Felchlin Swiss Noble Couverture

The History of Felchlin

Over 100 Years of Pleasure Located in the Heart of Switzerland

Felchlin takes pride in over a century of remarkable achievements. Founded by Max Felchlin, the company started with honey trading in the early 1900s and quickly fostered a passion for cacao products. Throughout the years, it evolved into a premier producer of high-quality couvertures, and since 1908, Felchlin has played a vital role in the Schwyz valley basin. The establishment of its new headquarters in Ibach-Schwyz in 2018 highlights its strong dedication to the region.

1908

Start of the Honey Trade

The accomplished businessman Max Felchlin began his journey by trading honey in Schwyz, establishing the foundation of Schwyz as the center of honey.

1935

Sought-after Praliné Cream

Company founder Max Felchlin was also a gifted inventor who created a new and innovative Praline and Nougat mass called “Pralinosa.” This product remains highly regarded among both bakers and pastry chefs and is a sought-after ingredient in the culinary world.

1924

Swiss-made Quality Product

The first product that Max Felchlin created was Herbst 1924, an herbal Swiss honey that distinguished itself from its international competitors through its exceptional quality. Over a century later, this product remains a key part of Felchlin’s offerings.

1943

Sweeten the Everyday Harshness

To sweeten the mundane and harsh reality of war, Max Felchlin created the cream powder “Sowiso.” Sowiso was produced in the former sugar storage building in Schwyz, which Felchlin utilized for their Condirama training center until 2018.

1970

Handing over the Company Reins

Max Felchlin Sr. passed away at the age of 87. He established a renowned global chocolate production company, guided it to prosperity, navigated it through two world wars, and entrusted it to his son, Max Felchlin Jr.

1973

Opening up New Markets

This marked the first time Felchlin exports products to Japan. A few years later, a representative was established for the sale of Felchlin products in the US. As a result, both countries rapidly became the most significant overseas markets.

1974

The production capacity in Seewen was now overflowing; for this reason, Max Felchlin built a new factory in Ibach-Schwyz. Due to financial considerations, his company was changed into an open corporation and became Max Felchlin AG.

1992

Farewell & A New Era

Max Felchlin junior passed away on the 18th of July, leaving behind a profound sense of mourning. His absence created a significant void in both the company, which had lost a true patron and motivator, and in the region of Schwyz, which had lost a passionate supporter of local culture and tradition. The business was now under the leadership of Christian Aschwanden, who had served as CEO since 1992.

1999

Quality at the Heart of Everything Felchlin defined its direction and emphasizes the noblest types of cacao to create the globally esteemed selection of Grand Cru Couvertures.

2004

World Champion

The choice to use noble cacao was recognized in 2004 with the Gold Medal for the World’s Best Chocolate, Maracaibo Clasificado 65%.

2008 A Century of Felchlin

Felchlin marked its significant centenary by celebrating alongside its customers, including bakeries, confectioners, and patisseries, as well as its distributors around the globe.

2012

New Cacao Roasting Plant

Quality, flexibility, and stability characterise Felchlin. To ensure that these qualities remain relevant for future generations, building began on the new cacao roaster in autumn 2012 which was successfully completed in 2014.

2014

The Go-ahead for Centralization

Felchlin acquired the neighboring property in Ibach-Schwyz. This unique opportunity provides the company with ample land reserves for future development and allows for the potential centralization of its four locations.

2018

Everything Under One Roof

After four years of planning and construction Felchlin united and relocated to the new company headquarters at Gotthardstrasse 11 in Ibach-Schwyz. This centralization significantly benefited employees by enabling them to collaborate more easily and effectively which fosters a strong team spirit. As Max Felchlin himself stated the spirit in which they act is the highest matter Goethe

2019

The New Schooling Center

Felchlin’s new schooling center Condirama was opened.

2020

The Cacao Fruit Couverture

Felchlin broke new ground. A new and innovative product in the chocolate market was launched, Cacao Fruit Couverture which is made from 100% cacao fruit – in its purest form without any added sugar.

2023

Change of Management

After more than 30 years of consistently leading Felchlin, Christian Aschwanden retired and passed the reins of company management to Thomas Truttmann.

2025

Swiss Ethics Award

Felchlin was awarded the Swiss Ethics Award for its sustainability project focusing on healthcare in the cacao origin regions.

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