Meet the maker
Taucherli
About Taucherli
The Eurasian Coot, or rather Taucherli to the locals in Zürich, is what this chocolate maker is both named and illustrated after. Kay Keusen, the man behind Taucherli chocolate, produces both couverture and bean to bar chocolate. What with Switzerland’s illustrious history and reputation of chocolate making, from Lindt discovering and introducing the process of ‘conching’ to then Nestle introducing the addition of milk powder to create the world’s first milk chocolate bar. However, it has since become apparent that today many bars that one may deduce as being Swiss-made, truly aren’t Swiss at all. Similar to “Belgian” chocolate, much “Swiss” chocolate is in fact made abroad.
Kay Keusen’s ambition with Taucherli’s bean to bar production was to reinvent what it means to be a Swiss chocolate maker. Kay wanted to take customers on a journey, for customers to discover the true flavours of the beans, without vanilla.
How they became makers…
Kay used to work as a constructor, but always wanted to break into the food industry by making his own chocolate, wine or cheese. It just so happened that the chance to buy the Taucherli GmbH landed in his lap – from there, his passion for chocolate making developed quickly and Kay flourished into a bean-to-bar craft chocolate maker.
Kay Keusen, the founder of Taucherli
Taucherli’s Sourcing
Taucherli sources its beans directly from both cocoa producers or fine flavour cacao traders, such as Daarnhouwer.
An Interview with Taucherli
In the year leading up to getting our mitts on Taucherli’s bars, Lizzie and Spencer caught up with Kay at the Salon du Chocolat Paris in 2018. It was then quite literally a year later Cocoa Runners on-boarded Taucherli into the Library! We reconvened with Kay at the Salon du Chocolat 2019, trying some new origins and bars. We wanted to share his story with our readers…
What’s your background? Why and how did you get into chocolate?
I used to work as a constructor, but I always wanted to make something along the lines of chocolate, wine or cheese. When I got the chance to buy the Taucherli GmbH, I then knew it was going to be chocolate. Chocolate is my passion.
When did you start your company – and with whom? How many are there of you?
I started in 2015. I bought the Taucherli GmbH from a chocolatier and at beginning I worked alone. Of course my family and friends gave me huge support. In the beginning we sold only the classic Taucherli-Drinking-Chocolate. I realised that in Switzerland many Chocolatiers don’t produce their own chocolate… So I started to produce my own chocolate from bean-to-bar.
What is the story behind your company name?
In Swiss-German, “Taucherli” is the name of the bird of our logo. In our chocolate, it has the meaning to dunk the chocolate into hot water or milk and you can drink a great hot chocolate…
What inspired your choice of wrapper/mould design?
We decided to work with a classic, primal design.
What is your favourite food? Wine? Other chocolate makers?
That’s a easy question. I like real hot stuff. Pepperoni Pizza. Sweet white wine. My favourite chocolate maker is Minimal from Japan.
What chocolate achievement are you most proud of to date?
I am proud that we got the chance to get into Cocoa Runners!
Want to explore more makers of the world's best craft chocolate? Just start typing their name (or any letter) into the search box to discover them.
20° Nord 20° Sud
9th & Larkin
Åkesson’s
Amaro
Amedei
AMMA
Ara
Askinosie
Auro Chocolate
AWKI
Aztec Gold
Baianí
Bare Bones
Bean & Goose
BeanCraft
Belmont Estate
Belvie
BOHO Chocolate
Bonnat
Bullion
Butterfly
Cacaoken
Cacaosuyo
Carambole
Casa Cacao
Castronovo
Chapon
Chequessett Chocolate
Choco Del Sol
Chococard
Chocokoo
Chocolarder
Chocolat Madagascar
Chocolate Tree
Chocolatemakers
Chocolaterie A. Morin
Chocolaterie Robert
ChocoMe Atelier
Claudio Corallo
Cocama
Coco Caravan
Cocoa Retreat
Conexion
Contour Chocolate
Cuna de Piedra
Damson
Dandelion Chocolate
DesBarres
Dick Taylor Craft Chocolate
Diogo Vaz
Doble & Bignall
Domori
Dormouse Chocolates
Duffy’s Chocolate
Encuentro
Endorfin
ENRICHD
Erithaj Chocolat
Ethereal
Feitoria do Cacao
Firetree
Fjåk
Forever Cacao
Fossa
Foundry Chocolate
Franceschi
French Broad Chocolates
Fresco Chocolate
Friis Holm
Fruition
Fu Wan Chocolate
Georgia Ramon
Goodnow Farms Chocolate
Grenada Chocolate Company
Hasnaâ La Feverie
Heinde & Verre
Herencia Esmeraldas
Herufek
Höganäs
Hogarth
Hoja Verde
Idilio Origins
Innato
Islands Chocolate
Ivee Promenade
JK Fine Chocolates
Jordi’s Chocolate
Junglegold Bali
Kankel
Karuna
Krak Chocolade
Krakakoa
La Naya
Land
Lapa-Lapa
Latitude
Levy
LIM
Lucocoa
Luisa Abram
Luisa’s Vegan Chocolates
Lumineux
Lyra
Madécasse
Malagos Chocolate
Manoa
Manufaktura Czekolady
Marana
Marou
Mast Brothers
Maüa
Mellow
Menakao
Mestico
Metiisto
MIA
Michel Cluizel
Mike & Becky
Milz Chocolat
Minka
Mirzam
Misina Cokolada
MOKA
Montecristi
Mucho
Nadalina
Naive
NearyNogs
ÓBOLO
Ocelot
Oialla
Omnom
Original Beans
Pacari
Pacha de Cacao
Palette de Bine
Parliament
Pitch Dark
Plaq
Pralus
PRIDI Cacaofevier
Puchero
Pump Street Chocolate
Pure Imagination
Qantu
Raaka
Radek’s Chocolate
Raphio Chocolate
Reine Astrid
Rio Nuevo
Ritual Chocolate
Rococo
Rózsavölgyi Csokoládé
Ruket
Seaforth Chocolate Co.
Shattell
Sirene
Sisters A. Chocolate
Soklet
Solkiki
Solomons Gold
Solstice
Soma
SPAGnVOLA
Standout Chocolate
Storm & Bille
Stranger
Svenska Kakaobolaget
Table
Taza Chocolate
TBROS
TCHO
The Careless Collection
The Smooth Chocolator
Theobroma Cacao
Tibito
Tobago Cocoa
Tosier
Undone Chocolate
Utopick
Vinte Vinte
Willie’s Cacao
Zotter
