Mr. Daniel Bloch, CEO and chairman of the board at Chocolats Camille Bloch SA, Switzerland, has received the 2024 European Candy Kettle Award. The award ceremony took place at the Hotel Bellevue Palace in Berne on 18th of October.
Chocolats Camille Bloch is renowned for its brands Ragusa and Torino. It is a family owned business in its third generation and has developed an innovative, sustainable and robust structure that enables it, to navigate challenges, such as rising cocoa prices, hazelnut availability, and the slight downward trend in the Swiss chocolate market.
Camille Bloch launched with Ragusa their first 50g-chocolate bar in 1942. They celebrated their 80. Anniversary in 2022. The latest invention is SO NUTS Coffee, however Daniel’s most successful invention was Ragusa Blond, a unique blond chocolate that that has gained the company recognition in Switzerland and Europe. Daniel Bloch is a master of foresight;. he and his team are establishing a hazelnut farm in Georgia covering 650 hectares with a return on this investment expected not before 2030. Daniel is married to Esther Schönenberger Bloch and has three children, Salome (2000), Arsène (2002) and Danaë (2006).
Daniel Bloch was interviewed recently about the significance of winning this year’s ECKC-Award and the future of Chocolats Camille Bloch:
Where is Chocolats Camille Bloch located and what are your main brands?
Chocolats Camille Bloch was founded by my grandfather in 1929 in Bern, the capital of Switzerland. In 1935, he relocated the company to Courtelary, a rural village at the center of the watchmaking and precision industry in the northern part of our canton. Since then, we have been producing our specialty chocolates from bean to bar right here. Our flagship brands include Ragusa, introduced in 1942 during World War II when cocoa was scarce, and Torino, another filled chocolate, launched in 1948.
You have just been awarded as best European Confectioner. What does it mean for you and your company?
This award represents to me, far more than just personal recognition. It symbolizes the collective accomplishments made possible through the trust and support of those around me and the fulfilment that comes from building something lasting, with my family, who believed in me; my colleagues, who stood by me; to aligning our dreams with the resources we have and the expectations we face.
Chocolate is a big challenge for the industry not only because of the cocoa prices.
How do you manage to keep your production running and your products quality at the top level they are? I’m often reminded of what Walter von Känel, the longtime president of Longines Watches, once told me: to achieve success, you must stay within your league, maintain consistent quality, and be clear about where to focus your greatest efforts.
Where do you see yourself and your Camille Bloch in 10-15 years?
By that time, I will be approaching my zenith, and we will still be producing some of Switzerland’s most iconic chocolate brands.
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