Cailler

Vevey factory François-Louis Cailler was born in Vevey, Switzerland in 1796. Together with Abram L. C. Cusin, Cailler first opened a grocery shop in Vevey in 1818, where chocolate was also sold. At that time, chocolate was essentially considered as a tonic rather than a delicacy, and it was generally dissolved in water or milk. Cailler soon opened his first chocolate factory in neighbouring Corsier-sur-Vevey in 1819. It is considered one of the first modern chocolate factories. The factory allowed Cailler to produce solid and affordable chocolate, that was moulded into tablets or small blocks. Cailler was successful and, after a few years, he proposed 16 types of chocolate each with different packaging. Among popular products were pur caraque and commun sucré, which were also exported outside Switzerland. Vanilla and cinnamon flavoured chocolate bars were also made by Cailler. François-Louis Cailler died in 1852 and his wife Louise-Albertine continued to run the company along with their sons, Auguste and Alexandre. In the early 1890s, following the development of the conching process, Cailler began manufacturing a new type of chocolate specially made for eating. Broc factory In 1898, Alexandre-Louis Cailler (grandson of François-Louis Cailler) opened the current factory of Broc. 1912 saw the inauguration of the Bulle-Broc-Fabrique railway, which replaced horse-drawn goods convoys to Bulle, the major town in the area. Chocolate, notably including milk chocolate using milk from local dairies, began to be produced on a massive scale. The number of workers grew from 76 in 1898 to 630 in 1901. The number of workers peaked in 1930, at 1,796. Meanwhile, in 1904, Daniel Peter and Charles-Amédée Kohler (son of Charles-Amédée Kohler who founded Chocolat Kohler in 1830) became partners and founded the Société générale suisse des chocolats Peter et Kohler réunis. in 1911, the company created by Peter and Kohler merged with Cailler. In 1929, Peter, Cailler, Kohler, Chocolats Suisses S.A. finally merged with the Nestlé group. Nestlé ultimately retained the Cailler brand and signature for the chocolate made in Broc. In 2007, the plastic packaging was discontinued. ==Location==

(upper left) Cailler is located in the canton of Fribourg, in the Alpine foothills of the Gruyères region, which is the cradle of Gruyère and reputed for its fine milk production. Tourism Maison Cailler educates visitors on the history of the brand, ingredient sourcing, and the artistry of chocolate-making — visitors are allowed to try chocolates in the tasting room at the end of tours. The factory is open seven days a week and accommodates visits in 12 languages. Activities beyond the museum include: chocolate workshops, an escape game and an outdoor playground. The "Chocolate Train", operated by the Montreux–Lenk im Simmental line, connects Montreux to the factory. An additional theme park dedicated to chocolate is planned for 2025. ==Products== Cailler produces a wide range of 100g and 200g chocolate tablets, essentially milk but also dark and white. It also produces individual chocolate bars, notably the Branche. Cailler also produces praline boxes, the oldest being Ambassador (since 1890) and Fémina (1902). for instance by the other Swiss brand Frey. Below are listed the most notable Cailler-branded products: • Ambassador (since 1890): A box of assorted pralines • Fémina (1902): Another box of assorted pralines (gianduja-like) The Branche was created by Kohler; it is mentioned in his recipe books from 1896. It has been, however, produced by Cailler since 1904. Often placed inside a bread roll or bun, it today remains a particularly iconic chocolate bar, and the name branche has become a generic term in French for any similarly-shaped chocolate bar. • Frigor (1923): A milk chocolate tablet with a soft hazelnut and almond cream filling. • Rayon (1937): A honey nougat milk chocolate tablet with air bubbles In 2018, production of Chokito (and Rayon) was relocated elsewhere in Switzerland. ==References==