Swiss chocolate sales scale Matterhorn heights

By Stephanie Nebehay

GENEVA (Reuters) - Swiss chocolate sales soared to a record of nearly 1.7 billion Swiss francs ($1.55 billion) last year, breaking records at home and abroad, the industry said on Friday.

The 9 percent rise in revenues was fueled by a surge in exports to European neighbors and tourists, Chocosuisse (the Association of Swiss Chocolate Manufacturers) said in a statement.

The Swiss contributed to the boom, eating an average of 12.3 kilos of chocolate each, 400 grams more than the previous year.

Swiss traditionally rank first worldwide in average per capita consumption of chocolate, although the figures include purchases of tourists visiting Switzerland, the group says.

"We think the cold summer and wet autumn were responsible for the increase. Nobody will have more in terms of per capita consumption," Chocosuisse's director Franz Schmid told Reuters with confidence.

In all, 181,266 metric tons of Swiss chocolate -- milk, dark and white -- were sold worldwide last year, in the form of chocolate bars, pralines and other delights.

Christmas business was "gratifying", rounding off the year which began with a slump in Easter sales due to warm weather.

Exports of Swiss chocolates, which rose by 13.8 percent in value terms, accounted for slightly over half of overall annual revenues (833 million Swiss francs). Germany, followed by Britain, France and the United States are the biggest fans.