No dessert hides as much curiosity as Toblerone. To this day, it is not known what exactly was the inspiration for the triangular shape and how it was discovered how chocolate should be plucked properly.
1. The surname of the inventor is hidden in the name of the chocolate
For a century, Toblerone chocolate has sweetened people. This adored and well-known dessert was invented in 1908 by Theodor Tobler with the help of his cousin Emil Baumann in Bern, Switzerland. The name of the chocolate bar is a combination of the inventor's surname Tobler and the Italian word for nougat, torrone.
2. Even today, it is not known what exactly was the inspiration for the triangular shape
Everyone's first association with Toblerone is the unusual shape of chocolate. Many stories circulate about what inspired Tobler to make the chocolate pyramids. The story that is most logical and obvious to many is the one that says that chocolate took shape on the alpine peaks and the Matterhorn, on the slopes of which the creator Theodor Tobler grew up. This story is supported by the fact that the Matterhorn is also a symbol of Switzerland. Another popular version says that the inventor was inspired by a cabaret point that ends with a series of dancers who form a triangle at the end of the show. This is the point that was performed at the famous Folies Bergères music hall in Paris. Confirmation of which story is true we will never know, but with a little mystery and a bar of chocolate it is immediately more interesting. The triangular shape of the Toblerone was patented and protected in 1909 to keep the company’s distinctive chocolate look.
3. All chocolates are produced in one place
Torblerone chocolates are enjoyed all over the world, and they all come from a single factory. The most popular chocolate pyramids are produced in Bern-Brunnen in one of the last Swiss chocolate factories. It is interesting to know that the chocolate you eat in Croatia came from that factory.
4. 14,000 Swiss cows give their milk just for Toblerone chocolates
The Toblerone chocolate recipe was never changed and managed to remain secret. The fact that Toblerone is produced by only one factory probably also contributed to this. Chocolate is based on three key ingredients - cocoa, sugar and milk. But we must not forget the crunchy pieces of nougat found in the chocolate bar, which are made from honey, powdered sugar, egg whites and almonds. Powdered milk comes from 14,000 Swiss cows who give their milk exclusively for the production of Toblerone chocolates. That powdered milk mixes better with cocoa than any liquid was discovered more than 1,000 years ago by Philippe Suchard, also Swiss.
5. Hidden silhouette on the cover
The design of the Toblerone chocolate wrapper had several changes. Back in 1908, it didn't look like it does today. Then on the cover was the logo of an eagle holding two flags, Switzerland and the city of Bern with the mountains in the background. It was not until the 1960s that the Matterhorn was added to the cover, and in 2000 it was moved to the longitudinal side of the packaging. Since then, the Toblerone mountain logo has also included a bear silhouette found on the coat of arms of the city of Bern. You may not notice the bear at first, but if you look closely, you will see that it is hiding in a mountain with its snout facing the word Toblerone.
6. You’ve probably eaten the chocolate bar wrong by now
Toblerone doesn’t tear like a classic chocolate bar in a way that breaks down. This famous Swiss chocolate is easiest to tear off if you pair the tops of the pyramid, that is, if you push the first top of the pyramid towards the top of the next in a row.
7. 25% chocolates are sold in duty-free stores
Toblerone is available in more than 120 countries around the world, but interestingly, about 25 percent of people buy it in duty-free shops at airports. That is why this chocolate bar has become an indispensable part of the trip, and even a gift after the trip. But while you wait for the trip, surprise your loved ones with a Christmas edition of that cult chocolate.