Swiss Chocolate Sales Rose 9% in 2007 on Exports to U.S., U.K.

08 Feb 2008 • by Natalie Aster

Sales of chocolate made in Switzerland rose 9 percent to a record in 2007, led by exports to the U.S., the U.K., Brazil and China, reported The Bloomberg.

Sales at the country's 18 main confectioners, which include Nestle SA and Lindt & Spruengli AG, climbed to 1.66 billion Swiss francs ($1.5 billion), industry group Chocosuisse said today in an e-mailed statement. Exports rose 14 percent to 833 million francs, while domestic sales gained 4.6 percent to 829 million francs.

Chocosuisse's members include Barry Callebaut AG, the largest supplier of bulk chocolate, and Kraft Foods Inc.'s local unit as well as Lindt, the maker of Ghirardelli chocolates, and Nestle, the world's biggest food company and producer of KitKat chocolate bars. Swiss confectioners compete in foreign markets with rivals such as Cadbury Schweppes Plc, Hershey Co. and Mars Inc.

Swiss residents on average ate 12.3 kilograms (27 pounds) of chocolate each in 2007, up 400 grams from 2006.