Ragusa: it’s all about the hazelnuts

Our satnav tells us that the destination is only 200 meters away, but Gabriele can already see the metal surface of the Camille Bloch chocolate factory. The company has been one of the landmarks of the Bernese Jura region and (of course) Courtelary, a small town of approximately 1,400 inhabitants, since it opened its doors for business in 1935. A symbiotic bond. «Even the mayor is one of our 200 employees» says Daniel Bloch, the 3rd generation at the helm of the company. «Courtelary is a great place to produce chocolate: it’s located midway between the German and French-speaking parts of Switzerland, making it easier for us to promote our brand in the country».

But Camille Bloch’s production channels are not limited to domestic borders. They reach North America, the Middle East, Germany, France and Scandinavia, accounting for 85% of all exports for a total production of 3100 tonnes in 2021. Ragusa and Torino, the company’s two flagship products, account for more than 75% of sales. «We are a small company with big products», Bloch concludes. Gabriele and I set off to explore the factory, starting from the warehouses, in the basement, amidst white sacks that stand taller than me. The labels mention Ghana and Peru and I have to stand on my toes to discover the brownish surface of the cocoa beans, but a little further on we find hazelnuts from Turkey. Swiss milk and sugar are combined with these exotic ingredients. «Thanks to cocoa, cocoa butter, milk and sugar, we produce milk, dark and white chocolate», says Bloch. «But we are mostly known for the combinations between chocolate and different fillings». The tour continues to the upper floors: the air is warmer, the clangor of the machinery occupies the long spaces and the mellow smell of the cocoa masses rises up. After visiting the roasting machines, we move on to the grinding process that enables the production of a smooth and silky cream («velvety», Gabriele suggests to me after tasting it).

We walk towards another production area - over our heads, a tube that stretches along the ceiling is labelled «Interieur Torino Lait». The mass we just tasted does indeed make up the filling of Torino, which is made from hazelnuts and almonds. It is spread out on a conveyor belt in the shape of a series of cylindrical strips, it is cooled, cut and covered with chocolate in order to make the famous bars. A product almost as popular as Ragusa, whose origins date back to 1942. During that year, in the midst of the Second World War, Camille Bloch found it difficult to receive the necessary cocoa by sea to continue production. Hence, the idea: create a product using hazelnuts coming from Turkey and easier to obtain. Today, these fruits are a hallmark of Ragusa and some workers confide in me that certain customers get irritated if they unwrap their bars and find only one or two whole hazelnuts. «But the percentage of hazelnuts in the mixture is set and is tested continually», a technician assures me. «It’s up to the lucky few to determine if they’ll be whole or broken». The 1942 idea was an excellent one that guaranteed the company many decades of success, also due to the variety of sizes and types of chocolate (in addition to the classic Ragusa, made with milk chocolate, there are versions with dark and white chocolate, the latter nicknamed Blond). And the commercial successes was complemented by the concept of sustainability. In fact, Camille Bloch created a new plantation of hazelnuts in Georgia in order to have an even greater control over the origin of this raw material, which is crucial for both classic and new products. We arrive at the tasting table to try the latest product of the house, which was launched in 2020-2021 under the name of So Nuts: hazelnuts and almonds coated in Ragusa chocolate, Torino and a new combo with coffee.

A decision made in the footsteps of tradition, but with the desire to innovate. «Because what counts is not only the quality but also the consistency of the product». The last stop is the Chez Camille Bloch center (www.chezcamillebloch.ch): opened in 2017, it offers workshops, trips to discover chocolate and activities suitable for families. The celebrations for the 80th anniversary of Ragusa will feature an array of special events and open days from April to October 2022. A great excuse to have a taste not only of chocolate, but also of the Bernese Jura mountains surrounding Courtelary.