Lindt vs. Ghirardelli: Everything You Need to Know!
Mountains, lakes, beautiful green scenery and delicious chocolate. You know I am talking about Switzerland. Switzerland is the home of one of the most famous chocolates – Lindt. But every sweet tooth would agree that Lindt is not alone. Ghirardelli chocolates are just as tasty, so one may wonder if the same company produces them?
Lindt and Ghirardelli chocolates are produced in separate factories, but they are both parts of the same confectioner Lindt & Spüngli. While Lindt is a high-end chocolate brand in Europe, Ghirardelli is high-quality chocolate in the US.
Ghirardelli has not been part of the Lindt & Spüngli since always and, of course, its taste is different from Lindt’s. So, I am going to list their differences, tell you more about their origins and, what is the most important, suggest which one to buy next time when going to the supermarket!
Lindt vs. Ghirardelli: What Are the Differences?
There are many similarities between Lindt and Ghirardelli. Yes, they are both the most famous for their chocolates, and their product lines are similar, too.
Also, Lindt has a similar range of flavors as Ghirardelli. Furthermore, Ghirardelli packs its chocolates in similar packaging in almost the same sizes as Lindt does. The only difference here is that Ghirardelli bags consist of chocolate squares, while Lindt produces truffles; therefore, ball-shaped treats.
The prices of the chocolates are pretty much the same. Lindt 70% Cocoa Dark Chocolate Bar costs $2.78 in Walmart, which is exactly the same price as Ghirardelli Intense Dark Chocolate Bar.
The quality of these chocolates is similar. Some people perceive Lindt as exotic or the essence of Europe, saying that it is Lindt’s intrinsic quality. At the same time, they perceive Ghirardelli as a common product on the US shelves.
Differences in Quality
Many chocolate lovers claim that Lindt chocolate taste varies between countries. In their opinion, Lindt in America is of a lower quality than Lindt in Europe. It is due to the fact that this company doesn’t have a big competitor in Europe. In the US, on the other hand, Ghirardelli is perceived as a top-quality brand, so Lindt reduced its quality.
Since 2008, Lindt stoped using beet sugar and chose cane sugar instead. This decision improved the quality of its products.
If you are allergic to corn, the fact that Lindt does not contain corn products (for example, corn syrup or cornstarch) should cheer you up.
But not everyone agrees that Lindt is so super yummy. Chocolate experts and connoisseurs think that Lindt uses low-quality cocoa beans that cause bitterness and burnt flavor. Cheap ingredients make an unpleasant taste, but added vanilla flavoring, of course, masks this bad flavor.
On the other hand, Lindt chocolate is made by a highly professional large-scale chocolate factory, and every technical process it is going through is of very high quality. Thanks to the professionals, eating this chocolate is a satisfying experience due to its meltiness. Their chocolate would be one of the best, if only they used more quality ingredients!
Just like Lindt, Ghirardelli does not add artificial flavorings for the most part.
These chocolates have soy lecithin in their composition. It is an emulsifier that makes this chocolate so smooth and fluid. Besides melting well, it also blooms pretty well.
The strongest Ghirardelli chocolate is the one with 92% cacao parts, and everyone knows that higher cacao content often means healthier chocolate. In addition to its healthiness, it has low sugar content, no added flavors or preservatives. It is not processed with alkali, but at a low temperature. This is pretty much everything you need to look for when searching for a healthy dark chocolate treat.
Despite being better than mass-market chocolate, neither of these brands is considered fine chocolate. In fact, they are regarded as premium commercial chocolate.
Differences in Prices
Ghirardelli is a little bit more expensive than regular chocolate. For example, a 14.86 oz bag of dark chocolate squares costs you $10.18. Of course, there are reasons for that.
Ghirardelli exists since 1852. This long tradition makes Ghirardelli company the longest continuously operating manufacturer of chocolate in the US. They supervise the entire chocolate’s life – from cocoa beans to finished products.
They claim to reject all low-quality seeds and use only the best ones. The beans then move further to an in-house roasting place. As soon as the outer shell of the chocolate has been removed, it is roasted and ground into 19 micrometer-sized pieces.
All this allows Ghirardelli to put higher prices, but, you know what? It is worth every cent!
Ownership
When it comes to Lindt and Ghirardelli, they both started out independently and were acquired under common ownership only later. A Swiss firm called Lindt & Sprüngli acquired Ghirardelli Chocolate Company as a wholly-owned subsidiary in 1998.
Before becoming part of the Lindt & Sprüngli, Ghirardelli was under different ownerships.
It was founded by Italian chocolatier Domenico Ghirardelli in 1952. This chocolate firm was bought by the Golden Grain Macaroni Company in 1963, but it later became part of Quaker Oats. After that, one private investment group made Ghirardelli an independent company. And from 1998 to today’s day, it has been part of the Lindt & Sprüngli family.
There was a rumor that Ghirardelli is going out of business. This rumor started after Ghirardelli sign removal in San Francisco, but it returned soon after the restoration.
