Buying milk chocolate

Best brand, all of them, haha. Go into the Coop stores. We were buying what seemed like it was a local/store brand. They were often bundled into multipacks. There was one that had like a truffle mix inside. AMAZING. However, that was the variety we saw less frequently. We bought some to bring home, but it didn't get that far. . .

The very best brand (price no object)is Nestle Callier. It's only sold in Switzerland. You can buy it in shops throughout the country. But the best place to get it is at their factory in Broc, which is open to the public for tours:
https://www.cailler.ch/en/

Best is personal preference.
Both the big supermarket chains (Migros and Coop) have their own brands ("Frey" in Migros), which are good.
Then there is Lindt, which you can get in most of Europe. They have some shops in Switzerland, branded as "Lindt & Sprüngli" which sell things you cannot get elsewhere.

Another chain is Läderach (website: https://www.laederach.com/en/ ). If you pass one of their shops you must go in.

However it is not just milk chocolate, it is the variety that is one of the plus points. Any branch of Coop or Migros will have one side of an aisle of chocolate, in all brands and varieties you can think of, and some more. (Click for photo of a Migros chocolate display).

Have you considered or even tried dark chocolate? Mmmmmmmm!

Note, you can always fill the rest of the space in your bag with chocolate at the airport shops.

I love dark chocolate, but got the feeling in Switzerland it was less of a "thing".

Chris F., love the variety called "Tourist"

Brands I haven't seen much abroad, but are available in local grocery stores are Bloch (e.g. Ragusa), Villars (a brand from Fribourg) and Ovomaltine chocolate and my favourite chocolate: "Minor."

Yum Yum! Thanks for the suggestions!

I bought Villars last time I was in France, and it was very good. If Switzerland is anything like France, the chocolate you can buy in grocery stores will usually be outstanding, even if it's just the store brand. We'll be making our first, short, trip to Switzerland in April, and I'm looking forward to trying some chocolate (as well as wine and cheese).

Note that the best chocolate is made for the local Swiss market. Chocolate for export to other European countries is not quite as good as what is sold in Switzerland. Stock up for the rest (if there is any) of your trip and to take home. The name brands you see in the supermarkets are incredibly good.

Try them all. We too just visited the nearby Coop and browsed the selection of the chocolates and more. And while you are browsing the Coop selections, check out the Bündner Nusstorte (nut pasteries).

Frey,hands down.
Dark chocolate, no way. Yuck.

The chocolate selection at the local grocery store is sure to be amazing -- usually takes up most of an aisle. As long as I paid attention to what it was that I liked in chocolate, everything I had was excellent.

This link shows brands you can't buy outside of Switzerland:
https://www.littlezurichkitchen.ch/swiss-chocolate-gifts/

My Swiss friend always brings Ovomaltine, both in bars and in a jar (like Nutella) -- my kids love it but me, not so much. I don't like crunchy things that stick in my teeth.

Nickelini, thanks for the link. I'm going to save it for use in April.

Dark chocolate . . . YUMMY! Milk chocolate . . . Good, too, but not as good as dark. My Swiss friend said their chocolate is made with only milk from Swiss cows, which makes it the best!!! I would agree. I always buy a whole lot when I'm there to bring back for family and friends. The Co-op store brand is really very good. If you have the opportunity go to Broc for the factory tour which ends in a room where you can sample many kinds of chocolate to your heart's delight ill!!! At least that was the case a few years back.

Since about two weeks ago, the Easter chocolate bunnies (hares) have been in the shops. I don't know why, perhaps the aroma captured inside the hollow sealed bunnies, but "Schoggi Häse" (chocky bunnies) always taste better then boring chocolate bars.

Video making them: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3hqZSRFkI5Y

Thanks! Looking forward to trying some on behalf of all chocolate lovers everywhere!

Chris, so what is the Swiss custom for eating bunnies - start with the ears or the tail?

C.M. I am looking through my stash (from last October) and see Frey, ConfiSwiss, and Munz, as remaining. I don't know that any are better than the other - more like what was available in the store or at the airport. You will have to test them and give detailed report on your return. I don't like dark chocolate either.

Sorry to disagree with everyone but actually Teuscher is the absolute best Swiss chocolate! It’s A-M-A-Z-I-N-G

This is a good problem to have. I'll buy one of each!

Teuscher isn't exclusive to Switzerland, they have stores in the US.

We love Ragusa which has a hazelnut filling and is difficult to find outside of Switzerland. We had to make a last minute flight change a couple years ago due to strikes and were rerouted through Zurich. My first thought was that I could buy Ragusa!