David Sprüngli opened the Confiserie Sprüngli & Fils on Marktgasse in Zurich in 1836. From 1845 onwards Sprüngli belonged to the pioneers of Swiss chocolate producers and was instrumental in establishing the reputation still prevalent today of Swiss chocolate being the best chocolate in the world. In 1859 David Sprüngli and his son Rudolf acquired a property on the Paradeplatz in Zurich, still little frequented, in the hope that one day the train station would be built here. Unfortunately, this was not the case, which caused for many a sleepless night for the Sprüngli family. And yet soon there was active building activity taking place all around Paradeplatz. The passing-by Bahnhofstrasse developed into one of the most renowned shopping miles in the world. Today Confiserie Sprüngli takes a preferential position on the street with its store and the associated restaurant, café and bar. Sprüngli is operating eighteen stores in and around Zurich today. Another ten can be found in Lucerne, Aarau, Baden, Basel, Bern, Zug, St. Gallen, Geneva and Munich.
1836
David Sprüngli acquires the Vogel Confectioner's Shop on Marktgasse in Zurich. The company's foundation is laid.
1845
Chocolate production begins under the label David Sprüngli & Fils.
1859
The Confiserie am Paradeplatz opens. It quickly becomes the best address for fine confectionery and patisserie and a popular meeting place on Zurich's Bahnhofstrasse. Famous personalities such as the railway pioneer Alfred Escher, his daughter Lydia, the writers Conrad Ferdinand Meyer, Gottfried Keller and the famous Heidi author Johanna Spyri with her husband, Bernhard Spyri, who later became the town clerk of Zurich, frequented the place. Spyri may also have been inspired to write her world-famous children's novel here in the culinary ambience of the café.
1892
Rudolf Sprüngli divides his company up among his two sons. Johann Rudolf is allocated the Lindt&Sprüngli chocolate factory, while David Robert comes into the ownership of the confectioner's, which today is Confiserie Sprüngli.
The two have been independent companies ever since. The Lindt & Sprüngli chocolate factory becomes an industrial operation, while Confiserie Sprüngli remains a handcrafted family-owned company.
1909/10
The business premises on Paradeplatz are renovated into Art Nouveau.
1924
The sceptre is handed on to the fourth generation in the form of Hermann Sprüngli.
1931
The business premises on Paradeplatz are up for complete renovation.
1956
In the fifth generation Richard Sprüngli leads the fortunes of the company.
1957
Launch of the light and airy Luxemburgerli, which quickly achieve cult status.
1961
Traffic and spatially technical advantages move the company to relocate production to Dietikon.
1970
Eighteen stores are opened in the following years at the best shopping positions.
1994
The nephews of Richard Sprüngli, Milan and Tomas Prenosil, take over the business.
1998
As one of the first companies in the industry, Confiserie Sprüngli presents itself on the internet.
2001
The production site in Dietikon is expanded and modernised.
2007
The shop premises, the customer consulting and the café-bar on the ground floor of the headquarters on Paradeplatz are redesigned and modernised.
2011
Confiserie Sprüngli celebrates its 175th anniversary.
2012
The sales network is targeted for expansion with an attractive store at Bern train station and at the Geneva airport as well as a new kind of Café & Lounge at the Zurich airport.
2020
As a Grand Cru pioneer in Switzerland, Sprüngli launches the world novelty "Grand Cru Absolu" - a fine chocolate consisting of 100% cocoa beans and cocoa pulp.
2020
Sprüngli publishes its Sustainability Manifesto and thus continues its commitment along the entire value chain.
2021
Sprüngli opens the chocolate outlet at its factory in Dietikon due to high customer demand.
2023
Sprüngli opens the first store in Lucerne.
2023
Sprüngli opens the first store at the Aarau train station.
2023
Sprüngli reopened the new store in the recently renovated hall at the main railway station in Zurich
Sprüngli advertising
Throughout its history, Confiserie Sprüngli has always considered advertising indispensable to keeping its memory fresh in customers’ minds. The evolution of Confiserie Sprüngli’s advertising is a delicious feast for the eyes.
(1) Probably the oldest poster (1880) by Sprüngli comes presumably from Paris, where poster art developed from artistic drawings. The two girls radiate grace and charm and identify themselves with the vivacious, easygoing and elegant atmosphere that was associated inseparably with chocolate for that generation.
(2) International export advertising at the end of the 19th century (1890).
(3) As early as the Belle Époque, chocolate was recommend to holiday guests and travellers. (1890).
The practice of enclosing little collectible individual pictures or series of pictures with chocolate bars, to leave the eater with something enduring, stretches back to the 1880s if not earlier. The pictures tend to feature cutesy motifs.