Toblerone

An opened Toblerone bar

Toblerone (pronounced /ˈtoʊbləroʊn/ in English, and /to.blɛ.ˈʁo.ne/ in Swiss German) is a chocolate bar made by Kraft Foods Switzerland. It is best known for its triangular shaped chunks (representing the Matterhorn in the Swiss Alps),^[1] its distinctive packaging, its prism shape and its ubiquity in airport duty-free shops.

Toblerone was created by Theodor Tobler and Emil Baumann in Bern, Switzerland in 1908. The two gentlemen 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]

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), and OneByOne, individually wrapped triangular chunks. New for 2007 is a Fruit and Nut version with a half purple cardboard box. Bar sizes range from ten centimetres to nearly one metre, all similarly proportioned.

Seasonal packaging variations are produced, often with a separate outer sleeve bearing a topical parody of the Toblerone logo, including "ToMyLove" and "HoHoHo."

Sizes and peaks

According to Schott's Food & Drink Miscellany the sizes and number of peaks for Toblerones are as follows:

Trivia

Trivia sections are discouraged under Wikipedia guidelines. The article could be improved by integrating relevant items and removing inappropriate ones.

• Toblerone products became well-known in Canada after restaurant chain Swiss Chalet distributed Toblerone bars as part of its annual Festive Special dinner for several years. The chain has since replaced Toblerone with various Lindt & Sprüngli products.^{[citation needed]}

• Theodor Tobler applied for a patent for the Toblerone manufacturing process in Bern in 1906. [1]

• In 1995 it was revealed that the Swedish politician Mona Sahlin had bought, among other things, a Toblerone using her Riksdag credit card. She was forced to step down as a candidate for the post as Prime Minister. This was later called the "Toblerone affair." She returned to politics in 1998. ^[2]
  • The anti-tank fortifications known as dragon's teeth are colloquially referred to as the Toblerone line in Switzerland, because of their pyramidal shape.
  • A single piece of Toblerone is known as an "Alp" after its shape and the country of origin, Switzerland, which is home to part of the Alps.^{[citation needed]}
  • The Toblerone brand was trademarked in 1909, at the Federal Institute for Intellectual Property in Bern.^[3] Albert Einstein was employed there as a patent clerk, at the time.^[3]
    • In Communist Eastern European countries, Toblerone was only available in special "diplomat-only" shops that only accepted hard currency. Thus it, along with the Kinder Surprise, became an object of desire for generations of children.^{[citation needed]}
    • The mountain shown in the logo is the Matterhorn which is south west of Zermatt, Switzerland.
    • There is a hidden bear in the Matterhorn mountain symbolizing Bern, the town of its origin.[2]

    Notes

    1. ^ ^{a b} Toblerone: Shape and Name. Our Secret: A Different Form of Enjoyment. Kraft Foods (2006). Retrieved on 2008-02-03.
    2. ^ Svensson, Britta. "Nej det handlade inte bara om Toblerone...", Expressen, 2007-01-05. Retrieved on 2007-01-24. (Swedish) 
    3. ^ ^{a b}

    
    

    References

    • Ben Schott. Schott's Food & Drink Miscellany (2003) Bloomsbury ISBN 0-7475-6654-2

    External links

    • Official website
    • History of Toblerone with packaging perspective

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