Mr and Mrs Rohr and their employees during the summer of 1936

On 1 March 1936, Hans ROHR, confectioner/chocolate-maker, bought his own employer’s business on the Boulevard du Pont-d’Arve. Thus Rohr – known not only in Geneva but throughout the whole of Switzerland – is 72 years old.

From Saint-Gall to Geneva by bike for his apprenticeship

Hans Rohr had always wanted to be a confectioner/chocolate-maker. Born in Argovie, he went to Saint-Gall first. But Geneva beckoned, he decided to try his luck there, and he found a job as an apprentice in the small shop at 44, Boulevard du Pont d’Arve. He travelled there by bike, as it was less expensive than the train. That might seem amusing now, but back in the 1930s…

His sense of professionalism and economy, coupled with some audacity, led him to take over his employer’s business.

Every evening the unsold cakes went to the poor

To launch their confectionery/cake-shop, Hans and his young wife invented the equivalent of today’s promotion by mailing: they wrote cards by hand, and distributed them themselves in the letterboxes of Plainpalais. They also produced everything fresh each day. No cakes left lying around. And so that nothing was wasted (or kept for the next day), every evening anything that hadn’t been sold was taken to the hospitals, asylums and Salvation Army. ‘Better to let the poor eat them than throw them away,’ said Hans.

1940-1960 : A chocolate-maker is born

The cake-shop gradually became a success, the business grew, and so too did the family. In 1950 Hans took the plunge, and opened a second shop in the heart of Geneva, Place du Molard. Here he sold cakes too, but he also started making chocolate.

In 1952, his success with chocolate made Hans change course completely, and devote himself exclusively to chocolate-making. After all, chocolate is somewhat more inspiring than small cakes.

It is also more interesting commercially, given the reputation of Swiss chocolate.

Rohr’s name as a chocolate-maker soon superseded his name as a cake-maker. A further milestone and change of course came in 1960, when he abandoned the Pont d’Arve business and built a modern unit in Carouge: it was a small establishment, but it was technically well-equipped, and it allowed the craftsman-creator to personalize his chocolate and sign his own creations.

1968 : Han’s son returns from England and takes over from his father

One particular person was to play a major role in Henri’s personal and professional life: Sylvia, the young salesgirl from Zurich, whom Henri’s father had taken on. She had done her training with one of Switzerland’s most famous – Sprüngli, in Zurich.

In fact such was her role that Henri married her in 1967. They have two children, Nicole and Roger.

Thus Henri became responsible for creation, flavour and the entire chocolate-production side, and Sylvia provided ideas, designed the new gift-boxes, and sold them. Meanwhile Henri added a new floor to the Atelier de Carouge, and set up a new shop in 1972 in the Galerie Centrale.

The Rohr family now has two shops, plus the production unit.

And Rohr is one of the elite few of Geneva chocolate-makers, all specialized craftsmen.

Barcelona, London, Paris – studying with the very best in the art of chocolate

1986. The second generation, Henri Rohr, loves gliding, piloting aircraft, skiing, and sport in general; he also has a refined palate, and a passion for plain chocolate. But his customers have evolved, and half of what they buy is now plain chocolate, half milk chocolate. Of course real chocolate lovers always prefer plain.

Henri learnt his trade in Basel, but he went on to perfect himself and specialize with the very best, first in Barcelona, where he worked for six months with the famous Antonio Escriba. After that he went to the London Hilton and its confectionery centrepiece department, then Tholoniat in Paris, the leading expert in blown sugar and pulled sugar He also took courses in Interlaken and Saint-Moritz.

Does chocolate have a soul?

Henri realized his first creation for Sylvia, his source of inspiration, his muse. His other recipes are well-known (though his secrets are not). What is he famous for? His Poubelles de Genève (‘Geneva dustbins’) – their name may not suggest culinary finesse, but they came about as the result of a joke, and they still sell; his champagne marc (not rum, he stresses) truffles; his pralinés, his Florins, his Grand Marnier specialties.

His hallmark, first and foremost, is the truffle chocolate (plain chocolate, an absolute delight!). And with Sylvia’s help, he does more and more one-off pieces for special occasions (Valentine’s Day, Easter, Mother’s Day, and so on).

« Sometimes people ask me for original or personalized pieces, for family occasions » he explains, « so when it comes down to it, I can work à la carte, to measure, whatever…»

So what does Rohr weigh in at each year? At around 40 tons – of chocolate. But weight is less important than quality, originality, and those sweet flavours and tastes that make your mouth water…

Does chocolate have a soul? In Henri Rohr’s view – Yes! Rohr is both a chocolate-maker and a poet!