Telling the triangular story of Toblerone

Production of the Toblerone bars is now fully automated Keystone

The University of Bern is getting ready to unveil the results of some very sweet research. It's putting on an exhibition, "Chocolate Tobler - a triangular history", from May 12 at the Kornhaus in Bern.

The exhibition provides an insightful look into the world of the Swiss chocolate industry and recreates the early 20th century in Bern when the Tobler factory was the most important employer in the city.

Based on interviews, old newspaper clippings and early advertising films, the exhibition provides a glimpse of what life was like for the factory workers at the time, and shows how the company developed its product line of chocolates to market them throughout the world.

Toblerone is a success story unique to Switzerland. In 1867, Jean Tobler opened a confectionary in Bern. Over the years, demand for his homemade chocolates grew to such an extent that he opened a chocolate factory in 1899.

And in 1908, the Tobler family created the honey and almond bar, which was destined to become an enduring symbol of Switzerland throughout the world. A year later, Toblerone became the first patented milk chocolate.

swissinfo