Zotter Chocolate Factory as a real-life Willy Wonka experience
Zotter Chocolate Factory is hidden in the green hills of Styria, Austria, and for every chocolate lover it’s worth trying to find it. Actually, Zotter is more than just a factory.
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Zotter Chocolate Factory is hidden in the green hills of Styria, Austria, and for every chocolate lover, it’s worth trying to find it. Actually, Zotter is more than just a factory – it’s a mix of sensory exploration, pure joy and ethical production.
Visionary chocolatier Josef Zotter founded the company in the late 1980s, and it has transformed into a must-visit destination for foodies, families, and anyone curious about how chocolate is made.
One side note: You can combine a visit to Zotter Chocolate factory with a visit to Hallstatt.
The Choco Theatre
Visiting the Zotter Chocolate Factory isn’t just a quick tour, it’s a fully immersive experience.
The tour begins in the Cocoa Cinema, where you watch the intro film sitting on cocoa bean sacks – the film shows the Zotter path humorously and is a perfect start to this chocolatey journey. The tour continues to a series of tasting stations and production areas where you can sample chocolate at every stage of its creation.
Zotter is famous for its unique flavors, and here you get to try them all. Your spoon should be put to use directly under numerous taps and bubbling chocolate fountains. You can also try many different varieties of roasted cocoa beans, cocoa nibs, finished chocolate bars, and even hot chocolate. Flavors range from classic milk and dark varieties to experimental combinations like strawberry pepper or whiskey. Something for everyone! Throughout the tour, there are water fountains where you can clean your palate and prepare it for the next part of the tour.
As you move through the factory and its gallery, you can watch chocolate being tempered, molded, and packaged. To me, it’s fascinating, and it always reminds me how much craftsmanship needs to be involved.
Bean-to-Bar Process
One of the highlights of the Zotter tour is learning about the bean-to-bar process. The tour offers insights into every step of the journey, from selecting cacao beans to the final product. You’ll learn about the meticulous steps involved in chocolate production: fermentation, drying, roasting, grinding, and conching.
Exotic Flavor Station
One of Zotter’s trademarks are their experiments with unconventional flavors. At the Exotic Flavor Station, you’ll be able to try chocolates infused with ingredients you’d never expect—wasabi, goji berries, mushrooms, cheese, and even bacon.
The Edible Zoo
Connected to the factory, Zotter’s Edible Zoo is both a petting zoo and a sustainable farm. The zoo promotes biodiversity and humane animal husbandry, and many of the ingredients used in the Zotter café come directly from here. Kids will love visiting the animals, including goats, sheep, chickens, and pigs, while adults can enjoy the peaceful scenery and explore the organic gardens.
Sustainable production
Zotter is also a model for sustainable business. From the very beginning, they prioritized fair trade, organic ingredients, and environmental responsibility. Also, the factory operates with a zero-waste policy, meaning every part of the chocolate-making process is carefully managed to avoid unnecessary waste.
Even the factory building itself is designed with sustainability in mind. It’s powered by renewable energy, and Zotter has implemented systems to recycle and repurpose any waste materials. Packaging is also eco-friendly, with biodegradable wrappers and recyclable materials used wherever possible.
The story behind Zotter Chocolate
Josef Zotter’s journey began in Graz, where he opened a small confectionery shop that soon became famous for its creative flavors and unusual combinations. But as the shop grew, he wanted to start something bigger – a sustainable chocolate company that valued quality over quantity.
In 1999, he relocated his chocolate operations to a rural part of Styria, where he established his own factory on a farm. Over time, he introduced fair-trade and organic practices, sourcing cacao beans directly from farmers.
Practical tips for visiting the factory
Zotter is located near Riegersburg in the Austrian region of Styria. It’s best to book tickets in advance, especially during peak tourist season, as the tours can fill up quickly.
Plan to spend at least half a day at the factory. The tour itself can take a couple of hours, and you still need to see the Edible Zoo and café afterwards.
This is a great destination for families — children will love the tasting experience, the interactive stations, and the animals at the Edible Zoo.
Try everything. Don’t be afraid to taste the exotic flavors, even if they seem unusual. Wash your palate at the water fountains and try some more.
The café is a great spot to relax and enjoy chocolate-inspired dishes. And in the gift shop you can find roasted beans (my favorite), and most of their chocolate flavors in various shapes and sizes.
And one last thing - this publication will stay free forever, but if you feel I deserve a cup of matcha 🍵 here and there, then please buy me some - the next drink’s on me! ☕
Fantastic article. Sounds like a really interesting place to visit.
Substack just showed me this. Wow the chocolates look amazing…