Lindt facts for kids
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Headquarters and factory in Kilchberg
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| Public (Aktiengesellschaft) | |
| Traded as | |
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| Industry | Confectionery |
| Founded | 1845 |
| Founders |
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| Headquarters |
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Switzerland
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Key people
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Ernst Tanner (Executive Chairman) Adalbert Lechner (CEO) |
| Products |
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| Revenue |  CHF 5.55 billion (2024) |
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Operating income
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CHF 884 million (2024) |
| CHF 672 million (2024) |
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| Total assets |  CHF 9.16 billion (2024) |
| Total equity | CHF 4.84 billion (2024) |
| Owner | Lindt & Sprüngli AG Fonds für Pensionsergänzungen (15.43%) Ernst Tanner (2.277%) Rudolf Konrad Sprüngli (0.8091%) |
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Number of employees
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14,466 (2022) |
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Lindt, officially known as Chocoladefabriken Lindt & Sprüngli AG, is a famous Swiss company. It makes delicious chocolates and other sweet treats. The company started way back in 1845.
Lindt is well-known for its tasty chocolate truffles and chocolate bars. Its main factory and a cool museum are in Kilchberg, Switzerland. Lindt is one of the biggest chocolate makers in Switzerland.
Contents
The Story of Lindt Chocolate
How Lindt Began
The story of Lindt started in 1836. A man named David Sprüngli and his son, Rudolf Sprüngli-Ammann, bought a small candy shop in Zürich. They made chocolates under the name David Sprüngli & Son.
In 1845, they moved to a new spot and opened a small factory. This is where they started making chocolate in solid bar form.
Later, in 1892, Rudolf Sprüngli-Ammann retired. He split the business between his two sons. The younger son, David Robert, got the candy stores, which became known as Confiserie Sprüngli.
The older son, Johann Rudolf, received the chocolate factory. To help his factory grow, Johann Rudolf turned it into a company called "Chocolat Sprüngli AG" in 1899.
That same year, he bought a chocolate factory in Bern from Rodolphe Lindt. Rodolphe Lindt had started his factory in 1879. After this, the company changed its name to "Lindt & Sprüngli."
Chocolate Innovations
Even though solid milk chocolate was invented in Switzerland in 1875, Lindt started making it later. Lindt began producing milk chocolate in 1934. Before that, they only made dark chocolate.
In 1936, Lindt & Sprüngli made a deal with a German company. This allowed their chocolates to be made in Aachen, Germany, for international sales.
Growing Around the World
Lindt & Sprüngli grew by buying other chocolate companies. In 1994, they bought Hofbauer Österreich from Austria. They also added its Küfferle brand.
In 1997, they acquired Caffarel, an Italian chocolate maker. In 1998, they bought Ghirardelli, an American chocolate company. Both became part of Lindt & Sprüngli.
Ghirardelli, which used to be a local brand, then became known all over the world. In 2014, Lindt made its biggest purchase yet. They bought Russell Stover Candies, which also makes Whitman's Chocolate. This made Lindt one of the largest chocolate companies in North America.
Recent Company News
Lindt works to make sure its cocoa comes from good sources. In 2017, some groups looked into how cocoa was grown. They found that some cocoa for chocolate companies was grown in protected areas.
Lindt has been working to improve its practices. They aim for more sustainable ways of getting cocoa. They also want to make sure no child labor is used on cocoa farms.
In 2018, Lindt opened new stores in places like JFK Airport in the US and Yorkdale Shopping Centre in Canada. In 2022, Lindt was mentioned in a study about metals in dark chocolate. The study found small amounts of lead or cadmium in some dark chocolate bars. Lindt's levels were within the safe limits set by the EU.
In 2023, Lindt started working with a company called ChoViva. They launched new vegan chocolates made from oats and sunflower seeds. Also in 2023, Lindt announced that it would stop advertising to children under 16. This helps them follow the best practices in the market.
In 2024, Lindt opened a new part of its factory in Olten, Switzerland. This factory is very important for making cocoa mass.
Lindt Factories Around the World
Lindt & Sprüngli has twelve factories in different countries. These include Kilchberg, Switzerland; Aachen, Germany; and Stratham, New Hampshire, in the United States.
Other factories are in France, Italy, and Austria. The Hofbauer & Küfferle brands are made in the Gloggnitz factory in Austria. Ghirardelli's factory is in San Leandro, California, USA. Russell Stover has four factories in the United States.
Lindt Home of Chocolate Museum
Since 2020, the main factory in Kilchberg has a special visitor center and museum. It is called the Lindt Home of Chocolate. This museum is a fun place to visit.
It has the world's largest chocolate fountain! It is over nine meters tall and holds 1,500 liters of chocolate. The chocolate flows from a giant whisk.
The museum teaches visitors about the history of chocolate. You can also learn about the chocolate industry. At the end of the tour, you get to taste many different kinds of chocolate.
Famous Lindt Products
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Lindt Chocolate Cafés and Stores
Lindt has opened more than 410 chocolate cafés and shops worldwide. These cafés mostly serve chocolate treats and desserts. You can also buy handmade chocolates, macaroons, cakes, and ice cream there.
A Lindt store at Zurich Airport
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A Lindt store in Canal Walk mall, Cape Town
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A Lindt store in Leeds
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See also
In Spanish: Lindt & Sprüngli para niños
- List of bean-to-bar chocolate manufacturers
- Cocoa-free chocolate alternative
