Zotter Chocolate - New Experiments Pay Off

The history of Zotter chocolate revolves around the story of a man who wanted to do things differently. Josef Zotter broke new ground with his chocolate business and is now one of the best chocolatiers in the world. The foundation of this fame is a comprehensive range of products that includes not only traditional varieties but also some unusual creations.

The history of Zotter's chocolate began in 1992. At that time, Josef Zotter began to produce chocolate in his Confectioner's Shop in Graz. To make this chocolate, he developed a new method of producing handmade chocolate.

In 1994, Zotter took the next step to developing his chocolates. He hired the artistic designer Andreas h. Gratze, merging decorative artwork on the packaging with his chocolate. His aim was to design a variety of packaging that had a recognizable brand image but also inspired people.

In 1999, the Zotter Chocolate Factory opened in Riegersburg (Styria).

Shortly after, Josef Zotter started traveling to the countries of origin for his raw materials. From 2002 onwards, the demand for the chocolate and as well as for visits to the factory itself made the brand a magnet for consumers and visitors. Today, the Zotter Factory welcomes 265,000 visitors per year.

In 2007, Josef Zotter expanded the factory to include the bean-to-bar chocolate production as well as a movie theater. From this point on, all the ingredients for Zotter's chocolate have been processed directly in Riegersburg, from the cocoa bean to the bar. The cocoa beans are thus bought directly from the farmers and are then roasted, ground and further processed in the factory. The result is a real center of excellence for chocolate, which is reflected in the many new chocolate creations. Josef Zotter is one of the few independent bean-to-bar producers in Europe who produces exclusively organic and Fair Trade quality chocolate.

Through a visit to the chocolate theater, visitors at Zotter's factory can now see the production of the chocolate and experience the chocolate being made. There are also many tasting stations where visitors can taste the chocolates.

Currently there are 365 varieties of chocolate in Zotter's range, which makes for one chocolate for every day of the year. Besides the classic chocolates, that are available in all imaginable flavors, there are now many other lines as well. The Labooko line is made up of two bars of different flavored chocolates in one package, and the Mitzi Blue line are circular chocolates.

Meanwhile, more than 150 people are employed in the Zotter Chocolate Factory in Riegersburg, where they manufacture an estimated 40,000 to 60,000 chocolate bars per day.

At Piccantino you will find over 200 chocolate creations by Zotter, from the classic chocolate bars to Biofekt praline chocolates to drinking chocolates. There is something for everyone in this delicious range!