Ghirardelli Chocolate Company
Encyclopedia
The Ghirardelli Chocolate Company is a United States
division of Swiss
candymaker Lindt & Sprüngli
. The company was founded by and is named after Italian
chocolatier Domingo Ghirardelli
, who, after working in South America, moved to California. The Ghirardelli Chocolate Company was incorporated in 1852, and is the second-oldest chocolate company in the United States, after Baker's Chocolate
.
, Italy
, to an "exotic foods importer" and his wife. Domenico received his first education in the chocolate trade when he was apprenticed to a local candymaker as a child. By the time he was 20, Ghirardelli sailed to Uruguay
with his wife to work in a chocolate and coffee
business. A year later, Ghirardelli moved to Lima, Peru, and opened a confectionery store. In 1847, nine years later, James Lick
(Ghirardelli's neighbor) moved to San Francisco with 600 pounds of Ghirardelli's chocolate. Ghirardelli remained and continued to operate his store in Peru.
at Sutter’s Mill
and sailed to California. After doing some prospecting, Ghirardelli opened a general store in Stockton, California
, offering supplies and confections to fellow miners in town. Ghirardelli's tent-based store was one of the first shops set up in the area.
Several months later, Ghirardelli opened a second store on the corner of Broadway and Battery in San Francisco, which became, in 1852, his first establishment in that city.
The next year, in 1853, the business relocated to the corner of Jackson and Mason Streets. By 1855, a larger manufacturing facility was needed, and so the factory was moved to the corner of Greenwich and Powell Streets, while the office remained at the previous location. By 1866, the company was importing 1000 pounds of cocoa seeds a year. During this time, the company sold liquor, but dropped their line of alcoholic products in 1864. By that time, the company not only sold chocolate, but also coffee and spices to the United States, China
, Japan
, and Mexico
. In 1885, the company imported 450,000 pounds of cocoa seeds.
In 1892, Ghirardelli retired as head of the company and was replaced by his three sons. Eight years later, Ghirardelli died at the age of 77 in Rapallo, Italy.
By 1900, Ghirardelli's company was selling only chocolate and mustard, having sold its coffee and spices businesses. Further expansion over the years into different buildings allowed the company to expand into new markets and grow financially. In 1965, San Francisco declared Ghirardelli Square
(where many of the Ghirardelli buildings were constructed) an official city landmark. Two years later, production facilities moved to San Leandro, California
.
The Ghirardelli Chocolate Company was bought by the Golden Grain Macaroni Company, maker of Rice-A-Roni
, in 1963. Later, in 1986, Quaker Oats bought Golden Grain, and thus Ghirardelli. In 1992, Quaker Oats sold the Ghirardelli Chocolate division to a private investment group. John J. Anton, from that group, became the president and CEO of the newly independent Ghirardelli Chocolate Company. Lindt and Sprüngli, from Switzerland
, acquired Ghirardelli Chocolate Company in 1998 as a wholly owned subsidiary of its holding company.
Ghirardelli produces several flavors of chocolate. The chocolate is sold in bar version or is cut up into squares and individually packaged. Chocolate varieties include:
Ghirardelli also sells food service items, like chocolate beverages and flavored sauces, to other retailers.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
division of Swiss
Switzerland
Switzerland name of one of the Swiss cantons. ; ; ; or ), in its full name the Swiss Confederation , is a federal republic consisting of 26 cantons, with Bern as the seat of the federal authorities. The country is situated in Western Europe,Or Central Europe depending on the definition....
candymaker Lindt & Sprüngli
Lindt & Sprüngli
Lindt & Sprüngli AG, more commonly known as Lindt, is a luxury Swiss chocolate and confectionery company.- History :The origins of the company date back to 1845...
. The company was founded by and is named after Italian
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
chocolatier Domingo Ghirardelli
Domingo Ghirardelli
Domenico "Domingo" Ghirardelli, Sr. was born in Rapallo, Italy, the son and apprentice of a chocolatier. In 1837, Ghirardelli moved to Uruguay, then in 1838 to Lima, Peru, and established a confectionery, and began using the Spanish equivalent of his Italian name, Domingo.In 1849 he moved to...
, who, after working in South America, moved to California. The Ghirardelli Chocolate Company was incorporated in 1852, and is the second-oldest chocolate company in the United States, after Baker's Chocolate
Baker's chocolate (brand)
Baker's Chocolate is a brand name for the line of baking chocolates made by the Kraft Foods corporation. Products include a variety of bulk chocolates, including white and unsweetened, and sweetened coconut flakes...
.
Origins
In 1817, Domenico Ghirardelli was born in RapalloRapallo
Rapallo is a municipality in the province of Genoa, in Liguria, northern Italy. As of 2007 it counts approximately 34,000 inhabitants, it is part of the Tigullio Gulf and is located in between Portofino and Chiavari....
, Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
, to an "exotic foods importer" and his wife. Domenico received his first education in the chocolate trade when he was apprenticed to a local candymaker as a child. By the time he was 20, Ghirardelli sailed to Uruguay
Uruguay
Uruguay ,officially the Oriental Republic of Uruguay,sometimes the Eastern Republic of Uruguay; ) is a country in the southeastern part of South America. It is home to some 3.5 million people, of whom 1.8 million live in the capital Montevideo and its metropolitan area...
with his wife to work in a chocolate and coffee
Coffee
Coffee is a brewed beverage with a dark,init brooo acidic flavor prepared from the roasted seeds of the coffee plant, colloquially called coffee beans. The beans are found in coffee cherries, which grow on trees cultivated in over 70 countries, primarily in equatorial Latin America, Southeast Asia,...
business. A year later, Ghirardelli moved to Lima, Peru, and opened a confectionery store. In 1847, nine years later, James Lick
James Lick
James Lick was an American carpenter, piano builder, land baron, and patron of the sciences. At the time of his death, he was the wealthiest man in California, and left the majority of his estate to social and scientific causes.-Early years:James Lick was born in Stumpstown Pennsylvania on August...
(Ghirardelli's neighbor) moved to San Francisco with 600 pounds of Ghirardelli's chocolate. Ghirardelli remained and continued to operate his store in Peru.
The move to California
In 1849, Ghirardelli received news of the gold strikeCalifornia Gold Rush
The California Gold Rush began on January 24, 1848, when gold was found by James W. Marshall at Sutter's Mill in Coloma, California. The first to hear confirmed information of the gold rush were the people in Oregon, the Sandwich Islands , and Latin America, who were the first to start flocking to...
at Sutter’s Mill
Sutter's Mill
Sutter's Mill was a sawmill owned by 19th century pioneer John Sutter in partnership with James W. Marshall. It was located in Coloma, California, at the bank of the South Fork American River...
and sailed to California. After doing some prospecting, Ghirardelli opened a general store in Stockton, California
Stockton, California
Stockton, California, the seat of San Joaquin County, is the fourth-largest city in the Central Valley of the U.S. state of California. With a population of 291,707 at the 2010 census, Stockton ranks as this state's 13th largest city...
, offering supplies and confections to fellow miners in town. Ghirardelli's tent-based store was one of the first shops set up in the area.
Several months later, Ghirardelli opened a second store on the corner of Broadway and Battery in San Francisco, which became, in 1852, his first establishment in that city.
Early History in San Francisco
A fire on May 3, 1852 destroyed Ghirardelli's San Francisco business, and a few days later, his Stockton store also burned down. However, in September of the same year, Ghirardelli used his remaining assets to open the Cairo Coffee House in San Francisco. This business venture proved unsuccessful, and Ghirardelli opened a new store, named "Ghirardely & Girard", on the corner of Washington and Kearny Streets in San Francisco. Soon afterward, Ghirardelli was making enough money to send for his family, who were still living in Peru. He changed the company's name to "D. Ghirardelli & Co." and, in 1852, imported 200 pounds of cocoa beans. The company was incorporated in 1852 and has been in continuous operation since.The next year, in 1853, the business relocated to the corner of Jackson and Mason Streets. By 1855, a larger manufacturing facility was needed, and so the factory was moved to the corner of Greenwich and Powell Streets, while the office remained at the previous location. By 1866, the company was importing 1000 pounds of cocoa seeds a year. During this time, the company sold liquor, but dropped their line of alcoholic products in 1864. By that time, the company not only sold chocolate, but also coffee and spices to the United States, China
China
Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
, Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
, and Mexico
Mexico
The United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of...
. In 1885, the company imported 450,000 pounds of cocoa seeds.
In 1892, Ghirardelli retired as head of the company and was replaced by his three sons. Eight years later, Ghirardelli died at the age of 77 in Rapallo, Italy.
By 1900, Ghirardelli's company was selling only chocolate and mustard, having sold its coffee and spices businesses. Further expansion over the years into different buildings allowed the company to expand into new markets and grow financially. In 1965, San Francisco declared Ghirardelli Square
Ghirardelli Square
Ghirardelli Square is a landmark with shops and restaurants in the Fisherman's Wharf area of San Francisco, California, USA. A portion of the area is listed on the National Register of Historic Places as Pioneer Woolen Mills and D. Ghirardelli Company....
(where many of the Ghirardelli buildings were constructed) an official city landmark. Two years later, production facilities moved to San Leandro, California
San Leandro, California
San Leandro is a city in Alameda County, California, United States. It is considered a suburb of Oakland and San Francisco. The population was 84,950 as of 2010 census. The climate of the city is mild throughout the year.-Geography and water resources:...
.
The Ghirardelli Chocolate Company was bought by the Golden Grain Macaroni Company, maker of Rice-A-Roni
Rice-A-Roni
Rice-A-Roni is a product of PepsiCo's subsidiary, the Quaker Oats Company. It is a boxed food mix that consists of rice, vermicelli pasta, and seasonings. To prepare, the rice and pasta are browned in butter, then water and seasonings are added and simmered until absorbed.-History:In 1895,...
, in 1963. Later, in 1986, Quaker Oats bought Golden Grain, and thus Ghirardelli. In 1992, Quaker Oats sold the Ghirardelli Chocolate division to a private investment group. John J. Anton, from that group, became the president and CEO of the newly independent Ghirardelli Chocolate Company. Lindt and Sprüngli, from Switzerland
Switzerland
Switzerland name of one of the Swiss cantons. ; ; ; or ), in its full name the Swiss Confederation , is a federal republic consisting of 26 cantons, with Bern as the seat of the federal authorities. The country is situated in Western Europe,Or Central Europe depending on the definition....
, acquired Ghirardelli Chocolate Company in 1998 as a wholly owned subsidiary of its holding company.
Production
Ghirardelli is one of the few chocolate companies in the United States to control every aspect of its chocolate manufacturing process, rejecting up to 40% of the cocoa seeds shipped in order to select what the company calls the "highest quality" seeds. The company then roasts the cocoa seeds in-house by removing the outer shell on the seed and roasting the inside of the seed, or the nibs. The chocolate is then ground and refined until the flakes are 19 micrometers in size.Products
- Milk chocolate
- Milk chocolate with caramel filling
- Milk chocolate with caramelized almonds
- Milk chocolate with peanut butterPeanut butterPeanut butter is a food paste made primarily from ground dry roasted peanuts, popular in North America, Netherlands, United Kingdom, and parts of Asia, particularly the Philippines and Indonesia. It is mainly used as a sandwich spread, sometimes in combination as in the peanut butter and jelly...
- 60% cacaoCocoa solidsCocoa solids are the low-fat component of chocolate. When sold as an end product, it may also be called cocoa powder, cocoa, and cacao....
dark chocolate (Evening Dream) - 60% cacao dark chocolate with caramel filling
- 60% cacao dark chocolate with espresso
- 72% cacao (Twilight Delight)
- 80% cacao dark chocolate
- 86% cacao (Midnight Reverie)
- Dark chocolate with salt and almonds
- Dark chocolate with mint filling
- Dark chocolate with raspberry filling
- White chocolate with vanilla bean
- Peppermint barkPeppermint barkthumb|right|Peppermint barkPeppermint bark is a chocolate confection. Generally it consists of peppermint candy pieces, such as candy canes, in white chocolate on top of dark chocolate, but peppermint bark can refer to any chocolate with peppermint candy pieces in it.-Cultural impact:It is...
, layered white and milk chocolate with candy cane pieces (holiday exclusive) - Peppermint bark with Dark Chocolate, same as above except dark chocolate replaces milk chocolate (holiday exclusive)
- Cinnamon-spiced almond (holiday exclusive)
- Egg nog (holiday exclusive)
- Pecan pie (holiday exclusive)
Ghirardelli also sells food service items, like chocolate beverages and flavored sauces, to other retailers.
External links
- Ghirardelli website
- Lindt website
- Images of the Ghirardelli factory ca. 1919, The Bancroft Library