Toblerone (pronounced /ˈtoʊbləroʊn/ in English and [toblɛˈʁone] in Swiss German) is a chocolate bar made by Kraft Foods Switzerland, who acquired former owner Jacobs Suchard in 1990. It is best known for its triangular chunks (representing the Matterhorn in the Swiss Alps),[1] its distinctive packaging, its prism shape (triangular prism or pentahedron) and its ubiquity in airport duty-free shops.
Toblerone was created by Theodor Tobler and Emil Baumann in Bern, Switzerland in 1908. They developed a unique milk chocolate including nougat, almonds and honey with a distinctive triangular shape. The product's name is a portmanteau combining Tobler's name with the Italian word torrone (a type of nougat).[1] The image of a bear is hidden in the Matterhorn mountain symbolizing the town of its origin.[2]
Theodor Tobler applied for a patent for the Toblerone manufacturing process in Bern in 1906.[3] The Toblerone brand was trademarked in 1909, at the Federal Institute for Intellectual Property in Bern.[4]
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Variations
In 1932 Tobler made the first filled bars of chocolate, the Tobler-O-rum.
Since the 1970s, other versions of the Toblerone have been produced. These include:
- Plain chocolate – (dark chocolate) in a green or black wrapper
- White chocolate – in a white wrapper
- Snow-Capped – editions with white chocolate peaks (also in a white/silver wrapper)
- Filled editions – milk chocolate with a white chocolate centre (blue wrapper)
- OneByOne – individually wrapped triangular chunks
- Toblerone Pralinés – released in 1997, a single peaked version in the distinctive yellow packaging[5]
- Fruit and Nut – in 2007 with a half purple cardboard box
- Honeycomb crisp – with a half white box with honeycomb pieces pictured on it
- Berner Bär – 500 g milk chocolate bar, with a relief portrait of the Bernese Bear and the Coat of arms of Berne on its face. The only non-triangular Toblerone.[6]
Sizes and peaks
Bar sizes range from ten centimetres to nearly one metre, all similarly proportioned. According to Schott's Food & Drink Miscellany the sizes and number of peaks for Toblerones are as follows:
| Size | Mini | 35 g | 50 g | 75 g | 100 g | 200 g | 400 g | 750 g | 4.5 kg |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Peaks | 3 | 9 | 11 | 11 | 12 | 15 | 15 | 17 | 12 |
Manufacturing
Toblerone is manufactured exclusively in the Swiss city of Bern-Brünnen.[7]
The Toblerone affair
In 1995 it was revealed that the Swedish politician Mona Sahlin had bought, among other things, two bars of Toblerone using her Riksdag credit card. This became known as the Toblerone affair. Sahlin was forced to step down as a candidate for the post as Prime Minister. She returned to politics in 1998.[8]
Health considerations and composition
Toblerone's variants may contain trans fats as of July 2008. As of April 2009, Toblerone packaging indicates 0 g trans fat.
Similar products
A similar product is the Croatian product Kolumbo which is also composed of pyramids of hazelnuts and honey. Another comparable product is Mahony, produced by the company Chocolat-Frey AG in Switzerland.
See also
Notes
- ^ a b "Toblerone: Shape and Name". Our Secret: A Different Form of Enjoyment. Kraft Foods. 2006. http://www.toblerone.com/our_secret/shape-en.html. Retrieved 2008-02-03.
- ^ March 27, 2007. "Hidden bear in Toblerone". Moillusions.com. http://www.moillusions.com/2007/03/hidden-bear-in-toblerone-chocolate.html. Retrieved 2009-06-07.
- ^ Patent for Toblerone[dead link]
- ^ "Toblerone: 1909". How it All Began: Tobler's Chocolate. Kraft Foods. 2006. http://www.toblerone.com/time_machine/toblers_1909-en.html. Retrieved 2008-02-03.
- ^ [1][dead link]
- ^ Toblerone FAQ[dead link]
- ^ Location of production[dead link]
- ^ Svensson, Britta (2007-01-05). "Nej det handlade inte bara om Toblerone..." (in Swedish). Expressen. http://www.expressen.se/1.511241. Retrieved 2007-01-24.
References
- Schott, Ben (2003) Schott's Food & Drink Miscellany. London: Bloomsbury ISBN 0-7475-6654-2
External links
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