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Ritter Sport facts for kids

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Ritter Sport
Private
Industry Foods
Founded 1912
Founder Clara and Alfred E. Ritter
Headquarters
Waldenbuch
,
Germany
Area served
 Worldwide
Key people
 Alfred T. Ritter (chairman),
Andreas Ronken (CEO)
Revenue 482 million euros (2017)
Number of employees
 1000

Ritter Sport is a brand of chocolate bar from the family-owned Alfred Ritter GmbH & Co. KG, which has its headquarters in Waldenbuch, Germany.

Each 100 g (3.5 oz)* square bar is divided into 16 smaller squares, creating a four-by-four pattern. In 2013 the company introduced a new version divided into 9 bigger squares using a three-by-three pattern. Large bars weighing 250 g (8.8 oz)* and 16.5 g (0.58 oz)* mini bars are also available, although in fewer varieties.

History

In 1912 Alfred and Clara Ritter founded a chocolate factory in Stuttgart-Bad Cannstatt. Later it introduced its own brand of chocolate, named "Alrika (Alfred Ritter Cannstatt)".

By 1926 the company had 80 employees and had bought their first company lorry to transport the chocolate. When production needs required a factory expansion in 1930, the company moved to Waldenbuch, a site a couple of miles outside Stuttgart. The chocolate brand known today, Ritter's Sport Schokolade, was launched in 1932 after Clara suggested creating a chocolate bar that would fit into any sport jacket pocket without breaking but weighed the same as a normal bar.

The Second World War halted production and Ritter chocolates disappeared until the 1950s, when chocolate rationing was ended in West Germany. The end of chocolate rationing did not mark the end of troubles for the firm since in 1952 the company's founder, Albert Ritter, died. His son, Alfred Otto Ritter, took over and focused the company on the chocolate square.

In 1966 Clara Ritter also died and the company was left solely in the hands of Alfred Otto. He dispensed with many other product lines in order to push the square bar.

The 1970s saw Ritter packaging become more colourful with a brighter unique colour assigned to each flavour. The brighter labels were seen in parallel with colour television, on which Ritter advertised. Another advance in packaging came with the snap-open pack (called the 'Knick-Pack'), which Ritter marketed as "practical and modern".

After Alfred Otto Ritter's death the company was managed by his wife, Marta, and in 1978 the company passed into the hands of the third generation, brother and sister Alfred T. Ritter and Marli Hoppe-Ritter.

In 1990 they launched project(s) "Cacaonica", which supports organic cocoa agriculture and reafforestation in Nicaragua, and "Ritter Solar", now the European market leader of solar thermal products and large solar thermal systems. The Ritter company owns a CHP power plant, which supplies 70% of the factory's energy needs, and since 2002 the company has been run entirely on renewable energy. The monomaterial chocolate packaging is designed to minimize its ecological footprint and is recyclable. The company has been certified to ZNU standard.

The Ritter Museum, opened in 2005, contains the collection of Marli Hoppe-Ritter, which consists of nearly 600 paintings, objects, sculptures and graphic works, a breadth of painterly and sculptural confrontation with the square form used as the design for the Ritter chocolate. The museum is an extension of the factory's 'ChocoShop', which was opened in 2001. The museum, on Alfred-Ritter-Straße 27, is a cubical building with limestone wall covering; a 12-metre-high central open passage is meant to draw in the landscape, and the large window allows a view through the building. It was designed by Max Dudler and Susanne Raupach.

On the whole their products are neither certified organic nor certified fair trade. However in April 2008 they launched an organic product line called "Ritter Sport Bio".

The firm celebrated its centenary in 2012 by touring 19 German cities between March and September on 'the Colourful ChocoTour'. A limited-edition anniversary bar was released: Edel-Nuss Mix – Plain milk chocolate with macadamias, cashews, and almonds. Also in 2012 Ritter expanded its initiative in Nicaragua by setting up a new cocoa plantation. The first harvest was in 2017.

In 2013 Ritter opened another shop at Ravensburger Spieleland, a German theme park, and the next year Ritter's first pop-up shop appeared in Hamburg for four months.

In 2017 Ritter released its first certified vegan bars, Dunkle Voll-Nuss Amaranth (hazelnut cream chocolate with amaranth and nuts) and Dunkle Mandel Quinoa (hazelnut cream chocolate with quinoa and almonds). As of February 2017 they were on sale only in Germany. The new releases, costing €2 each, target the growing vegan population in Germany. A third bar, Sesam (almond cream chocolate with sesame), was released in February 2020.

Varieties

Ritter Sport - english
Ritter Sport Minis
  1. Vollmilch – Plain milk chocolate (Royal Blue Wrapper, see image)
  2. Schoko-Duo – Plain milk chocolate and white chocolate (Royal Blue Wrapper with chocolate bar on outside)
  3. Dunkle Vollmilch – Plain medium dark chocolate, 40% cacao (Azure Blue Wrapper)
  4. Halbbitter – Plain dark chocolate, 50% cacao (Burgundy Wrapper)
  5. Edelbitter – Plain dark chocolate, 71% cacao (Pink Wrapper)
  6. Knusperkeks – Milk chocolate with a butter biscuit (Brown Wrapper)
  7. Pfefferminz – Chocolate with peppermint filling (Caribbean Green Wrapper)
  8. Joghurt – Yogurt (White Wrapper, see image)
  9. Erdbeer Joghurt – Milk chocolate strawberry and yogurt filling (Light Pink Wrapper)
  10. Voll-Nuss – Milk chocolate with whole hazelnuts (Brown Wrapper with Hazelnut-Pattern)
  11. Dunkle Voll-Nuss – Dark chocolate with whole hazelnuts (Dark Brown Wrapper with Hazelnut-Pattern)
  12. Weiße Voll-Nuss – White chocolate with whole hazelnuts (White/Cream Wrapper with Hazelnut-Pattern)
  13. Knusperflakes – Milk chocolate with corn flakes (Golden Yellow Wrapper)
  14. Voll Erdnuss – Milk chocolate with whole peanuts (Orange Wrapper)
  15. Ganze Mandel – Milk chocolate with whole almonds (Dark Green Wrapper)
  16. Marzipan – Dark chocolate with marzipan center (Red Wrapper, see image)
  17. Cocos – Milk chocolate with flakes of coconut in the center (Silver Wrapper)
  18. Trauben-Nuss – Milk chocolate with raisins and hazelnut pieces (Carmine Red Wrapper)
  19. Rum Trauben Nuss – Milk chocolate with rum-soaked raisins and hazelnut pieces (Crimson Red Wrapper)
  20. Cappuccino – Milk chocolate and cappuccino cream (Amber Wrapper)
  21. Alpenmilch – Special milk chocolate with high alpine milk proportion (Sky Blue Wrapper)
  22. Nugat – Milk chocolate with hazelnut-nougat center (Midnight Blue Wrapper)
  23. Feinherb à la Mousse au Chocolat – dark chocolate filled with chocolate mousse (Bistre Wrapper)
  24. Williams Birne Trüffel – dark chocolate filled with Poire Williams pear brandy mousse
  25. Karamel Nuss – Milk Chocolate with butter caramel cream dropped hazelnuts and crispy rice (Golden yellow wrapper)
  26. Haselnuss – Milk chocolate with chopped hazelnuts (Green wrapper, see image)
  27. Neapolitan – Milk Chocolate with Neapolitan wafers, made with a hazelnut cream filled wafers and praline. (medium dark orange wrapper)
  28. Noisette – Hazelnut-flavored milk chocolate. (light green wrapper)
  29. Kakao-Mousse – Whipped Cream Cocoa in Alpine Milk Chocolate. (Brown Wrapper)
  30. Kakao-Keks – Dark chocolate with cookie center. (Brown Wrapper with cookie background)
  31. Karamell – Milk chocolate with caramel filling. (Orange wrapper)
  32. Olympia – Milk Chocolate with yoghurt, honey, and glucose. (Gold Wrapper)
  33. Honig Salz Mandel – Milk chocolate with salted almonds and honey. (Orange wrapper with chocolate-coated almonds in the background)
  34. Macadamia – Milk chocolate with halved Macadamia nuts. (Blue wrapper with chocolate-coated Macadamia nuts in the background)
  35. Waffel – Milk chocolate with cocoa cream-filled waffle square. (Orange wrapper)
  36. Mandel Orange – Dark chocolate with almond pieces and candied orange peel
  37. Cashew – Milk chocolate with roasted and salted cashew nuts

Special varieties

From time to time various special and limited-edition flavours are released, sometimes with seasonal themes. For example, Marc de Champagne contained a truffle-like centre with a champagne flavour, and "Yogurt ai Frutti di Bosco" contained a punchy sour berry centre to complement the sweet milk chocolate. Three limited-edition flavoured bars are released each season; the two most successful flavours are carried on to the next year's seasonal release, whilst the third flavour is something new.

1995–1999 summer varieties

The following varieties were summer limited editions from 1995-1999:

  1. Joghurt-Lemon – White chocolate with a lemon and yoghurt filling.
  2. Joghurt-Orange – White chocolate with an orange and yoghurt filling.

2002–2003 summer varieties

The following varieties were summer limited editions in 2002 and 2003.

  1. Joghurt-Erdbeer-Rhabarber – White chocolate with a strawberry, rhubarb and yoghurt filling.
  2. Joghurt-Rote-Grütze – White chocolate with a cherry, raspberry, redcurrant and yoghurt filling.
  3. Joghurt-Schwarze-Johannisbeere – White chocolate with a lemon and yoghurt filling.

2004 varieties

Summer

  1. Himbeer-Zitrone Joghurt – White chocolate with a raspberry and lemon yoghurt filling.
  2. Sauerkirsch-Vanille Joghurt – White chocolate with cherry and vanilla yoghurt filling.
  3. Erdbeer-Joghurt – White chocolate with strawberry yoghurt filling.

2006 varieties

Summer

  1. Blutorange – White chocolate with a blood orange and yoghurt filling.
  2. Zitrone – White chocolate with lemon and yoghurt filling.
  3. Erdbeer-Rhabarber – White chocolate with strawberry and rhubarb yoghurt filling.

2011 varieties

Summer

  1. Stracciatella – Milk chocolate with chocolate pieces and milk creme filling.
  2. Amarena Kirsch – Milk chocolate with cherry and yoghurt filling.
  3. Pfirsich-Maracuja Joghurt – White chocolate with peach, passionfruit and yoghurt filling.

Other releases

  1. Alpensahne Praline – Alpine milk chocolate with praline creme.
  2. Weiss + Crisp – White chocolate with crisp.
  3. Haselnusse Krokant – Milk chocolate with crispy hazelnuts.
  4. Keks + Nuss – Milk chocolate with crunchy hazelnuts and cookie bits.

2012 varieties

Spring

  1. Bourbon Vanille – Milk chocolate with a bourbon vanilla creme filling.
  2. Haselnuss Krokant – Milk chocolate with a hazelnut creme, hazelnut and almond brittle and rice cereal.
  3. Kakaosplitter – Milk chocolate with a chocolate creme filling, cocoa nibs and hazelnut-almond pieces.

Summer

  1. White Coconut – White chocolate with toasted coconut and rice flakes.
  2. Wildberry Yogurt – Milk chocolate with a strawberry, blueberry and blackberry yogurt filling.
  3. Amarena Kirsch – Milk chocolate with an Amarena cherry creme filling.

Winter

  1. Coconut Macaroon – Milk chocolate with a buttery coconut cream filling with coconut flakes.
  2. Caramelized Almond – Milk chocolate with caramelized almond pieces.
  3. Dark Nougat Cream – Milk chocolate with a creamy dark chocolate nougat filling.

2013 varieties

Spring

  1. à la Crema Catalana – Milk chocolate with caramel-flavoured milk creme.
  2. Cookies and Cream – Milk chocolate with a vanilla cream filling with pieces of chocolate cookie.
  3. Kakaosplitter – Milk chocolate with a chocolate creme filling, cocoa nibs and hazelnut-almond pieces.

Summer

  1. Erdbeer Vanille-Waffel – Milk chocolate with strawberry and Loacker vanilla wafer.
  2. Himbeer-Cranberry Joghurt – Milk chocolate with raspberry-cranberry yoghurt.
  3. White Coconut – White chocolate with toasted coconut and rice flakes.

Winter

  1. Caramelized Almond – Milk chocolate with caramelized almond pieces.
  2. Caramel Orange – Milk chocolate with an orange caramel cream filling.
  3. Coconut Macaroon – Milk chocolate with a buttery coconut cream filling with coconut flakes.

2014 varieties

Spring

  1. à la Crema Catalana – Milk chocolate with caramel-flavoured milk creme.
  2. Cookies and Cream – Milk chocolate with a vanilla cream filling with pieces of chocolate cookie.
  3. Meringue Nut – Milk chocolate with meringue pieces and toasted hazelnut pieces.

Summer

  1. Erdbeer Vanille-Waffel – Milk chocolate with strawberry and vanilla wafer.
  2. Himbeer-Cranberry Joghurt – Milk chocolate with raspberry-cranberry yoghurt.
  3. Eiscafé – Milk chocolate with a coffee-and-vanilla-flavoured filling.

2015 varieties

Summer

  1. Erdbeer Minze – Milk chocolate with strawberry yoghurt creme filling.
  2. Buttermilch-Zitrone – White chocolate with lemon and buttermilk filling.
  3. Eiscafé – Milk chocolate with a coffee-and-vanilla-flavoured filling.

2017 varieties

Spring

  1. Weisse Joghurt – White chocolate with a yoghurt filling.
  2. Johannisbeer Streusel – Milk chocolate with a redcurrant and streusel filling.
  3. Honig & Crisp – Milk chocolate with a honey and wafer filling.

Summer

  1. Brombeer Joghurt – Milk chocolate with blackberry pieces and yoghurt filling.
  2. Pink Grapefruit – White chocolate with grapefruit filling.
  3. Eiskakao-Creme – Milk chocolate with chocolate pieces and chocolate cream filling.

VfB Stuttgart promotion

  1. Erstklassige Schokolade – White chocolate with chopped hazelnut and strawberry piece filling.

Red Nose Day: Circus Halligalli

  1. Vollmilch-Randale mit Flakes – Milk chocolate with salted corn pieces and cornflake filling.
  2. Joghurt-Klatsche mit Crunch – White chocolate with muesli filling.

Winter

  1. Weisse Zimt Crisp – White chocolate with cinnamon crisp pieces.
  2. Gebrannte Mandel – Milk chocolate with caramelised almond pieces.
  3. Spekulatius – Milk chocolate with spekulatius filling.

2018 varieties

Variety of the year

  • Kaffeesplitter – Dark chocolate with coffee chip filling.

Spring

  1. Zitronen-Waffel – White chocolate with a lemon cream and wafer filling.
  2. Johannisbeer Streusel – Milk chocolate with a redcurrant and streusel filling.
  3. Honig & Crisp – Milk chocolate with a honey and wafer filling.

Summer

  1. Himmlische Beere – Milk chocolate with raspberry pieces and yoghurt filling.
  2. Buttermilch-Zitrone – White chocolate with lemon and buttermilk cream filling.
  3. Eiskakao-Creme – Milk chocolate with chocolate pieces and chocolate cream filling.

Bundesliga special edition

  • BVB-Taktiktafel – Milk chocolate with cornflake filling.

Winter

  1. Nuss + Crisp – Milk chocolate with a chopped hazelnut and rice puff filling.
  2. Spekulatius – Milk chocolate with spekulatius filling.
  3. Gebrannte Mandel – Milk chocolate with caramelised almond filling.

Das Schokoladen-mädchen

Ritter released a limited-edition bar to coincide with a special exhibition of The Chocolate Girl by Jean-Étienne Liotard at Gemäldegalerie Alte Meister, Dresden. It was available online, in Ritter shops and at the exhibition in Dresden until January 2019.

First Harvest Limited Edition Ritter released a limited edition bar made from the first viable harvest of their Nicaraguan cocoa plantation. It was limited to 30,000 bars and was available in the SchokoShop in Waldenbuch, SchokoWelt Berlin and online.

  • Erste Ernte – 54% milk chocolate made from the first harvest of the El Cacao plantation, Nicaragua.

2019 varieties

Spring

  1. Johannisbeer Streusel – Milk chocolate with a redcurrant and streusel filling.
  2. Buttermilch-Zitrone – White chocolate with lemon and buttermilk cream filling.
  3. Haferkeks + Joghurt – Milk chocolate with oatcake and yoghurt filling.

Summer

  1. Zitronen-Waffel – White chocolate with wafers and a yoghurt and lemon cream filling
  2. Himbeer Joghurt – Milk chocolate with a raspberry and yoghurt filling
  3. Erdbeer-Mousse – Milk chocolate with a strawberry mousse filling

Winter

  1. Gebrannte Mandel – Milk chocolate with caramelised almond filling.
  2. Spekulatius – Milk chocolate with spekulatius filling.
  3. Dunkle Minz Crisp – Dark chocolate with mint crisp pieces

2020 varieties

Fernweh edition

  1. Weisse Mango Maracuja – White Milk chocolate with mango and maracuya filling.
  2. Joghurt Honig Nuss – Milk chocolate with yoghurt, honey and nut filling.
  3. Kokoswaffel – Milk chocolate with coconut waver filling

Winter

  1. Gebrannte Mandel – Milk chocolate with caramelised almond filling.
  2. Spekulatius – Milk chocolate with spekulatius filling.
  3. Kokosmakrone – Milk chocolate with coconut cream and coconut macaroon filling.

Organic varieties

  1. Mandelsplitter – Milk chocolate with chopped almonds.
  2. Macadamia – Milk chocolate with chopped macadamia nuts.
  3. Trauben-Cashew – Milk chocolate with chopped cashew nuts and raisins.
  4. Vollmilch 35% – Milk chocolate with 35% cacao.
  5. Feinherb 60% – Dark chocolate with 60% cacao.
  6. Kakaosplitter Nuss – Milk chocolate with 35% cacao, chopped nuts and cocoa kernel chips.

Slogans

Motto 1

  • German packaging: "Quadratisch. Praktisch. Gut." ("Square. Practical. Good.")
  • French packaging: "Carré. Pratique. Gourmand."
  • English packaging (North America & Australasia): "Quality. Chocolate. Squared."
  • English packaging (UK-Ireland): "Quality in a Square."
  • Italian packaging: "Quadrato. Pratico. Buono."
  • Danish packaging: "Kvadratisk. Praktisk. God."
  • Dutch packaging: "Vierkant. Makkelijk. Lekker."
  • Russian packaging: "Квадратный. Практичный. Хороший." (Translation of German) or "Квадратиш. Практиш. Гут." (Transliteration of German)

Motto 2

"Qualität im Quadrat."

Literal translation used on English language packaging: "Quality in a square." English packaging now features "Quality. Chocolate. Squared." to provide a similar description.

Motto 3

"Knick Knack auf Zack."

Literal translation in English language would be: "fold and snap to be prepared." The first two terms are the clicking noises that you are supposed to hear when breaking the chocolate bar twice in the middle - knick is from the German verb knicken (to bend something), Knack means snap/click and "auf Zack sein" means on one's toes / ready and waiting / prepared / set / arranged. This motto aired on German TV in the early 1990s.

Mascot

Ritter Sport is sometimes represented by "Quadrago", a banner-carrying baby dragon. This may be partly attributed to the German word "Ritter" meaning "Knight".

See also

Kids robot.svg In Spanish: Ritter Sport para niños

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