LISN
SIX: LISP
ISINCH0010570759
IndustryConfectionery
Founded1845 (1845)
FoundersDavid Sprüngli-Schwarz
Rudolf Lindt
Headquarters
Kilchberg
,
Switzerland
Key people
Ernst Tanner (Exec.Chairman)
Dieter Weisskopf (CEO)[1]
ProductsChocolate, confectionery, ice cream
Revenue 4.509 billion CHF (2019)[2]
511.9 million CHF (2019)[2]
Number of employees
14,621[2] (2019)
SubsidiariesGhirardelli
Russell Stover
Caffarel
Hofbauer
Küfferle
Websitewww.lindt.com
www.lindt-spruengli.com/investors/
Headquarters and factory in Kilchberg, Switzerland

History

Founding and early years
David Sprüngli
Share of the Chocoladefabrik Lindt & Sprüngli AG, issued 1 September 1930

The origins of the company date back to 1836, when David Sprüngli-Schwarz and his son Rudolf Sprüngli-Ammann bought a small confectionery shop in the old town of Zürich, producing chocolates under the name David Sprüngli & Son. Before they moved to Paradeplatz in 1845, they established a small factory where they produced their chocolate in solidified form in 1838.

When Rudolf Sprüngli-Ammann retired in 1892, he gave two equal parts of the business to his sons. The younger brother David Robert received two confectionery stores that became known under the name Confiserie Sprüngli. The elder brother Johann Rudolf received the chocolate factory. To raise the necessary finances for his expansion plans, Johann Rudolf then converted his private company into "Chocolat Sprüngli AG" in 1899. In that same year, he acquired the chocolate factory of Rodolphe Lindt in Bern, and the company changed its name to "Aktiengesellschaft Vereinigte Berner und Zürcher Chocoladefabriken Lindt & Sprüngli" (United Bern and Zurich Lindt and Sprungli Chocolate Factory Ltd.).[3]

Expansion

In 1994, Lindt & Sprüngli acquired the Austrian chocolatier Hofbauer Österreich and integrated it, along with its Küfferle brand, into the company. In 1997 and 1998, respectively, the company acquired the Italian chocolatier Caffarel and the American chocolatier Ghirardelli,[4][5] and integrated both of them into the company as wholly owned subsidiaries. Since then, Lindt & Sprüngli has expanded the once-regional Ghirardelli to the international market.

On 17 March 2009, Lindt announced the closure of 50 of its 80 retail boutiques in the United States because of weaker demand in the wake of the late-2000s recession.[6]

Recent developments

On 14 July 2014, Lindt bought Russell Stover Candies, maker of Whitman's Chocolate, for about $1 billion, the company's largest acquisition to date.[7]

In November 2018, Lindt opened its first American travel retail store in JFK Airport's Terminal 1 and its flagship Canadian shop in Yorkdale Shopping Centre, Toronto.[8][9]

Factories

Lindt & Sprüngli has 12 factories: Kilchberg, Switzerland; Aachen, Germany; Oloron-Sainte-Marie, France; Induno Olona, Italy; Gloggnitz, Austria; and Stratham, New Hampshire, in the United States. The factory in Gloggnitz, Austria, manufactures products under the Hofbauer & Küfferle brand in addition to the Lindt brand. Caffarel's factory is located in Luserna San Giovanni, Italy, and Ghirardelli's factory is located in San Leandro, California, in the United States.[10] Furthermore, there are four more factories of Russell Stover in the United States including locations in Corsicana, Texas, Abilene, Kansas, and Iola, Kansas.

Lindt chocolate cafés
Lindt store in Canal Walk mall, Cape Town
Lindt shop in Leeds

Lindt has opened over 410 chocolate cafés and shops all over the world.[11][12] The cafés' menu mostly focuses on chocolate and desserts. Lindt chocolate cafés also sell handmade chocolates, macaroons, cakes, and ice cream.

On 15 December 2014, 18 people, including eight staff, were held hostage at a Lindt cafe in Sydney, Australia. Three people, including the gunman, died in the incident.[13][14]

Products

Lindor
Lindor milk chocolate truffles in red wrappers
A Lindor dark chocolate truffle in a blue wrapper

Lindor is a brand Lindt introduced as a chocolate bar in 1949 and later in 1967 in the form of a ball.[3] It is now characterized by a hard chocolate shell and a smooth chocolate filling. The ball or bar are available in an array of flavors, each with a distinctive color wrapper:[15]

Color Flavor
Black/Silver Extra Dark (60% cocoa outside and dark chocolate filling)
Black with Ghosts;

White and Blue Snowmen;

Lime Green with Pink, Purple, and Yellow Flowers and Butterflies;

Lime Green with White and Yellow Flowers;

Red with Hearts

 Milk outside with smooth white filling (seasonal flavor)
Black with Green Dark Peppermint (Limited Edition)
Blue Dark Chocolate
Brown Hazelnut
Brown and Gold Milk chocolate shell filled with sugared hazelnut chunks
Dark Brown (with print 'Café') Mocha
Dark Green Peppermint
Gold and White White Chocolate
Red Milk Chocolate
Light Blue Stracciatella: white chocolate shell with cocoa pieces with a smooth white filling
Light Pink Irish Cream
Hot Pink Strawberries and Cream
Lavender Blueberries and Cream (Limited Edition)
Light Purple Almond Case
Lime Green Lemon (Limited Edition)
Amber Mangoes and Cream (Limited Edition)
Orange Dark chocolate shell filled with orange chocolate filling
Deep Pink Raspberry
Green Mint
Purple Vanilla
Turquoise Coconut
White with Gold Marc de Champagne
Sky Blue Sea Salt
Sky Blue with White Stripe (with print 'Latte') Milk and Cereal Crunch
Bronze (with print 'Caramel') Caramel
Dark Aqua Sea Salt & Caramel
Orange and Brown Spiced pumpkin
Brown with white helix Gingerbread
Pink with yellow label Neapolitan
Light gold Fudge Swirl
Green with red, white and green stripes Peppermint Cookie
Red and white stripes with white label Peppermint White Chocolate
Copper Snickerdoodle
Copper with gold label Butter Pecan
Black and gold Extra Dark 70%
Lime green and gold Matcha White Chocolate
Gold with copper label Dulce de Leche
Lime green Pistachio
Dark Brown Cappuccino

Most of the US Lindor truffles are manufactured in Stratham, New Hampshire.[3]

In 2009, Swiss tennis star Roger Federer was named as Lindt's "global brand ambassador", and began appearing in a series of commercials endorsing Lindor.[16]

Seasonal confectioneries
Display of Lindt chocolate bunnies
Gold Bunny (Goldhase) advertisement on the Zürichsee-Schifffahrtsgesellschaft (ZSG) ship Wädenswil in Zürich

The Lindt group also produces the Gold Bunny, a hollow milk chocolate rabbit in a variety of sizes available every Easter since 1952.[17][18] Each bunny wears a small colored ribbon bow around its neck identifying the type of chocolate contained within. The milk chocolate bunny wears a red ribbon, the dark chocolate bunny wears a dark brown ribbon, the hazelnut bunny wears a green ribbon, and the white chocolate bunny wears a white ribbon. Other chocolates are wrapped to look like carrots, chicks, or lambs. The lambs are packaged with four white lambs and one black lamb.

During the Christmas season, Lindt produces a variety of items, including chocolate reindeer (which somewhat resemble the classic bunny), Santa, snowmen figures of various sizes, bears, bells, advent calendars, and chocolate ornaments. Various tins and boxes are available in the Lindt stores, the most popular color schemes being the red and blue. Other seasonal items include Lindt chocolate novelty golf balls.[19]

For St. Valentine's Day, Lindt sells a boxed version of the Gold Bunny, which comes as a set of two kissing bunnies.[20] Other Valentine's Day seasonal items include a selection of heart-shaped boxes of Lindt chocolate truffles.

Due to the 3rd UK lockdown and with all chocolate shops shut, Lindt has begun offering virtual tasting sessions (Feb 2021) with LINDT EXCELLENCE chocolatiers. The experiences can be bought online from their website and include a box of chocolates which are delivered, along with details of how to book the one hour tasting.[21]

Chocolate bars

Lindt sells a variety of chocolate bars. Flavors from the Excellence range include:[22]

  • Mint Intense: dark chocolate infused with mint
  • Lime Intense: dark chocolate infused with lime
  • Orange Intense: dark chocolate infused with orange essence and almond flakes
  • Blackcurrant: dark chocolate infused with pieces of blackcurrant and almond slivers
  • White Coconut: white chocolate with crisp flakes of fine coconut
  • Coconut: dark chocolate with crisp flakes of coconut
  • Almond: white chocolate with whole roasted almonds and caramelized almond pieces
  • Poire Intense: pear flavored chocolate with almond flakes
  • Pineapple: dark chocolate with pineapple pieces and caramelized hazelnut pieces
  • Cherry Intense
  • Regular Dark Chocolate: available in 50%, 60%, 70%, 78%, 85%, 90%, 95%, 99%, or 100% cocoa varieties
  • Extra Creamy: milk chocolate
  • Toffee Crunch: crunchy toffee bits wrapped in milk chocolate
  • Caramel Crunchy: studded with crunchy caramel
  • Lindor: the famous balls but in cube form
  • Wasabi: an East Asian-inspired dark chocolate mixed with wasabi
  • Pistachio: milk chocolate with creamy pistachio filling
  • Mandarin: milk chocolate with creamy mandarin filling
  • Strawberry: milk chocolate with creamy white chocolate strawberry filling
  • Strawberry Margarita: capsule form with strawberry and margarita filling
  • White Strawberry: white chocolate with strawberry pieces
  • Orange: milk chocolate with creamy orange flavored filling
  • Cuba: 55% cocoa, single-origin Cuban cocoa
  • Madagascar: 70% cocoa, single-origin Madagascar cocoa
  • Ecuador: 75% cocoa, single-origin Ecuadorian cocoa
  • Vanilla: white chocolate with vanilla beans
  • Coffee
  • Chili: 70% cocoa dark chocolate with red chili extract
  • Raspberry Intense Dark: dark chocolate with pieces of raspberries and almond slivers
  • A Touch of Sea Salt: dark chocolate seasoned with fleur de sel

Petits desserts

Lindt's "Petits Desserts" range embodies famous European desserts in a small cube of chocolate. Flavors include: Tarte au Chocolat, Crème Brûlée, Tiramisu, Creme Caramel, Tarte Citron, Meringue, and Noir Orange.[23]

Lindt makes a "Creation" range of chocolate-filled cubes: Milk Mousse, Dark Milk Mousse, White Milk Mousse, Chocolate Mousse, Orange Mousse, Pistachio and Cherry/Chili.[24]

Liqueurs

Bâtons Kirsch are Lindt Kirsch liqueur-filled, chocolate-enclosed tubes dusted in cocoa powder.[25]

Ice cream

In Australia, Lindt manufactures ice cream in various flavors:[26]

  • 70% Dark Chocolate
  • White Chocolate Framboise
  • Sable Cookies and Cream
  • Chocolate Chip Hazelnut
  • White Chocolate and Vanilla Bean

Criticism

In September 2017, an investigation conducted by NGO Mighty Earth[27] found that a large amount of the cocoa used in chocolate produced by Lindt and other major chocolate companies was grown illegally in national parks and other protected areas in the Ivory Coast and Ghana,[28][29] the world's two largest cocoa producers.[30][31]

Mighty Earth's 2019 annual "Easter Chocolate Shopping Guide" awarded The Good Egg Award to Lindt "for greatest improvement in sustainable policies".[32]

In August 2020, the Federal Antimonopoly Service of Russia (FAS) opened up an antitrust case against Lindt after a failed response from the company a year earlier. The regulators have found quality differences for the same Lindt products in Russia over what is being sold in Western Markets without informing Russian consumers. According to the FAS, such behavior of foreign producers can lead to a redistribution of demand in the market and lead to unjustified benefits over other competitors, as companies like Lindt can still garner Russian demand for their products through Brand recognition alone without delivering the same quality like in Western Europe.[33][34]

Lindt responded and denied that there are differences for its products sold in Russia and the EU, except for labeling.[35]

See also

References
  1. "Group Management" (in German). Lindt Sprüngli AG. 10 October 2016. Retrieved 7 November 2016.
  2. "Annual Report 2019" (pdf). Lindt Sprüngli AG. Retrieved 24 May 2020.
  3. "Story of Lindt". LindtUSA. Retrieved 20 November 2016.
  4. "Spotlight: Ghirardelli Chocolate Co. Is Sold Again". Los Angeles Times. 13 January 1998. Retrieved 19 June 2020.
  5. "Ghirardelli Chocolate Sold". AP NEWS. Retrieved 19 June 2020.
  6. Wiggins, Jenny (17 March 2009). "Lindt closes lid on most of its US stores". Financial Times. Retrieved 3 January 2016.(subscription required)
  7. MacLucas, Neil (14 July 2014). "Lindt & Spruengli to Buy Russell Stover Candies". Wall Street Journal. Retrieved 24 October 2017.(subscription required)
  8. Madden, Chris. "Lindt & Sprüngli Travel Retail sees sales jump as Master Chocolatiers debut in US". DFNI Online. Retrieved 3 December 2018.
  9. DeMontis, Rita (28 November 2018). "Lindt flagship store lands at Yorkdale". Canoe.com. Retrieved 3 December 2018.
  10. "Contact Us for Ghirardelli". Ghirardelli. Retrieved 24 October 2017.
  11. "More Than 410 Own Shops Worldwide". Retrieved 7 May 2018.
  12. Marc Pallisco (31 May 2009). "Flagship Lindt Chocolat Cafe to Open in Collins Street, Melbourne". Real Estate Source. Retrieved 25 November 2015.
  13. Doherty, Ben; Jabour, Bridie; Delaney, Brigid; Wahlquist, Calla; Davidson, Helen; Safi, Michael; Milman, Oliver; Farrell, Paul (20 December 2014). "Sydney siege: how a day and night of terror unfolded at the Lindt cafe". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 1 July 2020.
  14. "Lindt Cafe: The day international terrorism came to Australia". www.9news.com.au. Retrieved 1 July 2020.
  15. "LINDOR". Lindt Chocolate. Retrieved 24 October 2017.
  16. Chocoladefabriken Lindt & Sprüngli. "Roger Federer, World of Lindt". Chocoladefabriken Lindt & Sprüngli. Retrieved 26 December 2018.
  17. "The LINDT GOLD BUNNY Story > History of chocolate > Secrets of Chocolate > Lindt & Sprüngli, Master Chocolatier since 1845". Lindt.com. 17 August 2010. Archived from the original on 6 September 2012. Retrieved 25 November 2015.
  18. Charles Forelle (11 June 2008). "Europe's High Court tries on a chocolate bunny suit". The Australian. Retrieved 25 November 2015.
  19. "Golf Balls 110g". Lindt. Retrieved 25 November 2015.
  20. "Lindt Kissing Gold Bunny 100g". Lindt Shop. Wayback Machine. Archived from the original on 16 February 2012. Retrieved 13 November 2016.
  21. Luxe Bible Digital Magazine Website
  22. "EXCELLENCE Bars". LindtUSA. Retrieved 8 December 2015.
  23. "Boxed Chocolates". LindtUSA. Retrieved 25 November 2015.
  24. "Popular Chocolate Sellers". Lindt. Wayback Machine. Archived from the original on 21 November 2015. Retrieved 25 November 2015.
  25. "Single masterpieces... > Lindt & Sprüngli, Maître chocolatier suisse depuis 1845". Lindt.com. Wayback Machine. 12 March 2012. Archived from the original on 15 December 2014. Retrieved 30 March 2015.
  26. "Ice Cream". Lindt Australia. Retrieved 8 December 2015.
  27. Higonett, Etelle; Bellantonio, Marisa; Hurowitz, Glenn (15 September 2017). "Chocolate's Dark Secret" (PDF). Mighty. Retrieved 2 November 2017.
  28. "Olam to acquire global cocoa business of Archer Daniels Midland for $1.7 billion". The Straits Times. 16 December 2014. Retrieved 2 November 2017.
  29. "Olam Livelihood Charter 2016" (PDF). Olam. September 2017. Archived from the original (PDF) on 7 November 2017. Retrieved 2 November 2017.
  30. Wessel, Marius; Quist-Wessel, P.M. Foluke (December 2015). "Cocoa production in West Africa, a review and analysis of recent developments". NJAS - Wageningen Journal of Life Sciences. 74–75: 1–7. doi:10.1016/j.njas.2015.09.001.
  31. Harris, Nancy; Payne, Octavia; Alix Mann, Sarah (6 August 2015). "How Much Rainforest Is in That Chocolate Bar?". World Resources Institute. Retrieved 2 November 2017.
  32. "Mighty Earth 2019 Easter Chocolate Buying Guide" (PDF). Mighty Earth. April 2019. Retrieved 23 August 2019.
  33. "Russian antimonopoly watchdog opens case against Lindt chocolate producer". Retrieved 25 August 2020.
  34. "The Federal Antimonopoly service has opened a case against the manufacturer of Lindt chocolate". Retrieved 25 August 2020.
  35. "Lindt denies differences in the composition of chocolate sold in Russia and the EU". Retrieved 25 August 2020.
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