When you enter the world of chocolate, it can seem to be never-ending. When sophistication meets temptation, you find yourself at the end of a piece of chocolate with a melt in your mouth ending. Whether you prefer truffle, pralines, fudge, or a single-sourced chocolate bar, you really cannot go wrong. Does the question remain who is the best? Is it even possible to choose the best? We curated a list of the most popular and high-end chocolate brands around the world to provide the best insight into the world of gourmet chocolate makers.
Valrhona (France)
Chocolate is a way of life in France, originating in 1615 as a gift to the 14-year-old King Louis XII, it has never left. Valrhona chocolate was founded in 1922 and produced in the small villa of Tain L’Hermitage by Chef Albéric Guironnet, who had an idea of “chocolate-like wine.” With cocoa beans being purchased directly from premier plantations in South America, the Caribbean, and Pacific Regions, Valrhona makes for one of the best France has to offer. Their illustrious taste has been directly correlated to its pastry and chocolate school: L’Ecole Valrhona. Established in 1989, L’Ecole Valrhona’s mission was to introduce customers to the world of chocolate by teaching technical skills and history in the field of pastries and bonbons. Lucky for the U.S., L’Ecole Valrhona has opened its first U.S chocolate school in Brooklyn, NY.
Godiva (Belgium)
Perhaps the world’s most recognizable chocolate brand is Godiva. Created in 1926 as a family business, Pierre Draps Sr. began making pralines in his confectionary workshop in Brussels. His sons, Joseph, Francois, and Pierre jr., took over the family business after the death of their beloved father. Almost 100 years later, Godiva has over 600 owned boutiques and is located in more than 100 countries worldwide. It has been at the forefront of premium chocolate brands over the past 90 years. It was a simple idea started by a family who strived for the finest chocolate and ultimately evolved into one of the best the world has to offer. With indulgent gourmet chocolates, truffles, seasonal gifts, and more, Godiva should be on every chocolate lover’s radar.
Sprüngli (Switzerland)
Switzerland and chocolate are synonymous; you can’t have one without the other. Often considered as the pinnacle of chocolatiers, it is loaded with various boutiques and companies. David Sprüngli opened the Confiserie Sprüngli & Fils in Zurich in 1836. With headquarters located in Zurich and storefronts scattered throughout Switzerland and UAE, it makes for one of the finest chocolate brands in the world. From an assortment of seasonal products, corporate gifts, and Sprüngli classics, it is a must-try. Known for their “Top Ten” box, Sprungli gives you the opportunity to immerse yourself in a box filled with their ten best-loved pralines and truffles.
Puccini Bomboni (Netherlands)
Founder Ans Van Soelen and her daughter Sabine van Weldam first opened their dessert shop in 1987, and the rest was history. Known as the finest chocolate in the Netherlands, Puccini Bomboni prides itself on providing a combination of the purest chocolate foundation sourced from a range of 70% chocolate. Puccini Bomboni embraces aesthetics, taste, and sophistication all into one. Whether your guilty pleasure is nut-based, fruit, bonbons, or shortbread, Puccini Bomboni has enough to more than satisfy your taste buds.
Teuscher (Switzerland)
Made in Zurich, Teuscher chocolates are one of the world’s premier chocolate manufactures. Located in every corner of the world, from New York to Tokyo to Abu Dhabi, Teuscher is one of the most recognized chocolates on the market. With a wide range of products such as truffles, pralines, and Swiss chocolate bars, Teuscher embraces history with melt-in-your-mouth chocolates. Their most famous product being the champagne truffle, a concoction of buttercream enriched by one of the finest champagne brands from France; the outer layer is pure dark chocolate that every chocolate connoisseur must try.
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