The Lindt Invention

The chocolate that initially arrived in Europe was unrecognisable to the chocolate we know today; it was coarse and dry – it certainly did not melt in the mouth!

1879 was a revolutionary year for chocolate. It was the year that Rodolphe Lindt invented conching. This new process produced the most flavoursome chocolate with a silky smooth, velvety texture that has since become synonymous with Lindt.

The Story of The Conching Invention

Rodolphe Lindt dreamed of making the silkiest, smoothest chocolate. He invested in secondhand equipment and set about finding the perfect formula; working tirelessly as he tinkered his recipes.

One Friday evening, Lindt left the factory and left the mixing machine on. Whether this was an accident or an intentional act of genius – we can only guess.

The machine continued to run over the weekend. On Monday morning, when Lindt returned, he discovered that his dream had become a reality before his very eyes. There, in the mixing machine, was the shiniest, smoothest melted chocolate.

Over the years, the process was continuously refined, leading up to today. Now Lindt’s groundbreaking invention is used throughout the industry – much to the delight of chocolate lovers around the world.

Conching

Conch·ing

Noun

Conching is a pivotal step in the chocolate making process where the flavor and texture is refined by continuous mixing at a warm temperature.

How Conching Works

Roasting and grinding produces pure cocoa mass (also known as cocoa liquor). We then combine this with a range of the finest quality ingredients – such as sugar and milk – before finely grinding, once again, to prepare the mixture for the conching machine.

Our state-of-the-art conche machines work to a long, meticulously planned, process involving intense mixing, stirring and aerating of the heated liquid chocolate to eliminate unwanted acidity and bitterness (this process is not dissimilar to evaporation). This conching time also dissolves any unwanted clumps to create a sumptuous, smooth chocolate texture. Once this step is complete, the chocolate is ready to be transformed into our famous Lindt creations.

Important dates in Chocolate History

3500 B.C.

The first use of cocoa beans in Santa Ana (La Florida) in Ecuador, by the Mayo Chinchipe.

1830

Previously enjoyed only as a beverage, the first solid chocolate is created by British chocolate brand J. S. Fry and Sons.

1879

Rodolphe Lindt invents the conche machine, making his dream of silky smooth chocolate a reality.

Key Moments in Lindt’s History

"The intense mixing in the conching process is fundamental to the silky smooth, velvety texture that Lindt chocolate is famous for."

– Lindt Master Chocolatier

The Lindt Difference The Lindt Invention