Are you a chocolate lover? Do you have an insatiable desire for chocolates? Check out the best chocolate brands from across the globe that you must give them a try.
Chocolate is one of those treats that almost everyone enjoys in some way. It is an irresistible delicacy and a perfect gift for loved ones. Chocolate junkies love chocolate because it stimulates the brain’s release of “feel-good” neurotransmitters.
Consuming a reasonable amount of cocoa is good for your mental health, as well as physical health. It is loaded with antioxidants and offers several health benefits. Even diabetics and others with a specific food or sugar intolerance can occasionally indulge in a piece of chocolate. With so many flavours and kinds to pick from, you’ll surely find something to fulfil your yearning for a taste of paradise.
Walking down a candy aisle, you will find various chocolate options from different manufacturers. Many new chocolate brands have emerged, but it is hard to beat the classic ones. Also, choosing one that satisfies your taste buds is pretty confusing.
In this article, we have compiled a list of the best chocolate brands you can find anywhere in the world. There are numerous chocolate artisans and upcoming brands creating hype among chocolate lovers. But our focus is to make you aware of the brands that have been for a long time and have made a great place in the chocolate industry.
Best Chocolate Brands in the World for Unforgettable Taste and Quality
The following is a list of the most popular chocolate brands that have been for a long time and have created a reputable place in the chocolate industry.
1. Toblerone
Founded by: Emil Baumann & Theodor Tobler in 1899.
A renowned Swiss chocolate brand, Toblerone, is owned by Mondelez International (originally Kraft Foods). It is known for its delicious flavour and distinctive design, consisting of three triangular prisms bonded together. The original recipe used milk chocolate, honey, nougat, and almonds.
Filled chocolates, fruits and nuts, honeycomb crisps, Berner bars, and crispy salted almonds are other tempting options. The size of chocolate bars ranges from 10 cm to nearly 1 m, all with equal proportions of ingredients.
More interestingly, Toblerone produces Toblerone Schoggifest, an oversized bar, every year to celebrate its anniversary. The bar’s weight represents the years of Toblerone.
Some Famous Toblerone Chocolate Variants
- Plain chocolate
- Dark chocolate
- Milk chocolate
- Snowtop
- Filled editions
- Fruit and nuts
- Honeycomb crisp
- Crunchy Salted Almond
- Crispy Coconut
Interesting Fact: Toblerone introduced the first-ever chocolate bar with a filling.
2. Lindt and Sprüngli
Founded by: David Sprüngli-Schwarz and his son Rudolf Sprüngli-Ammann in 1845
Chocoladefabriken Lindt & Sprüngli AG is a Swiss-based luxury chocolate and confectionery company popular as Lindt. It is among the largest Swiss chocolate manufacturers. Among the well-known chocolate firms, it owns Ghirardelli, Russell Stover, Caffarel, Hofbauer, and Küfferle. The most popular products under this name are Lindor truffles and balls.
The company owns 12 factories in different countries. Kilchberg’s main factory has a visitor centre and museum popularly known as Lindt Home of Chocolate. The world’s largest chocolate fountain in this museum delights your eyes. It is 9 metres tall, with 1,500 litres of chocolate gliding down from a large whisk.
Some Famous Lindt Chocolate Variants
- Lindor
- Excellence
- Swiss Classic
- Hello Swiss
- Lindt Swiss Thins
- Lindt Teddy
You can find Lindt chocolates in various flavours, including dark peppermint, hazelnut, Irish mocha cream, strawberries with cream, blueberries with cream, almonds, lemon, mangoes with cream, orange chocolate, mint vanilla, coconut, sea salt, Marc de Champagne, caramel, milk, and cereal crunch, sea salt and caramel, spiced pumpkin, gingerbread, Neapolitan, fudge swirl, peppermint cookie, peppermint white chocolate, snickerdoodle, butter pecan, Dulce d’A.
Interesting Fact: Lindt and Sprüngli uses a high percentage of cocoa in their chocolates. Chocolate bars generally contain 50% to 99% cocoa solids, providing a strong solid flavour. Moreover, the company is known for its Lindor truffles, producing 1 billion yearly with diverse flavours.
3. Godiva Chocolatier
Founded by: The Draps family in 1926
Godiva Chocolatier is one of the world’s most prominent leaders in premium and artisanal chocolates. It is a Turkish-owned company named after Lady Godiva, an Anglo-Saxon noblewoman. The first shop was opened in the Grand Place in Brussels. Outside Belgium, they had their first shop in Paris.
In 2016, Godiva celebrated its 90th anniversary and opened its 100th shop in China. The following year, the company inaugurated its first shop in Australia, Pierre Draps Chocolate Research & Development Centre in Brussels, and its North America flagship store in Rockefeller Center.
The company produces some of the world’s most popular and best-selling luscious chocolates.
Some Famous Godiva Chocolate Variants
- Dark chocolate truffles
- Assorted chocolate gold gift boxes
- Patisserie Dessert truffles
- Milk chocolates
- Sea Salt chocolate
- Chocolate biscuits
- Nut and caramel chocolates
- Milk chocolate-covered strawberries
- Chocolate-covered almonds and cashews
Each year, the company’s master chocolatiers develop 30 – 40 new chocolate recipes, formulas, and flavours. After intensive testing and tasting of the delectable outcome, the team works on it for another year before releasing it to the public.
Interesting Fact: Godiva Chocolatier’s signature product is the gold ballotin box with a ribbon containing an assortment of Godiva chocolates. It has 600 boutiques and shops around the world.
4. Ghirardelli
Founded by: Domenico Ghirardelli in 1852
Ghirardelli Chocolate Company is an American confectioner established in 1852. It is part of the Lindt & Sprüngli group.
If you’ve ever had Ghirardelli chocolates, you’re well aware of their exceptional quality and mouthwatering texture. The company exclusively employs the highest-grade cocoa seeds to make the best chocolates on the planet. It is among a few manufacturers in America that produce chocolates using cocoa beans.
They put cocoa beans through rigorous testing, leaving them to dry in nature. Further, they roast the heart of a bean and not the whole bean. This makes it possible to deliver the signature intense, smooth-smelling taste and consistent flavour.
Some Famous Ghirardelli Chocolate Variants
- Intense Dark
- Luscious Caramel
- Dark Chocolate
- Raspberry Squares
- Dark Chocolate Sea Salt Caramel
- Milk Chocolate Fudge Caramel Bars
Interesting Fact: Ghirardelli is the third-oldest chocolate manufacturer in the United States. The “Ghirardelli Chocolate Festival” for chocolate, wine, and fun lovers is another excellent item.
5. Hershey’s
Founded by: Milton S. Hershey in 1894
The Hershey Company, popularly known as Hershey’s, is one of the world’s most well-known American chocolate companies. It is the subsidiary of Milton S. Hershey’s Lancaster Caramel Company. Besides chocolates, it manufactures cookies, cakes, and other baked products, sells beverages and milkshakes, and many other items.
Hershey’s delectable chocolates are available in over 60 countries. The company has three large distribution centers and is a member of the World Cocoa Foundation.
Some Famous Hershey’s Chocolate Variants
- Milk chocolate
- Special dark with almonds
- Hershey’s Gold, Air Pleasure
- White Crème
- Reese’s Pieces candy bar
- Caramel-filled chocolates
- MR. GOODBAR Candy Bar
- Hershey’s Nuggets
- Symphony Milk Chocolate Bar
- Sugar-Free Chocolate Candy
In addition to satisfying the taste buds for a long time, Hershey’s chocolates are packed with many health benefits thanks to cocoa.
On the occasion of the 50th anniversary on 19 May 2023, HERSHEY’S GREAT CANDY EXPEDITION is a brand-new opening, providing a cinematic experience to all train-loving families and candy lovers alike.
Interesting Fact: Hershey’s Chocolate World is a terrific tourist destination. It’s a one-stop shop for Hershey’s chocolate souvenirs and other attractions like Hershey’s Great Chocolate Factory Mystery in 4D, Create Your Own Candy Bar and a free chocolate tour ride.
6. Cadbury
Founded by: John Cadbury in 1824
Cadbury is a British multinational confectionery company. Earlier, it was known as “Cadbury’s and Cadbury Schweppes.” Today, it is the second-largest confectionery firm in the world.
Since its founding in 1824, the company has provided the perfect mix of taste and texture to delight chocoholics’ taste buds. As a result, Cadbury is frequently used interchangeably with the term “chocolate.” But isn’t the name appealing on its own?
This chocolate brand is known for high-quality chocolates made with premium ingredients. It offers a variety of products with diverse flavours, from plain Dairy Milk bars to Oreo. Also, the company runs a program, Cocoa Life, that aims to improve the livelihoods of cocoa farmers.
Some Famous Cadbury Products
- Dairy milk
- Gems
- Flake
- Wispa
- Crème eggs
- Bournville
- Éclairs
- Fuse
- Silk
- Oreo
- Bubbly
Interesting Fact: The signature of William Cadbury, the company’s founder’s grandson, was used to create Cadbury’s distinctive symbol.
7. Nestle
Founded by: Henri Nestlé in 1866
Nestle is a Swiss multinational food and drink processing conglomerate corporation. Its motto is “Good food, Good life.” It manufactures various products, including baby food, medical food, snacks, breakfast cereals, bottled water, coffee and tea, pet food, dairy products, and ice cream.
Nespresso, Nescafé, Kit Kat, Smarties, Nesquik, Stouffer’s, Vittel, and Maggie are among 29 Nestlé brands with annual sales above 1 billion CHF (about US $1.1 billion). Nestlé employs roughly 339,000 people and has 447 plants in 189 countries.
KitKat chocolate is one of their most popular products. This chocolate and other goods bring the yearly turnover to over $1 billion.
Some Famous Nestle Chocolate Variants
- Aero
- Munch
- Milky Bar
- Orion
- BarOne
- Smarties
- Toll House
- Nestlé Les Recettes de L’Atelier
- Cailler
- Quality Street
The company currently serves numerous mouths hungry for chocolate.
Interesting Fact: Nestle’s KitKat chocolate bars have around 350 flavours achieved using unusual ingredients, like wasabi, matcha green tree, and sake.
8. Ferrero Rocher
Founded by: Michele Ferrero in 1982
Ferrero Rocher is undoubtedly among the world’s most-loved and famous chocolate brands. It was initially introduced in the European market in 1982 and quickly became a global phenomenon.
The signature product is a chocolate sphere filled with chocolate hazelnut cream and a sliver of hazelnut. This chocolate sphere, covered in many layers of chocolate, chopped hazelnuts, and milk chocolate, whisks its recipients away to heaven. It provides a delicious combination of texture and flavours.
Other Ferrero brands are Raffaello and Rondnoir confections. All three provide an irresistible taste.
Some Famous Ferrero Rocher Chocolate Variants
- Ferrero Rocher
- Chocolate bars
- Ferrero Golden Gallery Signature
Interesting Fact: This chocolate brand’s manufacturing procedure is closely guarded. Employees participating in manufacturing cannot bring their cell phones or tablets to the site. According to documents from 2015, the Alba facility produced 24 million “golden chocolates” daily.
9. Mars
Founded by: Franklin Clarence Mars in 1911
Mars, Incorporated is a multinational American manufacturer of confectionery, pet food, and other products. It is now one of the world’s largest chocolate brands. It is the fourth-largest private company in the United States by Forbes.
The original Mars bar was made of roasted almonds, caramel, nougat, and chocolate coating. Snickers Almonds is the name given to the almond variant. The Mars bar is known as the Milky Way in the United States.
Deep-fried Mars is also available in many places. The enthusiasts of deep-fried Mars bars with a batter coating savour them. Chocoholics also like Mars Refuel, a molten variant.
Some famous Mars Chocolate Products
- Twix
- Galaxy (Dove)
- Milky Way
- Snickers
- M&M’s
- Snickers
- Mars Bar
Interesting Fact: During World War II, M&M’s were sold solely for troop rations. By the war’s conclusion, they had transformed into its admirers, and the sweet had become a worldwide sensation.
10. Vosges Haut-Chocolate
Founded by: Katrina Markoff in 1998
Vosges Haut-Chocolate is an incredibly delicious premium chocolate brand in Chicago and is a tremendous asset in and of itself. Its unique flavours may appear bizarre initially, but they are worth trying.
Some Famous Vosges Haut-Chocolate Variants
- Red Fire chocolate (dark chocolate with Mexican chillies and cinnamon)
- Milk Chocolate Bacon Bar (a dark chocolate bacon bar for dark chocolate fans)
- Black Pearl chocolate (dark chocolate with ginger and black sesame seeds)
Matcha Green Tea and Spirulina Super Dark chocolate bars, Turmeric Ginger, Dulce de Leche, Smoke and Stout, Caramel, Banana Coconut, Smoked Salt, Barcelona Exotic, and a raw honey cocoa chocolate bar are among the most popular flavours.
Interesting Fact: Vosges Haut-Chocolate is the first to incorporate bacon into its chocolates, popularly known as Mo’s Bacon Bar. It leverages unusual ingredients, such as wasabi, curry, and pink Himalayan salt.
Conclusion
You now know the top chocolate brand names in the world, so impress your loved ones with the chocolates from the reputed brands mentioned above. You can gift them in an assorted arrangement, personalised wrapping paper, and at the doorbell with online gift sellers.
If you are a chocoholic, these brands have more to offer and satiate your taste buds. You can purchase chocolates of the above brands from several trustworthy online and offline retailers.
People are also reading:
