The Way Toblerone Is Made Is Changing—Will It Be as Good?

Staff Author
·2 min read
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You may spot a slightly different package at your next stop to the duty-free shops.

Toblerone package
Toblerone package

During your travels, you may often come across Toblerone, the iconic triangular-shaped chocolate bar with honey and almond nougat, at duty-free shops. If so, chances are you may notice subtle changes to the chocolate's packaging soon.

Mondelez International Inc., the owner of the Swiss-born chocolate founded by Theodor Tobler in 1908, announced moving part of its production from Bern, Switzerland, to Bratislava, Slovenia. According to a Reuter news report in June 2022, reducing costs was one of the leading factors in relocation production. Doing so, however, will affect the chocolate's iconic packaging and marketing strategies.

Under the "Swissness" regulations adopted in 2017, food manufacturers can claim that the food is Swiss-made when production occurs in Switzerland, with at least 80 percent of the raw ingredients used in producing food must originate from the country. Milk, an important chocolate ingredient, must also be produced and processed in Switzerland.

In other words, chocolates produced outside Switzerland cannot be labeled Swiss-made. This means the new packaging of Toblerone will need to drop Swiss indicators, including the famous Matterhorn mountain peak image and the words "Swiss milk" and "Toblerone of Switzerland."

It is too early to tell if there will be any differences in taste to the Slovenian-made product, but you will see tweaks to its packaging, including the Swiss Alps, to be replaced by a more generic mountain logo. Some changes are already underway. The brand's British website shows the pyramid-like chocolate bar now bears the statement "Established in Switzerland 1908" rather than "Toblerone of Switzerland."

With inflation, moving production sites to Slovenia may lower production costs to keep the product affordable. Currently, the 3.52-ounce chocolate bar option is sold for around $2.38.

Despite the upcoming changes, you will still recognize this legendary chocolate bar.