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From Bean to Bar: The Steps of Lindt & Sprüngli's Chocolate Production
As one of the few global chocolate manufacturers, Lindt & Sprüngli produces chocolate products from “Bean to Bar”. It all starts with purchasing the cocoa beans through the own Lindt & Sprüngli Farming Program, continues with producing the cocoa mass in our own production facilities, and extends to processing the chocolate. The cocoa used is decisive for the quality and taste of the chocolate, which is why the high standards that Lindt & Sprüngli demands from the raw materials used and subsequent processing start as early as with the cocoa. An exception is Russell Stover, which buys chocolate and chocolate products.
Step 1: Sourcing
For the chocolate production, Lindt & Sprüngli hinges on selecting the right cocoa beans and other high-quality ingredients, such as hazelnuts and almonds. Cocoa beans are sourced through our own sustainable sourcing model, the Lindt & Sprüngli Farming Program from the countries of origin of Ghana, Ecuador, Madagascar, the Dominican Republic, and Papua New Guinea.
Step 2 through 5: Transportation to Mixing the Beans
Depending on its origin, each variety of cocoa has a multitude of intense flavors. In the end, it is only high-quality beans that are transported by ship to Amsterdam or the US. From Amsterdam or the US port, the beans and other raw ingredients travel by rail and truck to our own cocoa mass facilities in Switzerland, France, and the US.
However, chocolate production requires much more than this, as each individual step in the production aspects the quality of the chocolate. After repeated quality tests, the beans are sent out to be processed. Special bean mixtures from various different regions of origin are used for the recipes. The finely tuned blends later determine the flavor of the chocolate.
Step 6: Infrared Treatment
The cocoa beans that pass our stringent inspection are then thoroughly cleaned to ensure their absolute purity.
Step 2 through 5: Transportation to Mixing the Beans
Depending on its origin, each variety of cocoa has a multitude of intense flavors. In the end, it is only high-quality beans that are transported by ship to Amsterdam or the US. From Amsterdam or the US port, the beans and other raw ingredients travel by rail and truck to our own cocoa mass facilities in Switzerland, France, and the US.
However, chocolate production requires much more than this, as each individual step in the production aspects the quality of the chocolate. After repeated quality tests, the beans are sent out to be processed. Special bean mixtures from various different regions of origin are used for the recipes. The finely tuned blends later determine the flavor of the chocolate.
To safeguard the uniform and consistently high quality of all our chocolate products, all ingredients – including cocoa beans – are thoroughly tested in our own laboratories before and after purchasing.
Step 6: Infrared Treatment
The cocoa beans that pass our stringent inspection are then thoroughly cleaned to ensure their absolute purity.
Step 7: Break-up, Separation and Steaming of the Nibs
Lindt & Sprüngli uses special bean blends to ensure a distinguished taste for the respective chocolate recipes. The cocoa beans are mixed, cleaned, split open, removed from their shell, and broken into pieces. Eventually, all that remains are the cocoa fragments, the so-called cocoa nibs. Then the cocoas nibs are steamed.
Step 8 through 9: Roasting and Grinding
The cocoa nibs are roasted according to specific company-owned procedures. This special process involves perfectly coordinating the temperature and roasting time. Unlike when entire beans are roasted, roasting the nibs allows for a more even and finer roasting flavor.
After roasting, the cocoa is cracked even more, and ground into very fine bits.
Step 7: Break-up, Separation and Steaming of the Nibs
Lindt & Sprüngli uses special bean blends to ensure a distinguished taste for the respective chocolate recipes. The cocoa beans are mixed, cleaned, split open, removed from their shell, and broken into pieces. Eventually, all that remains are the cocoa fragments, the so-called cocoa nibs. Then the cocoas nibs are steamed.
Step 8 through 9: Roasting and Grinding
The cocoa nibs are roasted according to specific company-owned procedures. This special process involves perfectly coordinating the temperature and timeing. Unlike when entire beans are roasted, roasting the nibs allows for a more even and finer flavor.
After roasting, the cocoa is cracked even more, and ground into very fine bits.
Step 10 to 11: First Milling and Transportation to Factory
After being ground, pressure and heat create a liquid cocoa mass, but this is still quite bitter.
This mass is then transported into our very own chocolate production factories, one of which is in Kilchberg, Switzerland.
Step 12 to 13: Mixing with other Main Ingredients and Second Milling
At the production facility, and depending on the recipe, cocoa butter, milk, sugar, and other ingredients are now added to the mass.
The enriched mass is then ground to the smallest possible particle size on large rolling mills.
Step 10 to 11: First Milling and Trasportation to Factory
After being ground, pressure and heat create a liquid cocoa mass, but this is still quite bitter.
This mass is then transported into our very own chocolate production factories, one of which is in Kilchberg, Switzerland.
Step 12 to 13: Mixing with other Main Ingredients and Second Milling
At the production facility, and depending on the recipe, cocoa butter, milk, sugar, and other ingredients are now added to the mass.
The enriched mass is then ground to the smallest possible particle size on large rolling mills.
Step 14: Conching
Conching is one of the central steps in turning the chocolate mass into a premium, melt-in-the-mouth chocolate experience.
Conching is the constant stirring the chocolate and allows for the flavor to fully develop and the texture to become exquisitely smooth. The intense stirring heats the chocolate mass in the conche, and the cocoa butter coats every minute particle. Unwanted bitter substances and acids evaporate, resulting in the soft, fine chocolate melt.
Even today, the conche, Rodolphe Lindt’s invention, which has been refined over decades, remains the decisive production step.
Step 15: Molding or Further Processing
The soft chocolate mass is now used to create the Lindt & Sprüngli world of products. For example, further high-quality ingredients, such as hazelnuts or almonds, are added in this last chocolate production stage. Considerable attention is paid to preserving the fine aroma after roasting the nuts. This is why we roast the nuts ourself and process them as quickly as possible.
Nowadays, well over 2,500 products, from LINDOR truffles, EXCELLENCE chocolate bars, pralines, GOLD BUNNIES, Ghirardelli SQUARES, Russell Stover pralines, Küfferle CHOCOLATE UMBRELLAS, through to Hofbauer pralines and Caffarel GIANDUIAS, are produced all over the world with a great love of detail. The design teams create an incredible variety of sophisticated designs to inspire consumers time after time. For Lindt & Sprüngli, “bean to bar” production forms the basis of a sustainable and traceable cocoa supply chain and is therefore a responsibility from the very beginning, which we want to assume ourselves.
Step 14: Conching
Conching is one of the central steps in turning the chocolate mass into a premium, melt-in-the-mouth chocolate experience.
Conching is the constant stirring renes the chocolate and allows for the flavor to fully develop and the texture to become exquisitely smooth. The intense stirring heats the chocolate mass in the conche, and the cocoa butter coats every minute particle. Unwanted bitter substances and acids evaporate, resulting in the soft, fine chocolate melt.
Even today, the conche, Rodolphe Lindt’s invention, which has been refined over decades, remains the decisive production step.
Step 15: Molding or Further Processing
The soft chocolate mass is now used to create the Lindt & Sprüngli world of products. For example, further high-quality ingredients, such as hazelnuts or almonds, are added in this last chocolate production stage. Considerable attention is paid to preserving the fine aroma after roasting the nuts. This is why we roast the nuts ourself and process them as quickly as possible.
Nowadays, well over 2,500 products, from LINDOR truffles, EXCELLENCE chocolate bars, pralines, GOLD BUNNIES, Ghirardelli SQUARES, Russell Stover pralines, Küfferle CHOCOLATE UMBRELLAS, through to Hofbauer pralines and Caffarel GIANDUIAS, are produced all over the world with a great love of detail. We create an incredible variety of sophisticated designs to inspire consumers time after time. For Lindt & Sprüngli, “bean to bar” production forms the basis of a sustainable and traceable cocoa supply chain and is therefore a responsibility from the very beginning, which we want to assume ourselves.
