Lindt : 2024 Annual Report Focus Story

About this update from Chocoladefabriken Lindt & Spruengli Ag

Years Anniversary LINDT & SPRÜNGLI Years Annivearsary LINDT & SPRÜNGLI In 2025, Lindt&Sprüngli celebrates its 180 th anniver- sary. From our origins in Switzerland, we have expanded to Europe, North America, and beyond. Our "Focus Chapter" presents key milestones and notable figures from our 180-year journey. Discover the captivating story of Lindt&Sprüngli and be enchanted by our legendary products and innovations. Years Anniversary Years of Enchanting the World with Chocolate In the mid-19 th century, a remarkable story began to unfold in a small confectionery shop in Zurich - one that would shape the future of chocolate. This was the opening chapter of the story of Lindt & Sprüngli, now a synonym for premium chocolate worldwide. Since 1845, Lindt & Sprüngli has passionately pursued its purpose: to enchant the world with chocolate. This commitment has brought consumers moments of pure bliss, as well as traditions to treasure. People and their creativity have always been vital ingredients of our company's success. From the dedication of countless employees, to groundbreaking inventions like Rodolphe Lindt's revolutionary conching process that unlocked the secret of smooth melting choco- late, our story has many heroes. Iconic products have also played a leading role, such as the beloved Gold Bunny, given as a gift around the world at Easter, our fine Lindt "Excellence" dark chocolate, and the irresistibly smooth Lindor truffles. Lindt & Sprüngli has grown into a world-renowned chocolate producer, with a rich heritage which has laid strong foundations for many more exquisite premium chocolate moments to come. Join us as we celebrate the past, savor the present, and look forward to experiencing the next sequel of this extraordinary tale of chocolate. 29 Years Anniversary The construction of the Bahnhofstrasse in the 1860ies turned the Paradeplatz into a busy square. The Founding Story 30 As the industrial revolution began to transform the economy in the mid-19 th century, the city of Zurich entered times of groundbreaking transition. Entrepreneurs built factories where the availability of water harnessed power to drive water wheels, and later turbines. The laying of Switzerland's first tracks for steam locomotives opened up totally new possibilities for trans- portation. This context of change also made its mark on the world of chocolate, in the form of a captivating story that began in a small confectionery shop in the city. There, in 1845, a father and son created the first solid chocolate bar in the German -speaking part of Switzerland. In their small premises in Markt- gasse, Zurich, David Sprüngli and his son Rudolf sowed seeds with unimaginable growth potential. David Sprüngli & Fils had come into being in 1836, when David Sprüngli was able to take over the Confectionery Vogel business. At that time, confectioners produced a broad spectrum of sweet treats, such as marzipan, nougat, and candies. For the Sprünglis, chocolate presented wonderful, complementary op- portunity. The chocolate bars they created, while being very different to what we know now, flew off the shelves of their shop. The father and son duo soon recognized that they needed more room to make their chocolate. They found the space for this expansion in a facility in Horgen, near Zurich, where they operated until 1876. The Sprüngli business went from strength to strength between 1845 and 1900. In 1859, the owners bought the Tiefenhof, on what is today Zurich's prestigious square Parade- platz. Here they established a second confectionery shop, with an elegant refreshment room attached to it. This quickly became one of the city's favorite addresses. People loved the totally new concept of being able to enjoy sweet goods while sipping on a hot chocolate, or a tea. The popularity of the Tiefenhof was to be long-lived - this is where the famous Confiserie& Café Sprüngli stands today. In 1870, Sprüngli-Ammann, who had been the sole head of the company since 1862, bought the Werdmüh- le factory and gradually replaced the facilities in Horgen, which had become too small. At that time, the Werdmühle consisted of several residential and factory buildings. In 1892, Rudolf Sprüngli-Ammann reached the age of 76 and faced the task of settling the question of family succession. He bequeathed the chocolate production facility to his older son, Johann Rudolf Sprüngli. Younger son David Robert Sprüngli became the owner of the original shop in Marktgasse, and the new premises on Paradeplatz. Rudolf's daughters received cash compensation. This process led to the separation of the two arms of the Sprüngli empire, which had become synonymous with chocolate in the Zurich region. Parallel to these happenings in Zurich, in the Swiss capital city of Berne another chapter in the rich history of chocolate production was being written. There, Rodolphe Lindt, a young and ambitious choc- olatier, was on a mission to create a chocolate that would surpass all others in terms of texture and flavor. After years of tireless exper­ imentation, his endeavors led to a A part of the factory, photographed in the 1940s Sprüngli at the Paradeplatz around 1875 Confiserie Sprüngli at Marktgasse around 1895 breakthrough in 1879, with the invention of the conching process. This involved slowly stirring and aerating the chocolate mass to create a smoother, creamier texture with a more intensive flavor. It was allegedly the result of chance, when one weekend Rodolphe either forgot to, or intentionally did not, turn off a machine. After an absence of three days, he returned to velvety chocolate that melted in the mouth and was easy to pour into molds. He called this new chocolate "chocolat fondant" - melting chocolate. In the years that followed, Lindt's chocolate was so popular that it was hard to meet demand. Rodol- phe Lindt saw that he needed to expand his business, and to preserve his secret of making smooth chocolate, which had caught the attention of many competitors, especially in Germany. Back in Zurich, Johann Rudolf Sprüngli-Schifferli recognized that his factory had equally reached its expansion limits. He located a suitable site in the village of Kilch- berg on Lake Zurich and began to construct a new, much larger factory there. Finished in 1899, this is still the heart of the company's production network today. During the construction of the Kilchberg factory, Johann Rudolf became aware of the happenings in Berne, specifically of Lindt's secret chocolate recipe. Seeing the potential of this invention, Johann Rudolf acquired Lindt's chocolate factory, including the details of the conching process. This marked the birth of the Lindt & Sprüngli company. It was the union of the Sprüngli fam- ily's expertise in confectionery and retail, and Rodolphe Lindt's innovation in chocolate making. This powerful combination has proven itself as a remarkable recipe for success, harboring the ability to inspire and enchant chocolate lovers all over the world. This beautiful watercolor painting shows the Sprüngli factory in Werdmühle. Today, this area is called Werdmühleplatz, featuring municipal administration buildings. Within the Lindt&Sprüngli factory during the 1970s, following the installation of a new production line 31 David Sprüngli- Schwarz 1776 - 1862 has gone down in history as a confectioner of vision, with a reputation for exceptional deter- mination. Orphaned at the age of eight, he began working in a small confectionery shop when he was 17. He remained in the role of employee until the age of 60. That was when he had the opportunity to take over the business that he worked for, on Zurich's Marktgasse. He turned it into Sprüngli & Fils with his son, Rudolf Sprüngli-Ammann. The father and son duo soon grew their enter- prise. In 1847 they added a small factory in Horgen, near Zurich, to their portfolio. A second con- fectionery shop and refreshment room, on the now prestigious, busy Zurich square Paradeplatz, followed in 1859. Foresight and skill had shaped a career that was also to form the foundation stone of a prosperous sector. Our Chocolate Pioneers Rodolphe Lindt 1855 - 1909 was a confectioner who revolutionized the chocolate industry with his ground-breaking invention of the conching process in 1879. After completing his apprenticeship in Lausanne, at the age of 24 he purchased a factory in Berne to produce his own chocolate. He was determined to find a recipe for the perfect chocolate. After a string of unsuccessful attempts, he finally came up with a fine chocolate of unparalleled texture and taste. This was the fruit of his conching process, which kept the chocolate mass in motion for a long period of time. Lindt named his new creation "chocolat fondant" (melting chocolate). This dark, silky, smooth substance melted in the mouth and constituted a key milestone in the history of Swiss chocolate. 32 Years Anniversary Rudolf Sprüngli-Ammann 1816 - 1897 inherited his father David's entrepreneurial spirit and continued to grow the family business with dedication and expertise. After completing an appren- ticeship, and some years of traveling, he proved himself as a diligent, skilled confectioner, and started working in his father's business. Their collaborative spirit was highly productive and paved the way for innovation. This was epitomized by the creation of the first solid chocolate bar in the German­speaking part of Switzerland, which became extremely popular. Rudolf Sprüngli took over the confectionery business from his father in 1862. When Rudolf retired in 1892, his decision to divide the business between his own two sons was the basis of the two independent companies Sprüngli and Lindt&Sprüngli. From this date onwards, each of these enterprises would build its own impressive story. Johann Rudolf Sprüngli-Schifferli 1847 - 1926 received the Sprüngli chocolate factory from his father in 1892, as part of the latter's succesion plan. It assigned the confectionery shops to his younger brother David Rob- ert. Johann Rudolf was a visionary and adventurous entrepreneur. Having relocated production from Horgen to Werdmühle to increase capacity, he soon recognized that the latter could not accommodate further expansion. He then took the decision to build a larger factory in nearby Kilchberg. This was completed in 1899 and remains the company's main site today. Further proof of Johann Rudolf's excellent business acumen came in the same year when he acquired Rodolphe Lindt's factory and secret chocolate­making techniques. This highly strategic move opened the door to the production of smooth, aromatic chocolate products that would delight consumers around the world. It was the birth of Choco- ladefabriken Lindt& Sprüngli AG. 33 Years Anniversary Introducing our Iconic Brands Lindt&Sprüngli has established itself as a global leader in the premium chocolate market, a position achieved through the successful evolution of the Lindt brand alongside a series of strategic acquisitions. This remarkable journey is marked by numerous individual stories and shared milestones, each contributing to the rich history and success of the company in the world of fine chocolate. 34 Years Anniversary Lindt Lindt was the first acquisition in the company's history. When Johann Rudolf Sprüngli purchased Rodolphe Lindt's Bernese chocolate factory in 1899, he transformed the chocolate-making capabilities of his original company and simultaneously turned it into "Lindt & Sprüngli". Today, Lindt is a global brand, and its products are available in more than 120 countries. Driven by a relentless passion for innovation, Lindt's Maîtres Choc- olatiers have developed a broad range of chocolate treats that cater to local taste preferences. Lindor, with its irresistibly smooth, melt­in­the­mouth filling, first appeared on the market in 1949 in chocolate­bar form. Two decades later, the iconic Lindor truffle gave shape to what has become the brand's biggest success story. In 1952, another icon was born - the Gold Bunny - which has hopped into Easter baskets every year since. The classic Lindt Excellence dark chocolate bar is another much-loved specialty, celebrated for its intense, sophisticated flavor, and exquisite texture. 35 Years Anniversary Hofbauer and Küfferle Küfferle became part of Hofbauer in 1972 and Lindt & Sprüngli acquired both brands in 1994. Hofbauer's story began with Carl Hofbauer's opening of a confectionary shop in Vienna in 1882. He quickly built an excellent reputation for delicate chocolate treats. Today, Hofbauer still stands for high­quality pralines, such as the Mozart truffles, that blend carefully selected ingredients with unique Viennese charm. Küfferle began delighting Austrian chocolate lovers in 1865, with fine creations such as the famous Katzenzungen (cats' tongues) introduced in 1892, and the Schokoschirmchen (chocolate umbrellas) launched in 1950. These confectionery products are true icons, bringing joy to people of all ages. 36

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