Venchi, a historic Italian chocolate and gelato company, has humble roots tracing back to 1878—but today, the brand has expanded beyond its single workshop and original Nougatine offering, boasting hundreds of recipes and storefronts worldwide. Most recently, the company has expanded its popular Chocoviar line with two new flavors, Lampone and Gianduia, bringing the total number of Chocoviar varieties to eight.

Following the release of the new Chococaviar flavors, editor and Venchi enjoyer Bailee Henderson (who was introduced to the brand when her Nonna-in-law would bring home Venchi confections from her trips to Italy, and through her husband's stories about eating Nougatines growing up), got curious about the company's past and how the brand continues to innovate and evolve. To learn more about Venchi’s history, product innovations, and how the company reflects Italian culture through its chocolate, she spoke with Mark Ellis, chief commercial officer, Venchi U.S.

Bailee Henderson: Could you tell us a bit about the history of Venchi—how it got started, its growth over the years globally and in the U.S., and where it’s at now?

Mark Ellis: Venchi’s roots can be traced back to 1878 when Silviano Venchi began experimenting with chocolate in a small establishment in Turin. In 1905, the Nougatine with crunchy chopped and caramelized hazelnuts covered in extra dark chocolate was born, and in 1907, the company's first “chocolate factory” was established. By 1970, what was once a small workshop had grown into a company with 300 outlets and 5,000 employees, and Venchi became the best-known brand of fine chocolate in Italy.

In 1998, three entrepreneurs took over and relaunch the Venchi brand, shortly thereafter establishing a new Venchi factory in Cuneo, Italy, in the Piedmont region. In 2000, we saw the opening of Venchi’s first flagship store at Rome’s Fiumicino Airport. In 2006, Venchi stores began to offer fresh Italian gelato, crafted daily, alongside its chocolates, giving life to the “Chocogelateria” retail concept. In 2011, Venchi’s Chocogelateria began to spread Italian taste and lifestyle worldwide, and today, the company has 200 stores across more than 70 countries, with over 350 chocolate recipes and 90 gelato flavors. 

BH: What sets Venchi apart from other premium chocolatiers and gelato makers?

ME: Venchi’s mission is to share our commitment for quality and craftsmanship, always pushing the boundaries of taste and well-being a little further. Venchi is always striving for excellence using the highest quality raw materials and relevant innovation—for example, exploring plant-based and low-sugar recipes—while never compromising on taste and staying true to Mediterranean diet principles.

BH: Chocoviar is a fun and creative innovation. Can you tell us about how the idea for Chocoviar arose, and the drivers behind the latest flavors, Lampone and Gianduia? I had the pleasure of trying the new Chococaviar flavors, along with the rest of the range, and especially enjoyed the Lampone.

ME: In 2007, we saw the birth of Chocoviar, the iconic best-sellers inspired by the inimitable chocolate caviar that makes every piece of chocolate a little masterpiece. Chocoviar embodies Venchi's expertise, ingenuity, and creativity thanks to their unique and sophisticate blend of textures, delightful fillings, and tastes, topped with crunchy chocolate caviar. In two bites, you can enjoy its three distinctive "souls," made unique by a surprising combination of textures: a crunchy chocolate caviar layer, a milk and dark chocolate shell, and surprising and richly flavored fillings. 

The two new flavors represent the new evolution of the Chocoviar family with a double texture that is both creamy and velvety. The raspberry features the intensity of a liquid velvety raspberry coulis, wrapped in dark chocolate and crunchy 75% Chocoviar grains. The acidity of the raspberry pairs well with the dark chocolate, which balances the sweetness of the creamy raspberry filling. 

The Gianduia features a crunchy heart of a whole Piedmont hazelnut, wrapped in a creamy filling of Venchi's Gianduia Antica Ricetta. It is reminiscent of the authentic flavors of pure Gianduia, with a more indulgent recipe for milk lovers. 

(Editor's note: “Antica Ricetta” is Italian for "ancient recipe," and Gianduia is a traditional Italian recipe, featuring a homogenous blend of chocolate and at least 30% ground hazelnuts).

BH: Venchi is known for a wide variety of creative confections. What are some highlights of Venchi’s product range? How do Venchi’s innovations come to be?

ME: Chocoviar is our best-selling product today. Other popular items include Gianduia, as mentioned, and our heritage products that reflect Piedmontese tradition—such as Cremino and Gianduiotto. Another iconic product is the Nougatine, the recipe for which has remained unchanged since 1905.

BH: How does Venchi reflect Italian chocolate and culture?

ME: Venchi aspires to elevate quality of life, enhance social connections, and nurture wellbeing. We craft moments of pure joy while honoring the environment.

In Italy, we love to gather over food, and that’s what we hope our chocolate and gelato inspire people to do around the world. Our Italian soul is reflected in the creativity of our chocolate, the selection of high-quality ingredients—many sourced from Italy, like Piedmont hazelnuts and green pistachios from Bronte—and the togetherness our products encourage.

BH: What’s your personal favorite Venchi flavor or product? Personally, I really enjoy the Pistachio-flavored Cremino and Gianduiotto Antica Ricetta. 

ME: My favorite is 75% Dark Chocoviar. SF&WB

While many premium chocolate makers focus their product offerings on traditional fare, Venchi’s portfolio includes a number of lines aimed at sweet-toothed customers with specific dietary needs and concerns, as well as those that care about sustainability

Low-sugar options
The producer launched its NO Added Sugar Line to its extensive offerings last year. According to the company, Venchi staff took great pains to carefully select authentic, high-quality ingredients in order to create chocolate products that meet the team’s quality standards and delight consumers. The range of products—which includes a variety of bars, truffles, spreads, and boxed assortments—contains no artificial colors, flavors, or sweeteners.

Eco-minded operation
Venchi touts its values around sustainable operation on its company website, listing several of its recent accomplishments and ongoing efforts to increase the planet-friendliness of its company. For example, the company’s water-resource management includes closed-circuit cooling technology, flow regulators, and rainwater recovery and collection in its production. Also, the company has installed photovoltaic systems in its production and warehouse facilities to boost energy efficiency, leading to a significant reduction in power consumption even while production increased.

Plant-based confections
Much of Venchi’s array of chocolate products offers ingredients lists free from animal-derived substances, including dairy products and honey. In addition, the company’s website enumerates specifically its products and bundles that are specifically vegan, including tasting kits, bars, bites, and other items.

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