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Having reaffirmed its Swissness with vigour back in April, Toblerone is set to give another treat to the country it calls home. The Swiss chocolatier will launch a new range of chocolates that will only be sold in the alpine nation.
Through the new chocolates, called “Born Swiss”, parent company Mondelēz said Toblerone was “celebrating its roots” by producing and selling a new range solely in Switzerland. “With the new product line, Toblerone underscores the importance of its Swiss homeland… [representing] the origins, rich history, and quality of Toblerone," the company wrote in a statement.
The four new products will be sold exclusively in stores and supermarkets in Switzerland, and are designed to look like the first Tobler chocolates sold in 1908. The highlight of the new range will be a massive 750-gram Toblerone bar, sold in its iconic triangular shape.
There will also be a “Tiny Box”, consisting of a metal tin with three Toblerone milk chocolate bars. Other highlights include Bar Mix consisting of two milk, one fruit and nut and one crunchy almond chocolate bars, and a Tiny 200-gram set offering mini milk, dark, white and crunchy almond Toblerone.
Image credit: Mondelēz International
The news is a major turnaround from the events of recent years, which have suggested that Toblerone was not afraid to jeopardise its “Swiss” credentials. Having decided to move some of its production to Slovakia to save on salaries and expand capacity, in July 2023 Toblerone was forced to ditch its Swiss flag and Matterhorn logo, as the business decision fell foul of the Swissness Act.
This act requires that 80 percent of a product must be produced in Switzerland, if a company wants to use the Swiss flag, crosses, historical sites, mountains, lakes and other landmarks in its logo or branding. This is why Toblerone was forced to change its logo to an artificially generated mountain, and change its description from “of Switzerland” to “established in Switzerland.”
However, just three years later, Toblerone and Mondelēz U-turned, promising to spend 65 million francs on expanding its plant in Bern. With 90 percent of Toblerone bars set to be made in Switzerland, the company will soon adorn each of its chocolates with a Swiss flag - though sadly, the Matterhorn logo will be consigned to the history books.