Philippe Suchard
Encyclopedia
Philippe Suchard was a Swiss
chocolatier
and industrialist.
. According to the memoirs of his sister Rosalie, he became aware of the potentialities of chocolate manufacturing as an industry at the very early age of about twelve. To fulfill his dream, six years later he started as an apprentice in his brother Frédéric's Konditorei
in Bern. In 1824 he left Switzerland to visit the United States
. At the end of the year he returned and opened a confectioner's business in Neuchâtel. In 1826, Suchard opened the factory of Chocolat Suchard in Serrières
. He used hydropower
of the nearby river to run the mills in his two-man factory. Suchard used a grinding mill consisting of a heated granite
plate, and several granite rollers moving forwards and backwards. This design is still used to grind cocoa paste.
Chocolate was not cheap or a product for everybody. Suchard struggled financially early in his career as a chocolatier. His success came in 1842, with a bulk order from Frederick William IV, king of Prussia
, who was also the prince of Neuchâtel. This triggered a boom and soon his chocolates won prizes at the London Great Exhibition of 1851 and the Paris Universal Exposition of 1855
. He opened his first factory abroad in 1880 in Lörrach
, Germany
, becoming the first to do so. The unusual purple color of the chocolate packaging was selected by Suchard, who believed it would be unique among chocolate packaging. By the end of the 19th century, Suchard had become the largest chocolate producer. Seventeen years after his death in 1884 in Neuchâtel, his company produced the famous Milka
chocolate for the Swiss market. After his death, his daughter Eugénie Suchard and her husband Karl Russ-Suchard, took over the functioning of his factory. Nowadays the factory belongs to the Kraft Foods
group and production has been moved to the Toblerone
factory in Bern.
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Suchard was not only a chocolatier but also had interest in other areas. In 1834 he introduced and captained the first steamer
, Industriel, on Lake Neuchâtel
. He also tried introducing silkworm culture in Switzerland in 1837, but the silkworms were destroyed during an epidemic in 1843. His interest in managing river water and controlling floods led to the sinking of the water level in Lake Neuchâtel. The lowered lake shoreline revealed the Celtic settlement of La Tène dating back to around 450 BC.
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....
chocolatier
Chocolatier
A chocolatier is someone who makes confectionery from chocolate. Chocolatiers are distinct from chocolate makers, who create chocolate from cacao beans and other ingredients.Professional chocolatiers study topics including the following:...
and industrialist.
Biography
Suchard was born in 1797 in BoudryBoudry
Boudry is the capital of the district of Boudry in the canton of Neuchâtel in Switzerland.-History:Boudry is first mentioned in 1278 as Baudri.There are numerous prehistoric settlements around Boudry...
. According to the memoirs of his sister Rosalie, he became aware of the potentialities of chocolate manufacturing as an industry at the very early age of about twelve. To fulfill his dream, six years later he started as an apprentice in his brother Frédéric's Konditorei
Konditorei
Konditorei is the German word for a pâtisserie and confectionery shop. A Konditorei typically offers a wide variety of pastries and is like a little café. In Germany and Austria it is a very popular custom to go to a Konditorei to have a cake and some coffee or hot chocolate mid-afternoon...
in Bern. In 1824 he left Switzerland to visit the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. At the end of the year he returned and opened a confectioner's business in Neuchâtel. In 1826, Suchard opened the factory of Chocolat Suchard in Serrières
Serrières
Serrières may refer to the following places:France* Serrières, Ardèche, in the department of Ardèche* Serrières, Saône-et-Loire, in the department of Saône-et-Loire* Serrières-de-Briord, in the department of Ain...
. He used hydropower
Hydropower
Hydropower, hydraulic power, hydrokinetic power or water power is power that is derived from the force or energy of falling water, which may be harnessed for useful purposes. Since ancient times, hydropower has been used for irrigation and the operation of various mechanical devices, such as...
of the nearby river to run the mills in his two-man factory. Suchard used a grinding mill consisting of a heated granite
Granite
Granite is a common and widely occurring type of intrusive, felsic, igneous rock. Granite usually has a medium- to coarse-grained texture. Occasionally some individual crystals are larger than the groundmass, in which case the texture is known as porphyritic. A granitic rock with a porphyritic...
plate, and several granite rollers moving forwards and backwards. This design is still used to grind cocoa paste.
Chocolate was not cheap or a product for everybody. Suchard struggled financially early in his career as a chocolatier. His success came in 1842, with a bulk order from Frederick William IV, king of Prussia
Frederick William IV of Prussia
|align=right|Upon his accession, he toned down the reactionary policies enacted by his father, easing press censorship and promising to enact a constitution at some point, but he refused to enact a popular legislative assembly, preferring to work with the aristocracy through "united committees" of...
, who was also the prince of Neuchâtel. This triggered a boom and soon his chocolates won prizes at the London Great Exhibition of 1851 and the Paris Universal Exposition of 1855
Exposition Universelle (1855)
The Exposition Universelle of 1855 was an International Exhibition held on the Champs-Elysées in Paris from May 15 to November 15, 1855. Its full official title was the Exposition Universelle des produits de l'Agriculture, de l'Industrie et des Beaux-Arts de Paris 1855.The exposition was a major...
. He opened his first factory abroad in 1880 in Lörrach
Lörrach
Lörrach is a city in southwest Germany, in the valley of the Wiese, close to the French and the Swiss border. It is the capital of the district of Lörrach in Baden-Württemberg. The biggest industry is the chocolate factory Milka...
, Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
, becoming the first to do so. The unusual purple color of the chocolate packaging was selected by Suchard, who believed it would be unique among chocolate packaging. By the end of the 19th century, Suchard had become the largest chocolate producer. Seventeen years after his death in 1884 in Neuchâtel, his company produced the famous Milka
Milka
Milka is a brand of milk chocolate manufactured by Kraft Foods. It is sold in bar form, in holiday shapes, and in a variety of specialty forms....
chocolate for the Swiss market. After his death, his daughter Eugénie Suchard and her husband Karl Russ-Suchard, took over the functioning of his factory. Nowadays the factory belongs to the Kraft Foods
Kraft Foods
Kraft Foods Inc. is an American confectionery, food and beverage conglomerate. It markets many brands in more than 170 countries. 12 of its brands annually earn more than $1 billion worldwide: Cadbury, Jacobs, Kraft, LU, Maxwell House, Milka, Nabisco, Oscar Mayer, Philadelphia, Trident, Tang...
group and production has been moved to the Toblerone
Toblerone
Toblerone is a chocolate bar brand owned by Kraft Foods, who acquired the product from former owner Jacobs Suchard in 1990. It is well-known for its distinctive packaging, its prism shape and its ubiquity in duty-free shops.The triangular shape of the Matterhorn in the Swiss Alps is commonly...
factory in Bern.
Other interests
Steamboat
A steamboat or steamship, sometimes called a steamer, is a ship in which the primary method of propulsion is steam power, typically driving propellers or paddlewheels...
, Industriel, on Lake Neuchâtel
Lake Neuchâtel
Lake Neuchâtel is a lake in Romandy, Switzerland . The lake lies mainly in the canton of Neuchâtel, but is also shared by the cantons of Vaud, of Fribourg, and of Bern....
. He also tried introducing silkworm culture in Switzerland in 1837, but the silkworms were destroyed during an epidemic in 1843. His interest in managing river water and controlling floods led to the sinking of the water level in Lake Neuchâtel. The lowered lake shoreline revealed the Celtic settlement of La Tène dating back to around 450 BC.