Milka

Template:Short description Template:About Template:Infobox brand Milka is a Swiss brand of chocolate confectionery. Originally made in Switzerland in 1901 by Suchard, it has been produced in Lörrach, Germany, from 1901.<ref name="theguardian">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> Since 2012 it has been owned by US-based company Mondelez International, when it demerged from its predecessor Kraft Foods Inc., which had taken over the brand in 1990.<ref name="nytimes1">Template:Cite news</ref><ref name="telegraph1">Template:Cite news</ref> It is sold in bars and a number of novelty shapes for Easter and Christmas.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> Products with the Milka brand also include chocolate-covered cookies and biscuits.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

The brand's name is a portmanteau of the product's two main ingredients: "{{#invoke:Lang|lang}}" (milk) and "{{#invoke:Lang|lang}}" (cocoa).<ref name=":0">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

HistoryEdit

File:Milka Suchard 1906 N5566152 JPEG 6 6DM.jpg

Early advertisement for Milka

On November 17, 1825, Swiss chocolatier Philippe Suchard (1797–1884) established a pâtisserie in Neuchâtel where he sold a hand-made dessert, chocolat fin de sa fabrique.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> The following year, Suchard founded Chocolat Suchard and moved production to nearby Serrières, where he produced 25–30 kg of chocolate daily in a rented former water mill. During the 1890s, milk was added to Suchard's chocolate,<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> closely following the launch of the Gala Peter brand, founded by Daniel Peter, another Swiss chocolatier.

Carl Russ-Suchard, Philippe Suchard's son-in-law, invented the Milka brand in 1901.<ref>Template:Cite book</ref> The first "Milka" chocolate was packaged in the distinctive lilac-colored packaging.<ref name=":1">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> Their products were introduced in Austria in the 1910s in order to spread popularity, and by 1913 the company was producing 18 times more chocolate than they did when at the original plant in 1880.<ref name=":1" /> By the 1920s Milka had introduced limited edition themed chocolates. Themes were related around holidays such as Christmas and Easter and had chocolate cast into the shape of Santa Claus, Christmas ornaments, Easter bunnies and various sizes of Easter eggs.<ref name=":1" /> By the 1960s the Milka script logo and its lilac packaging was trademarked, quickly becoming Germany’s number one chocolate. Over the next few decades, Milka chocolate enlarged in bigger portions and improved their selection of chocolate products.

In 1970, Suchard merged with Tobler to become Interfood.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> Interfood merged with the Jacobs coffee company in 1982, becoming Jacobs Suchard.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> Kraft Foods acquired Jacobs Suchard, including Milka, in 1990.<ref name="nytimes1" /><ref name="telegraph1" /> In 1995 Milka officially became a ski sponsor and would later become one of the most famous sport sponsors after the FIS Alpine Cup that was held in Lienz.<ref name=":1" /> In October 2012, Kraft spun off its snack food division, which was renamed Mondelēz International.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> In 2016, they further expanded their market into China.<ref name=":0" /> Also in that year, original manufacturer Suchard was among a number of brands sold off by Mondelēz to form Carambar & Co; Mondelēz retained ownership of Milka.

AdvertisingEdit

File:Milka Cow.jpg

Giant Milka cow in Hamburg

The brand's symbol is a lilac Simmental cow with a bell around her neck, usually in an Alpine meadow.<ref>Template:Cite book</ref><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}Template:Cbignore</ref> During the 1990s, Peter Steiner appeared in Milka commercials.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}Template:Cbignore</ref>

Milka has put focus on "tenderness" being their main advertising theme since the 1960s.<ref name=":0" /> In 1972, the Milka cow named Lila<ref name=":0" /> ("Lila" being German for lilac, purple, violet) became the face of their advertising campaigns and has remained so to the current day. Milka has sponsored many alpine skiing stars since 1995, including five World and Olympic champions.<ref name=":0" /> In 2015, Milka used a lilac-colored boat with Lila the mascot on it to tour the rivers of Germany and Austria during the summer. This boat was dubbed the "Muhboot" (pronounced Moo-boat),<ref name=":0" /> a pun on "U-Boot" (German for submarine).

ProductsEdit

Milka is sold in a number of packages and flavors, according to where it is purchased:<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

Chocolate barsEdit

File:Milka Alpine Milk Chocolate bar 100g.jpg

Alpine Milk chocolate bar

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Milka Schoko

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Nougat sweets

File:Milka chocolate box.jpg

Chocolate confections

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Alpine Milk – Milk-chocolate bar<ref name=DELI1>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation

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Broken Nuts – Milk-chocolate bar with hazelnut pieces<ref>Template:Cite journal</ref>
Milka and Daim – Milk-chocolate bar with Daim bar pieces<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation

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Milka and Oreo – Milk-chocolate bar with Oreo filling<ref name=OREO1>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation

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Choco-Swing – Milk-chocolate bar with a biscuit filling<ref name="Produits">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation

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Choco and Biscuit – Milk-chocolate with cocoa creme filling and a layer of biscuit<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation

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Strawberry Yogurt – Milk-chocolate bar with strawberry filling<ref>Template:Cite book</ref>
Caramel – Milk-chocolate bar with caramel filling<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation

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Almond Caramel – Milk-chocolate bar with pieces of almonds and caramel filling
Whole Hazelnuts – Milk-chocolate bar with whole hazelnuts<ref name=HAZ1>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation

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White Chocolate – White chocolate bar<ref name=MAR1>Template:Cite journal</ref>
White Coconut – White-chocolate bar with coconut<ref name=COC1>Template:Cite journal</ref>
Raisins and Hazelnuts – Milk-chocolate bar with raisins and pieces of hazelnut<ref name=MAR1/>
Raspberry Cream – Milk-chocolate bar with raspberry fillings<ref name=MAR1/>
Cow Spots or Happy Cow – Milk-chocolate bar with white-chocolate spots<ref name=MAR1/>

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ToffeesEdit

Milka Toffee – Milk-chocolate-covered toffee filled with caramel<ref>Template:Cite journal</ref>
Milka Toffee Hazelnut<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation

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