Confiserie Sprüngli
Swiss luxury confectionery manufacturer and retailer best known for its Luxemburgerli macarons.
Last updated September 23, 2026
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Overview
Confiserie Sprüngli is a Swiss luxury confectionery company headquartered in Zürich. Founded in 1836 by David Sprüngli, it combines retail cafés, pastry production, chocolate making and a broad mail-order business. The company began when Sprüngli acquired the Konditorei Vogel confectioner's shop in Zürich. In 1845, David Sprüngli and his son Rudolf began producing chocolate under the name David Sprüngli & Fils, and in 1859 the family opened a prominent shop on Zürich's Paradeplatz near Bahnhofstrasse. The location's refreshment room became an important social setting for Zürich's affluent customers, helping establish the business not only as a producer of sweets but also as a refined hospitality and retail institution. The Sprüngli family chocolate operation separated from the confectionery business in 1892. The chocolate branch became the company now known as Lindt & Sprüngli, while the confectionery and café business continued independently under the Sprüngli family. This separation is central to the brand's identity: Confiserie Sprüngli is related historically to Lindt & Sprüngli but is not the same company and has operated independently since the nineteenth century. The modern luxury positioning of Confiserie Sprüngli was especially associated with Richard Sprüngli, who took over the company in 1956. In 1957, the business introduced Luxemburgerli, a small, delicate macaron created by a Sprüngli confectioner from Luxembourg. The product became the company's signature offering and remains the visual and commercial shorthand for the brand. Alongside Luxemburgerli, Sprüngli sells pralines, truffles, chocolate bars, cakes, pastries, ice cream, bakery goods and seasonal confectionery. Its products emphasize craftsmanship, presentation, premium ingredients and traditional Swiss pastry culture. Production moved from the crowded Paradeplatz premises to Dietikon near Zürich in 1961. The Dietikon facility supports the company's retail network and international delivery activity, while the flagship Zürich locations continue to combine shop, café and restaurant functions. Sprüngli has expanded beyond Zürich to other Swiss cities and, since 2014, to the United Arab Emirates. International locations have included outlets in Abu Dhabi, a Munich Airport shop opened in 2022 and a Vienna Airport shop opened later that year. The company has also maintained a worldwide delivery business, with products shipped by air to customers outside Switzerland. Confiserie Sprüngli remains family-owned and independent from Lindt & Sprüngli. Since 1994, operational leadership has been associated with sixth-generation family descendants Tomas and Milan Prenosil. The business has developed new products while retaining its traditional luxury identity, including the 2020 launch of Grand Cru Absolu, made with cocoa beans and cocoa pulp, and the 2022 introduction of vegan Grand Cru Bâtons pralines. A cooperation with Swiss International Air Lines began in 2021, extending the brand into an international travel and hospitality setting. Sprüngli's current identity therefore rests on a combination of historic Zürich cafés, premium Swiss confectionery, family continuity, selective overseas expansion and globally recognized Luxemburgerli macarons.
History
Confiserie Sprüngli traces its origins to 1836, when David Sprüngli acquired the Konditorei Vogel confectioner's shop in Zürich. The business initially operated as a confectioner's establishment before David and his son Rudolf began chocolate production in 1845 under the name David Sprüngli & Fils. In 1859, the family opened a major shop on Paradeplatz near Bahnhofstrasse. Its refreshment room became a noted meeting place for Zürich society and established the combination of confectionery retail and café hospitality that remains important to the brand. A major structural change occurred in 1892, when the family's chocolate-producing branch separated from the confectionery business. The chocolate operation developed independently into Lindt & Sprüngli, while David Robert Sprüngli received the confectionery business. Confiserie Sprüngli therefore shares historical roots with Lindt & Sprüngli but has remained a separate independent company since that split. The business passed through several generations of the Sprüngli family. Hermann Sprüngli assumed management in 1924, followed by Richard Sprüngli in 1956. Richard repositioned the company as a luxury confectionery brand. In 1957, a confectioner from Luxembourg working for Sprüngli created Luxemburgerli, a small macaron distinguished by its light texture and wide range of flavors. The product became the company's defining specialty and a major part of its gift and travel-retail identity. As production demands increased, Sprüngli moved its manufacturing facility from Paradeplatz to Dietikon near Zürich in 1961. The company continued to operate prominent cafés and shops in Zürich while expanding its retail network into other Swiss cities. Its product range grew beyond chocolate to include pralines, truffles, cakes, pastries, bakery goods, ice cream and other confectionery. Products have also been distributed internationally by air mail. In 1994, Richard Sprüngli's nephews-in-law, Tomas and Milan Prenosil, took over operational management. Their tenure continued the company's family-owned structure while supporting selective expansion. Sprüngli opened its first United Arab Emirates locations after entering that market in 2014, including a 2017 outlet at Galleria Mall on Al Maryah Island in Abu Dhabi. The company subsequently developed a wider international retail network, including airport locations in Munich and Vienna. Product development in the twenty-first century has combined traditional luxury with new ingredient and dietary formats. Grand Cru Absolu was launched in 2020 as a chocolate made from cocoa beans and cocoa pulp. In 2022, the company added vegan pralines in baton form under the Grand Cru Bâtons name. A cooperation with Swiss International Air Lines began in 2021. Confiserie Sprüngli remains an independent Swiss family business whose heritage is anchored in Zürich, while its Luxemburgerli, chocolate and pastry products support a broader international presence.
- 2022
Grand Cru Bâtons vegan pralines launch
[1]The company introduced vegan pralines in baton form under the Grand Cru Bâtons name.
- 2022
Airport retail expands to Munich and Vienna
[1]Sprüngli opened locations at Munich Airport in April and Vienna Airport in December.
- 2021
Cooperation with Swiss International Air Lines begins
[1]The brand entered a cooperation with Swiss International Air Lines.
- 2020
Grand Cru Absolu launches
[1]Sprüngli introduced Grand Cru Absolu, a fine chocolate made with cocoa beans and cocoa pulp.
- 2017
Abu Dhabi mall outlet opens
[1]The company opened an outlet at Galleria Mall on Al Maryah Island in Abu Dhabi.
- 2014
United Arab Emirates expansion begins
[1]Sprüngli expanded outside Switzerland into the United Arab Emirates.
- 1994
Tomas and Milan Prenosil assume operational management
[1]The sixth-generation family descendants took over operational management of the independent family business.
- 1961
Production moves to Dietikon
[1]Manufacturing moved from the space-constrained Paradeplatz premises to a facility in Dietikon near Zürich.
- 1957
Luxemburgerli is introduced
[1]Sprüngli sold its first Luxemburgerli macarons, which became the company's best-known signature product.
- 1956
Richard Sprüngli takes over
[1]Richard Sprüngli assumed leadership and repositioned the confectionery as a luxury brand.
Products and positioning
Luxury, premium and traditional Swiss confectionery with an emphasis on hand-finished products, café culture, gifting and family heritage.
Macarons · 1957
Luxemburgerli
Luxemburgerli are Sprüngli's signature small macarons. Introduced in 1957 after a Sprüngli confectioner from Luxembourg developed the product, they became the brand's most recognizable specialty. They are sold in multiple flavors and are associated with premium gifting, Zürich café culture and the company's international retail identity.
Chocolate · 2020
Grand Cru Absolu
Grand Cru Absolu is a fine chocolate introduced in 2020. Its formulation uses cocoa beans together with cocoa pulp, presenting a contemporary product within Sprüngli's premium chocolate range while retaining the company's emphasis on carefully crafted confectionery.
Vegan pralines · 2022
Grand Cru Bâtons
Grand Cru Bâtons are vegan pralines presented in baton form. Introduced in September 2022, the product extends Sprüngli's Grand Cru range into a plant-based format while maintaining the brand's premium positioning.
Chocolate confectionery
Pralines and truffles
Sprüngli's pralines and truffles form a core part of its luxury chocolate assortment. These products are sold through the company's shops, cafés and delivery channels and are commonly positioned as premium gifts and seasonal specialties.
Pastry and bakery
Cakes, pastries and bakery goods
Cakes, pastries and bakery goods reflect Sprüngli's origins as a Zürich confectioner's shop. They are offered alongside chocolate and macarons in the company's cafés and retail stores, preserving the brand's traditional combination of pastry service and confectionery retail.
Marketing campaigns
- 2021Swiss International Air Lines cooperation
International air travel
Sprüngli began a cooperation with Swiss International Air Lines, placing the confectionery brand in an international aviation and hospitality context.
Outcome. The cooperation expanded Sprüngli's brand exposure beyond its retail network.
Brand decisions
2022
Introduce vegan Grand Cru BâtonsProduct launchBackground
The company extended its premium chocolate offering to a vegan format.
Action taken
Sprüngli launched vegan pralines in baton form under the Grand Cru Bâtons name.
Aftermath
The launch added a plant-based option to the traditionally luxury-oriented assortment.
2020
Introduce Grand Cru AbsoluProduct launchBackground
Sprüngli developed a premium chocolate using cocoa beans and cocoa pulp.
Action taken
The company launched Grand Cru Absolu.
Aftermath
The product broadened the modern Grand Cru segment of Sprüngli's chocolate portfolio.
2014
Expand into the United Arab EmiratesStrategyBackground
The Swiss luxury confectionery business pursued selective international retail expansion.
Action taken
Sprüngli entered the United Arab Emirates market and later developed several locations there.
Aftermath
The UAE became one of the company's established overseas markets.
1961
Move production to DietikonStrategyBackground
The original Paradeplatz production premises no longer provided sufficient space.
Action taken
Sprüngli transferred production to a facility in Dietikon near Zürich.
Aftermath
The company retained its historic retail and café presence in Zürich while gaining dedicated manufacturing capacity.
1957
Launch LuxemburgerliProduct launchBackground
A Sprüngli confectioner from Luxembourg developed a small macaron product.
Action taken
Sprüngli introduced the product as Luxemburgerli.
Aftermath
Luxemburgerli became the company's signature product and a major symbol of the brand.
1892
Separate the chocolate and confectionery businessesStrategyBackground
The Sprüngli family's chocolate-producing branch and confectionery operation were reorganized as separate businesses.
Action taken
The chocolate operation continued independently and later became Lindt & Sprüngli, while the confectionery business continued as Confiserie Sprüngli.
Aftermath
Confiserie Sprüngli remained an independent family-owned confectionery company rather than becoming part of Lindt & Sprüngli.
Recent events
- 2022
Sprüngli launches vegan Grand Cru Bâtons pralines[1]
Product launch
The company introduced vegan pralines in baton form under the Grand Cru Bâtons name.
- 2022
Sprüngli expands airport retail presence in Germany and Austria[1]
Other
New locations opened at Munich Airport in April and Vienna Airport in December, broadening the company's travel-retail footprint.
- 2021
Sprüngli begins cooperation with Swiss International Air Lines[1]
Campaign · Other
Confiserie Sprüngli entered a cooperation with Swiss International Air Lines, extending its brand presence into international air travel.
- 2020
Confiserie Sprüngli introduces Grand Cru Absolu[1]
Product launch
The company launched Grand Cru Absolu, a fine chocolate made using cocoa beans and cocoa pulp.
- 2011
Confiserie Sprüngli receives second place in the SVC Entrepreneurship Prize[1]
Other
The company was awarded second place in the Swiss Venture Club Entrepreneurship Prize for the Zürich economic area.
Sources2 sources
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