Suchard and Neuchâtel

6 March 2023

For 164 years, the scent of cocoa could be smelled in the Serrières valley (commune of Neuchâtel). The book (in French) is an invitation to (re)discover the history of the famous Neuchâtel chocolate factory and explore the Serrières valley.

It is the colour purple and the Milka cow that the eye associates with a bar of milk chocolate, as advertisers at the beginning of the 20th century succeeded in establishing this brand to the public.

From the small family business to the multinational, the existence of the chocolate factory is punctuated by ups and downs, visionary strategies and missed opportunities. Still, it constitutes a piece of the industrial history of the utmost importance, which has created the worldwide reputation of Neuchâtel in the same way as the watchmaking industry.

Since 1989, chocolate is no longer produced in Serrières and in 1996, Suchard left the site for good. Today, Suchard remains a name, a brand, products, a rich archive and an important industrial site.

(Claire Piquet, Un parfum de chocolat, sur les traces de Suchard à Neuchâtel, Neuchâtel, 2022).