Manufacturer of chocolates and pralines in Germany with a production plant in Aachen
Lindt & Sprüngli GmbH
52072 Aachen · Süsterfeldstr. 130New on Amplifa
About Lindt & Sprüngli GmbH
Lindt & Sprüngli GmbH is the German subsidiary of Chocoladefabriken Lindt & Sprüngli AG (Switzerland) and produces chocolate at its Aachen site (Süsterfeldstr. 130), which is regarded as the competence center for hollow figures. The product range includes bar chocolate, pralines, LINDOR balls, hollow figures such as the Santa Claus, TEDDY and the Gold Bunny, first produced in Germany in 1952, Advent calendars and gift sets. During production, cocoa beans are roasted and ground, the chocolate masses are stirred using the conching process invented by Rodolphe Lindt in 1879 and then poured into molds; hollow figures are produced by coating molds with molten chocolate and are hand-finished and packaged by Maîtres Chocolatiers. In 2021, the company generated revenue of €886 million in Germany with an average of 2895 employees. Takeover and management of the German manufacturing operations took place in 1988.
- Site
- Aachen
- Processes
- Conching (conching process), Roasting and grinding of cocoa beans, Casting of chocolate into molds (bar chocolate), Production of hollow figures (coating of molds with molten chocolate, cooling), Hand finishing and packaging (assembly), Online shop with DHL standard shipping (2-3 business days, cooled shipping), Personalization of bars, TEDDY and Advent calendars, MyLindt Bonus Club
- Materials
- Cocoa (fine cocoa), Milk chocolate, Dark chocolate (fine bitter), White chocolate, Fine cocoa, Conching process
- Employees
- 2895 (2021, averag
- Industries
- Confectionery/chocolate manufacturing, Food
- 01
Roasting and grinding of cocoa beans
- 02
Production and conching of the chocolate mass
- 03
Casting the chocolate into molds (bars)
- 04
Coating of molds for hollow figures (cooling)
- 05
Hand finishing and packaging
- 06
Shipping (cooled DHL shipping)
Materials and Processes
Fine cocoa
Most important ingredient in chocolate production; secret blend of high-quality cocoa varieties.
Milk chocolate
Base material for bars, hollow figures and LINDOR balls with at least 30 % cocoa.
Dark chocolate (fine bitter)
Used for dark bars and mini hollow figures.
White chocolate
Used for versatile products such as white hollow figures.
Conching process
Stirring process invented by Rodolphe Lindt in 1879, which makes the chocolate creamy and meltingly smooth.
Locations
Aachen
DEProduction plant / administration, competence center for hollow figures
- Part weight / size
- 10 g – 1000 g (hollow figures)
- Lot size
- High-volume series (Gold Bunny approx. 150 million units/year)
- Materials
- Milk, dark and white chocolate
- Conche machine
Products
Inside the production
Industries
Processes & technical limits
| Processes | Tolerance | Max. part | Weight | Lot size | Materials |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Conching (conching process)Plastics | – | – | – | – | Chocolate mass |
| Roasting and grinding of cocoa beansPlastics | – | – | – | – | Cocoa |
| Casting of chocolate into molds (bar chocolate)Casting | – | – | – | – | Chocolate |
| Production of hollow figures (coating of molds with molten chocolate, cooling)Casting | – | – | 10 g – 1000 g | approx. 150 million units per year | Chocolate (milk, dark, white) |
| Hand finishing and packaging (assembly)Assembly | – | – | – | – | Chocolate, gold foil, ribbon |
1 Anlagen & Maschinen
| Machine | Manufacturer / model | Quantity | Working area | Year built | Site |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Conche machine | – | – | – | 1879 | – |
Additional services
History
- 1800
Opening of David Sprüngli's confectionery shop in Zurich
- 1845
Successful sale of the first chocolate bars
- 1847
First chocolate factory Schleifetobel in Horgen
- 1859
Second confectionery on Paradeplatz Zurich (Confiserie Sprüngli)
- 1870
Acquisition of the Werdmühle factory by Rudolf Sprüngli
- 1879
Rodolphe Lindt invents the conching process
- 1892
Division of the Sprüngli company
- 1899
Founding of Lindt & Sprüngli; takeover of Rodolphe Lindt's company, factory construction in Kilchberg, conversion into a joint-stock company
- 1935
License agreement with Leonard Monheim AG, Berlin, for manufacturing in Germany
- 1952
First Lindt GOLD BUNNY produced (Germany)
- 1986
Stock exchange listing of Lindt & Sprüngli
- 1988
Lindt & Sprüngli takes over manufacturing in Germany; production in Aachen
- 1989
French subsidiary fully acquired; production building in Stratham, USA
- 1993
Integration of Bulgheroni SpA as Lindt & Sprüngli SpA (Italy)
- 1994
Founding of Lindt & Sprüngli (Austria) GmbH, integration of Confiserie Hofbauer; holding structure
- 1997
Branch in Australia
- 1998
Acquisition of Caffarel (Turin) and Ghirardelli Chocolate Company (USA)
- 2014
Acquisition of Russell Stover Candies Inc. (USA)
- 2022
Adalbert Lechner (formerly head of Lindt Deutschland) becomes Group CEO
- 2024
Expansion of the Olten plant, the group's largest cocoa mass plant