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Chocolate is ranked among the world's most alluring things. Just thinking about a piece of dark chocolate, or chocolate-covered chocolate or chocolate-dipped fruit, makes many tourists' mouths water.
And here is a list of the top 10 most famous chocolate brands in the world, compiled by...National Geographicselect.
1. Teuscher (Zurich, Switzerland)
Over 70 years ago, in a small town in the Alps, Dolf Teuscher searched the world for the finest ingredients to create exceptional chocolate. After years of research and experimentation, he created a chocolate that pleased everyone who tasted it.
These Teuscher sugar-coated chocolates are deliciously sweet. Photo: Nat.
Today, Teuscher has become a leading global chocolate brand with unique and exquisite flavors. The brand produces and sells over 100 types of chocolate, all made using a time-honored recipe. Teuscher chocolates are known for their use of the finest, most expensive natural ingredients and are completely free of chemicals, additives, and preservatives.
Teuscher's most unique chocolate treat is the champagne truffle – a delightful blend of cream, buttercream, champagne, and sugar glaze.
2. Voges Haut-Chocolat (Chicago, USA)
Katrina Markoff is the owner and creator of the Vosges Haunt-Chocolat chocolate brand. Katrina studied pastry making in Paris. Later, she became world-renowned for creating the exquisite Vosges chocolates with unique flavors and aromas such as Mexican vanilla and Argentinian caramel.
3. Scharffen Berger Chocolate Maker, Inc. (Berkeley, USA)
Scharffen Berger Chocolate Maker specializes in dark chocolate and is a premium brand, made from the finest cocoa beans and blended using a unique recipe. The chocolate bars are handcrafted with meticulous care and attention to detail.
4. Jacques Torres Chocolate (New York, USA)
Jacques is famous for its fresh, handcrafted chocolates. Visitors to the shop often enjoy sitting down to savor the sweet, melt-in-your-mouth chocolates or sipping on hot chocolate.
5. Norman Love Confections (Ft. Myers, USA)
"Chocolate is my passion," Norman Love- revealed the person who has always dreamed of making delicious and visually appealing chocolates.
Norman imports the finest chocolates from Belgium, France, and Switzerland, then blends them with other ingredients such as bananas, caramel, and berries to create chocolate products that are famous throughout the United States and the world.
6. Valrhona (France)
Since 1922, Valrhona has been creating exceptional chocolates for connoisseurs. The chocolate ingredients are sourced directly from the finest cocoa plantations in South America, the Caribbean, and the Pacific region.
Valrhona chocolates come in many shapes, and it was one of the first brands to introduce its products like wine, by labeling them with the country of origin.
In 2008, the brand launched the unique spicy and salty Xocopili chocolate.
Valrhona chocolates are world-famous. Photo: Nat.
7. Godiva (Brussels, Belgium)
In the 1920s, the Draps family in Brussels, Belgium, directly manufactured chocolate candies and sold them in large, fashionable stores.
At the age of 14, Joseph Draps began participating in his family business. Besides being known as a wealthy businessman, Joseph was also a master chocolate maker, and the Godiva brand was born. Godiva chocolates are packaged in striking gold boxes.
Today, Godiva continues to be at the forefront of creating new types of chocolate.
8. Richard Donnelly Fine Chocolates (Santa Cruz, USA)
Richard Donnelly enjoys using his experience and creativity to make chocolate candies that are rich in color and flavor.
Thanks to these continuous innovations, Donnelly was awarded the Outstanding Artist award at the European Chocolate Festival in Perugia, Italy, just 10 years after opening.
Donnelly's shop produces no more than 23 kg of chocolate per day to ensure its freshness and quality.
9. Richard (Paris, France)
Always prioritizing quality, leading chocolate maker Richart assures customers that it will deliver the finest candies, made from fresh, clean ingredients.
All products are created and tested by members of the Richart family before being released to the market. Thanks to this hard work and meticulousness, they have won the prestigious Blue Ribbon Award seven times.
Richart's chocolate boxes are also very eye-catching. A sturdy wooden box with seven compartments for chocolates and two built-in hygrometers and thermometers costs $850.
10. Puccini Bomboni (Amsterdam, Netherlands)
Renowned as one of the finest chocolate makers in the Netherlands, Puccini Bomboni runs an elegant restaurant and café that offers exquisite chocolates.
The distinguishing feature of Puccini chocolate is its focus on minimizing the use of spices in its products and concentrating on making the chocolates it sells, rather than inventing new varieties.
Chocolate Puccini Bomboni. Photo: Nat.
