{"id":21897,"date":"2026-01-26T06:11:05","date_gmt":"2026-01-26T04:11:05","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/getitmagazine.co.za\/joburg-north\/?p=21897"},"modified":"2026-01-23T11:29:26","modified_gmt":"2026-01-23T09:29:26","slug":"choc-shock","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/getitmagazine.co.za\/joburg-north\/blog\/2026\/01\/26\/choc-shock\/","title":{"rendered":"Choc shock"},"content":{"rendered":"

You might not know it, but Nicolas Thoenen is probably responsible for some of your most delicious moments.<\/strong><\/h4>\n

That\u2019s because Nicolas is the mastermind behind the Swiss Diversitas Group, importers of premium chocolate brands Valor, from Spain, and Italy\u2019s Witors. He\u2019s also cooked up a lot of kitchen envy, having recently started to focus on bringing innovative kitchen appliances to the country.<\/p>\n

While this is set to become a growing niche for the business, Nicolas admits that chocolate is his first love. That\u2019s not surprising, given that he grew up in Zurich. \u201cWhen you\u2019re Swiss, chocolate is very much a part of life,\u201d he reflects. That makes sense, when you realise that the country has one of the highest rates of chocolate consumption in the world, with the average Swiss person tucking into around 8.8kg of chocolate per year. \u201cIt\u2019s part of our heritage, our tradition \u2013 it\u2019s there every Easter and Christmas,\u201d Nicolas says, adding that one of his most entrenched childhood memories is winding down the window as his parents drove past the Lindt factory to breathe in the richly scented air. \u201cThe whole area smells of chocolate,\u201d he reminisces.<\/p>\n

Imagine his delight, then, when he found himself working at the company, first in its Dubai office before he was sent to Cape Town in 2011 to set up Lindt and Spr\u00fcngli South Africa (Pty) Ltd as Lindt\u2019s youngest-ever founding CEO.<\/p>\n

Nicolas\u2019 time here was enough to convince him that he wanted to invest in the country, and so, after returning to Switzerland to establish Swiss Diversitas in 2018, he maintained an ongoing relationship with the retailers he had already met during his time helping South Africans hone their taste for fine chocolate.<\/p>\n

His connection with the country, and his focus on introducing more premium brands, was so strong that when lockdown was announced, he caught the last plane out of Switzerland to settle in Cape Town. \u201cIt was a wonderful time,\u201d he says. \u201cPeople were so intent on what they were doing. We were able to really fast-track the business. I was able to achieve in three months what would usually take a year.\u201d<\/p>\n

One of those achievements includes ensuring Valor gained a foothold in the South African market. The brand stands out not only for its heritage (Valeriano Lopez Lloret started producing chocolate in 1881) but also because it is a bean-to-bar producer, controlling the entire chocolate-making process. It is also well known for its sugar-free range \u2013 a range that, Nicolas says proudly, is challenging people\u2019s perceptions of sugar-free chocolate with its \u2018no compromise-in-taste\u2019 recipes.<\/p>\n

He has a personal soft spot for the brand because it is in line with his own chocolate preferences. \u201cI\u2019m not a milk chocolate person \u2013 for me, chocolate has to be at least 50% cacao.\u201d When chocolate has a cacao content this high, it pretty much qualifies as health food, full of minerals and antioxidants with very little sugar. That makes it the perfect snack, Nicolas says. \u201cI don\u2019t drink coffee, so I often have a chocolate in the late afternoon, especially if it\u2019s been a long day \u2013 it\u2019s a great pick-me-up. It\u2019s a perfect dessert, too.\u201d Most South Africans agree, he adds … Our countrymen have a rather sweet tooth.<\/p>\n

That\u2019s slowly changing, though, as Gen Z have made clear their preference for health foods. That\u2019s why, even though premium chocolate is still seen as an indulgence \u2013 a treat to be savoured slowly \u2013 sugar-free, gluten-free and vegan snacks are increasingly taking up space on our pantry shelves.<\/p>\n

Nicolas has noted the trend, and is moving to take advantage. Moving forward, Swiss Diversitas will be partnering with more health-conscious producers. The company\u2019s latest venture, which sees it importing a brand of sugar-free biscuits from Spain, is a case in point. Once again, Nicolas will be working with a family-owned company steeped in heritage \u2013 which is exactly the kind of relationship he likes. \u201cYou know that a company like that thinks hard before handing over their business to you, so it means a lot. That\u2019s the key to a long-lasting relationship.\u201d<\/p>\n

As an entrepreneur, that\u2019s something he values – indeed, any business owner will agree that sustainable relationships are the building block of a small company. That\u2019s especially important, because doing business in South Africa isn\u2019t easy, especially for a foreigner. There\u2019s a lot of bureaucracy to be navigated, for instance. \u201cYou need to be committed and driven, and you must have that Mzansi love.\u201d<\/p>\n

Lucky for us, Nicolas certainly has it \u2013 which means that we can look forward to even more tasty treats making their way to our shores from the world\u2019s snack capitals.<\/p>\n

Details: @tokit_africa<\/a>, @valorchocolates_za<\/a>, www.swissdiversitas.com<\/a><\/p>\n

Nicolas’s easy peasy four ingredient no-churn chocolate ice cream\u00a0<\/strong><\/h4>\n

You\u2019ll need:<\/strong><\/p>\n