Camille Bloch

Camille Bloch is a Swiss chocolate manufacturer headquartered in Courtelary in the Bernese Jura. The business was established by the Bernese chocolatier Camille Bloch in 1926 under the name Chocolats et Bonbons Fins Camille Bloch and was entered in the commercial register as a stock corporation in 1929. Its production moved from Bern to Courtelary in 1935, where the company has continued to manufacture its chocolate products at its principal and only production site. The company is best known for Ragusa and Torino, two long-running Swiss chocolate brands. Ragusa was introduced in 1942 during the Second World War, when shortages affected the availability of chocolate. Its defining format combines a hazelnut-based gianduja filling with whole hazelnuts and chocolate coatings. Torino is a rounded chocolate bar built around an almond-and-hazelnut praline filling. Both brands have been offered in individual portions and larger 100-gram formats, with product variants including milk chocolate, dark chocolate and caramelised white chocolate. Camille Bloch also makes liquor-filled chocolates and, since 2020, sells coated hazelnuts and almonds under the So Nuts name. Camille Bloch has remained a family-controlled business across several generations. After founder Camille Bloch died in 1970, his son Rolf Bloch assumed leadership. In 1997, Rolf Bloch's sons Daniel Bloch and Stéphane Bloch took over operational responsibilities. Daniel later became managing director and, from 2005, president of the board, while Stéphane held responsibility for sales and marketing and served in governance and foundation roles. This family succession has helped preserve the company's identity as an independent Swiss confectionery producer rather than turning it into a division of a large multinational food group. The company controls much of its manufacturing process in Courtelary, including the roasting and processing of cocoa beans, hazelnuts and almonds before the ingredients are transformed into finished bars and other confectionery. Ragusa has been described by company management as accounting for more than half of sales, making it the central commercial pillar of the portfolio. Product development has nevertheless extended the brand beyond its original milk-chocolate positioning: Ragusa Noir, with a higher cocoa content, was introduced in 2008, while Ragusa Blond brought a light-coloured chocolate and lighter praline profile in 2014. Camille Bloch has also invested in public engagement and supply-chain development. A visitor centre opened in 2017 and attracted more than 100,000 visitors during its first year according to company management. In 2018, the company acquired land in Georgia with the stated aim of cultivating hazelnuts in-house. These initiatives complemented the company's long-standing emphasis on Swiss production, ingredient processing and direct presentation of its confectionery heritage. By 2016, the business employed approximately 180 people and produced about 3,500 tonnes of chocolate, with reported sales of roughly CHF 60 million for that year. No reliable current financial figures are included here.

Camille Bloch began in Bern in 1926, when chocolatier Camille Bloch founded a business called Chocolats et Bonbons Fins Camille Bloch. The enterprise was formally recorded as a stock corporation in 1929. In 1935, production moved to Courtelary in the Bernese Jura, accompanied by the adoption of the name Chocolats Camille Bloch SA. Courtelary became the company's enduring manufacturing base and remains associated with the brand's Swiss identity. The company's most important product innovation came in 1942 with the creation of Ragusa. Developed during the Second World War in response to shortages affecting chocolate supplies, Ragusa used a hazelnut-based filling and whole hazelnuts in a format that reduced reliance on a conventional solid chocolate bar. The product became the company's signature brand and later expanded into several chocolate styles and pack formats. Torino, another major Camille Bloch brand, is built around an almond-and-hazelnut praline filling and became the other principal bar in the portfolio. Camille Bloch died in 1970, after which his son Rolf Bloch took over leadership of the company. The business continued as a family enterprise. In 1997, Rolf Bloch's sons Daniel and Stéphane Bloch assumed operational roles. Daniel became managing director and later served as president of the board from 2005. Stéphane took responsibility for sales and marketing and also held board and foundation responsibilities. The succession preserved family participation in management and governance while the company developed its established confectionery brands. The company marked its 75th anniversary with the publication of a commemorative book in 2004. It subsequently developed a broader public-facing presence through a visitor centre opened in 2017 at the Courtelary site. According to managing director Daniel Bloch, the centre attracted over 100,000 visitors in its first year, giving consumers a direct view of the company's history and production environment. Camille Bloch's product development during the modern period included Ragusa Noir, launched in 2008 with 60 percent cocoa, and Ragusa Blond, introduced in 2014 with light-coloured chocolate and a lighter praline cream. The company also broadened its nut portfolio in 2020 with So Nuts, a line of pan-coated hazelnuts and almonds. In parallel, it pursued greater involvement in hazelnut sourcing by acquiring land in Georgia in 2018 for its own cultivation project. Manufacturing remains concentrated in Courtelary. The company describes a process extending from roasting cocoa beans, hazelnuts and almonds through to the production of finished bars and other confectionery at its own facility. In 2016, reference material described a workforce of around 180 people, annual production of approximately 3,500 tonnes of chocolate and sales of about CHF 60 million. Those figures are historical and should not be treated as current financial disclosure. The brand remains associated with independent Swiss chocolate production, family ownership and nut-based praline and gianduja specialities.

• 2020

  So Nuts launches

  [1]Camille Blochen.wikipedia.org

  The company began selling pan-coated hazelnuts and almonds under the So Nuts brand.

• 2018

  Hazelnut cultivation project in Georgia

  [1]Camille Blochen.wikipedia.org

  Camille Bloch acquired land in Georgia to support in-house hazelnut cultivation.

• 2017

  Visitor centre opens

  [1]Camille Blochen.wikipedia.org

  A visitor centre opened at the Courtelary site and reported more than 100,000 visitors in its first year.

• 2014

  Ragusa Blond launches

  [1]Camille Blochen.wikipedia.org

  Ragusa Blond extended the flagship line with light-coloured chocolate and a lighter praline cream.

• 2008

  Ragusa Noir launches

  [1]Camille Blochen.wikipedia.org

  The company introduced Ragusa Noir, a version containing 60 percent cocoa.

• 2005

  Daniel Bloch becomes board president

  [1]Camille Blochen.wikipedia.org

  Daniel Bloch assumed the presidency of the board while continuing his leadership role.

• 2004

  75th-anniversary history published

  [1]Camille Blochen.wikipedia.org

  The company commemorated its 75th anniversary with a book about its history and confectionery activities.

• 1997

  Second family generation assumes operational roles

  [1]Camille Blochen.wikipedia.org

  Daniel and Stéphane Bloch, sons of Rolf Bloch, took over operational responsibilities.

• 1970

  Rolf Bloch takes over after the founder's death

  [1]Camille Blochen.wikipedia.org

  Following Camille Bloch's death, his son Rolf Bloch assumed leadership of the company.

• 1942

  Ragusa is introduced

  [1]Camille Blochen.wikipedia.org

  Camille Bloch created Ragusa, a hazelnut-centred chocolate product developed during wartime chocolate shortages.

• 1935

  Production moves to Courtelary

  [1]Camille Blochen.wikipedia.org

  The company moved production from Bern to Courtelary in the Bernese Jura and adopted the name Chocolats Camille Bloch SA.

• 1929

  Registered as a stock corporation

  [1]Camille Blochen.wikipedia.org

  The business entered the commercial register as a stock corporation.

• 1926

  Business founded in Bern

  [1]Camille Blochen.wikipedia.org

  Camille Bloch established the confectionery business Chocolats et Bonbons Fins Camille Bloch in Bern.

Independent Swiss family chocolate maker combining long-established confectionery brands, local manufacturing and nut-focused praline and gianduja recipes.

• Chocolate bar · 1942

  Ragusa

  Ragusa is Camille Bloch's signature chocolate brand, introduced in 1942. It consists of a hazelnut-based gianduja filling with whole hazelnuts, enclosed between chocolate layers and coated on two sides. The range has been sold in individual and 100-gram formats and in milk, dark and caramelised white chocolate versions. Company management has described Ragusa as contributing more than half of the company's sales.

• Chocolate bar

  Torino

  Torino is one of Camille Bloch's two principal chocolate-bar brands. Its rounded format contains an almond-and-hazelnut praline filling. Like Ragusa, Torino has been available in individual and larger bar formats, with versions based on milk chocolate, dark chocolate and caramelised white chocolate.

• Dark chocolate bar · 2008

  Ragusa Noir

  Ragusa Noir is a higher-cocoa variation of the Ragusa concept. Introduced in 2008, it contains 60 percent cocoa and retains the product line's characteristic nut-based filling and whole-hazelnut profile while presenting a darker chocolate positioning.

• Caramelised white chocolate bar · 2014

  Ragusa Blond

  Ragusa Blond was introduced in 2014 as a lighter-coloured expression of the flagship brand. It combines light-coloured chocolate with a light praline cream, extending Ragusa into a sweeter and visually distinct product style.

• Coated nuts · 2020

  So Nuts

  So Nuts is Camille Bloch's line of pan-coated hazelnuts and almonds. Launched in 2020, it broadens the company's nut-focused offer beyond filled chocolate bars into snack-style confectionery.

• Filled chocolate confectionery

  Liquor-filled chocolates

  Camille Bloch also produces assorted chocolates containing liquor fillings. These products complement the company's principal bar brands and represent a traditional filled-confectionery segment within its portfolio.

• 2020

  Launch So NutsProduct launch

  Background

  Camille Bloch's product portfolio already relied heavily on hazelnuts and almonds, but was primarily presented through chocolate bars.

  Action taken

  The company introduced pan-coated hazelnuts and almonds under the So Nuts brand.

  Aftermath

  The portfolio expanded into coated-nut snacks and confectionery beyond the core Ragusa and Torino bars.

  Source

• 2018

  Invest in in-house hazelnut cultivationStrategy

  Background

  Hazelnuts are important ingredients in Camille Bloch's gianduja, praline and coated-nut products.

  Action taken

  The company acquired land in Georgia to grow hazelnuts in-house.

  Aftermath

  The investment represented an effort to increase involvement in the supply of a strategically important raw material.

  Source

• 2017

  Open a visitor centreStrategy

  Background

  The family company sought to make its manufacturing heritage and Courtelary production site more accessible to the public.

  Action taken

  Camille Bloch opened a visitor centre at its production location.

  Aftermath

  The centre reportedly attracted more than 100,000 visitors in its first year, strengthening the brand's tourism and experiential activities.

  Source

• 2014

  Introduce Ragusa BlondProduct launch

  Background

  Camille Bloch sought to extend its flagship product into a lighter-coloured and sweeter chocolate style.

  Action taken

  The company launched Ragusa Blond using light-coloured chocolate and light praline cream.

  Aftermath

  The flagship line gained a distinct light-coloured variant alongside its milk and dark expressions.

  Source

• 2008

  Introduce Ragusa NoirProduct launch

  Background

  The established Ragusa brand provided a platform for variations in cocoa intensity and taste profile.

  Action taken

  The company launched Ragusa Noir with 60 percent cocoa.

  Aftermath

  Ragusa expanded into a darker chocolate variant while retaining its nut-based identity.

  Source

• 1942

  Develop Ragusa during wartime chocolate shortagesProduct launch

  Background

  Second World War shortages constrained the availability of conventional chocolate ingredients and products.

  Action taken

  Camille Bloch created a chocolate bar centred on hazelnut gianduja and whole hazelnuts, producing the Ragusa format.

  Aftermath

  Ragusa became the company's best-known product and a central pillar of its sales portfolio.

  Source

1. 1Camille Blochen.wikipedia.org
2. 2Camille Bloch official websitecamillebloch.ch