The turnover of Switzerland’s 16 chocolate manufacturers hit CHF1.7 billion ($1.8 billion) last year, an increase of 11.8% compared with 2020, the Association of Swiss Chocolate Manufacturers (Chocosuisse) reportedExternal link on Tuesday.
However, turnover remains 4.2% below the pre-crisis level of 2019.
Domestic chocolate sales rose by 7.7% in 2021 compared with the previous year, but were still significantly below the level of 2019 (-8.4%).
Meanwhile, export volumes of Swiss chocolate rose 10.8% in 2021, with revenues rising 15.5% to CHF926 million, Chocosuisse said.
Germany (25,689 tonnes), France (12,948 tonnes), Canada (11,791 tonnes), Britain (10,535 tonnes) and the United States (7,837 tonnes) were the main markets for Swiss chocolate last year.
At the same time, imports of non-Swiss chocolate continue to rise. The share of foreign chocolate in the Swiss market was around 42% last year, up from 34% in 2011. It seems this is partly due to a rise in the consumption of imported chocolate – from 4 kilos to 4.7 kilos per capita. The other is a drop in the consumption of Swiss chocolate in Switzerland from 8 to 6.6 kilos per capita over the past decade.
Chocosuisse includes chocolate manufacturers such as Nestlé (Cailler), Lindt&Sprüngli, Barry Callebaut, Camille Bloch, Favarger, Villars, Sprüngli, Maestrani, Stella and Läderach.
More
More
Can China help African cocoa producers outmanoeuvre Big Chocolate?
This content was published on
Poor returns are driving cocoa-producing countries Ivory Coast and Ghana to China for funding and a new marketplace.
How is your country dealing with the return of stolen artifacts?
Western nations like Switzerland often have to deal with the process of recovering or returning looted artifacts which have been illegally imported. What’s the situation like in your country?
What do you think Switzerland’s Alain Berset can bring to the Council of Europe?
The former interior minister is to become the first Swiss Secretary General of the Council of Europe – which issues should his five-year term focus on?
Swiss chocolate consumption dips to lowest levels in 40 years
This content was published on
For the first time since 1982, average annual chocolate consumption in Switzerland has fallen below the 10 kg per person mark.
You can find an overview of ongoing debates with our journalists here . Please join us!
If you want to start a conversation about a topic raised in this article or want to report factual errors, email us at english@swissinfo.ch.