For its 125th anniversary, Villars simultaneously launched 15 new products in May 2026.

It is hard to imagine a more fitting 125th anniversary gift than an entry in the Guinness World Records. This is precisely what Villars Maître Chocolatier achieved in 2026, when it held the world’s largest chocolate tasting event in Fribourg. The company, whose famed chocolate bars are sold in some 60 countries, may have changed a great deal since its founding in 1901, but its DNA remains the same: “A taste for tradition, a commitment to quality, and the almost exclusive use of local ingredients were, and still are, the hallmark of Villars,” its CEO, Nicolas Forget, explains.

Throughout its long and sometimes troubled history, the Fribourg-based company has retained an unshakable belief in its ability to bounce back and draw valuable lessons from these setbacks. It is precisely this resilience that is needed to survive and thrive in today’s business world. According to Villars’ Innovation Project Manager, Géraldine Marolleau, “What has also endured is the early rebellious spirit. When delving into the chocolate-maker’s history, we were surprised to see that it had always been an innovator.” Back in 1935, Villars was the first producer to sell liqueur-filled chocolates. Even the company’s earliest business models, which included the adoption of the store-in-store concept, for example, reflected the company’s go-getter attitude.

History, not stories

This pioneering legacy continues to inform present-day operations. In May 2026, Villars simultaneously launched 15 new products. Similarly, the company immediately freed up one of its production lines to bring an employee’s idea to life: ‘Chocopucks’, small, round chocolate-coated wafers to mark the 2026 IIHF Ice Hockey World Championships and Fribourg’s role as one of the event’s two host cities. “Innovation is not limited to our R&D team. We welcome ideas from other employees and our partners,” Marolleau notes. A case in point is the master chocolatier’s candies filled with edelweiss liqueur: the suggestion originally came from a supplier.

Villars’ executives firmly believe that the company’s innovative capacity and time-honored expertise will continue to be its greatest assets as it navigates the next 125 years. “The new generation of consumers wants chocolates that are less sweet, have a lower impact on the climate but still taste great. They also value product authenticity and straight talk,” notes Nicolas Forget, with Géraldine Marolleau adding, “That’s exactly it: at Villars, we put a premium on history, not storytelling.”