Chocolarium - the happiness factory of Munz and Minor

7 Highlights in the Chocolarium - the happiness factory of Munz and Minor

• 3500 tons of chocolate are produced annually in the chocolate factory. The Chocolarium sells about one third of the production abroad.
• The chocolate production of Munz and Minor can be observed live Tuesday to Friday via a disc.
• Visitors take an interactive experience tour or use an audio guide.
• At the Chocolarium, you can take a pouring class and make your own creations.
• A small movie theater lets visitors learn how happiness gets into chocolate.
• A free game tour with 4 stations invites families to play interactive outdoor games. You go together in search of missing ingredients for the chocolate and get a sweet reward afterwards.
• The chocolate store invites you to shop after extensive tastings.

All is well with the world at the Chocolarium. After all, we all know that chocolate makes you happy. You can find out here how to squeeze happiness into chocolate. But before that, you'll pass through the "Glücksschleuse." From Tuesday to Friday, you can even watch the chocolate production process live via an 80-meter-long glass gallery.

But there's more to the Chocolarium than just enjoying Swiss chocolate. Pouring courses, outdoor games and even chocolate polishing with chocolate high heels are just some of the activities available. The "Chocolate Factory of Happiness" even offers overnight stays.

World of experience Chocolarium

The Chocolarium has created a world of experience on an area of about 2000 m². It shows how delicious chocolate is made from cocoa beans. Here you will also find plenty of chocolate to snack on. The experience tour is complemented by various courses and events. Here you can enjoy sweet experiences with the whole family, friends or colleagues. The entrance fee includes an audio guide, which is available in both German and English.

Experience tour of the Chocolarium

The Experience Tour of the Chocolarium lasts about one hour. This is an interactive tour. You will be directly involved in the tour and can also ask questions yourself.

The tour starts with a movie about chocolate and happiness. Later, you will pass through the happiness sluice and discover the secret of why chocolate makes you happy. You can watch the live chocolate production from an 80-meter-long glass gallery. The Minor and Munz brands are produced from Tuesday to Friday.

A show confectionery is the highlight of this tour. Afterwards, if you wish, you can have a chocolate bar freshly poured for you. You get your "own bar" for 10 CHF and can decorate it to your heart's content.

Globi, a popular character from the popular Swiss Globi children's books, accompanies especially the children during the adventure tour. Along the way, the bird-like cartoon character explains the chocolate factory to the children in his own way.

Offer at Swiss Activities:

• Ticket Chocolarium Maestrani

Outdoor play tour

The outdoor game tour is a nice addition for families. Together you try to find lost ingredients for the chocolate. Four puzzle stations are located on the 2.5 km long trail, which starts at the entrance of the Chocolarium

All you need for this interactive game tour is a smartphone or tablet. You will have to download the free app yourself. It requires a storage space of 900MB. If your phone needs an extra powerbank, you can borrow it for 4 CHF (15 CHF deposit).

The trail leads through the beautiful nature reserve Botsberger Riet, which starts behind the chocolate factory. At the end you will get a reward for your participation in the Schoggi Shop. You can do the game tour even when the factory is closed. For the reward, just show a screenshot later. You should allow 1 to 1.5 hours for the whole tour.

Courses & Events at the Chocolarium

Children's birthday parties, casting courses or chocolate polishing: The Chocolarium offers a variety of sweet activities.

Children's birthday party

You can book a children's birthday party for children between 6 and 14 years of age for as few as 6 people. One accompanying adult pays nothing. After a joint interactive tour, all the children decorate a freshly poured chocolate bar in the show confectionery. They are free to choose the toppings. The birthday child himself receives a special surprise. The event lasts 1-2 hours.

At the end you have the possibility to buy the children nicely arranged Globi candy bags, if you like.

A night in the chocolate room

Can't you and your family or friends get enough of the sweet temptation? Then why not book a night in the double Schoggi room at Hotel Säntispark.

You will enjoy the tour through the Chocolarium and decorate a chocolate bar. In your room at Hotel Säntispark you will continue to snack. In addition, you have unlimited access to the baths, slides and sauna world on both days. For the entrance to the Roman-Irish bath you get a 20% discount.

Further information at Swiss Activities:

• Säntispark - the leisure center in Eastern Switzerland for the whole family

Schoggi Poltern

At the Schoggi Poltern everyone gets a high heel made of chocolate and decorates it. In addition to a welcome drink, the event also includes an individual tour of the Chocolarium. 10-14 people take part in this 2-hour event (plus time for the tour).

Public casting courses

Public casting courses are offered for casting Globi or other figures according to your ideas. They last about 2 hours. Or you can take the ingredients you always wanted to have in your favorite chocolate and create your personal bar in 45 min.

The advantage is that an expert guide will advise you. The tour is also part of these courses. Children from the age of 4 may participate if an adult is present.

Group watering courses

The following group watering courses are available for groups of 10 or more:

• Munz Tafel casting course (1 hour plus tour)
• Munz chocolates casting course (1.5 hours plus tour)
• Casting course sweet chocolate figures (2 hours plus tour)

Offer at Swiss Activities:

• Casting course colorful figures in the Chocolarium

Café and store in the Chocolarium

A Schoggi Café offers more sweet temptations. But here you can also get sandwiches or snacks that go well with a drinking chocolate. A terrace provides the right atmosphere. The Schoggi Shop awaits you with 300 fantastic chocolate products. Here you will find nice ideas for gifts. But of course you can also give yourself a present.

Combi offers at the Chocolarium

Three combination offers are interesting for families:

• Schoggi & Zoo (all year round)
• Schoggi & Treetops (May and June)
• Chocolarium & Show Dairy (all year round)

These combinations let you save 20% of the cost of the entrance tickets. After visiting the Chocolarium, you have up to 7 days to visit the Walter Zoo in Gossau or the treetop path in Mogelsberg. The treetop path is about 20 minutes by car from Maestrani. You should plan about 3-4 hours for the visit.

Chocolarium & Schaukäserei combines the sweet experience of happiness with the salty. The Appenzell show dairy in Stein is about 30 minutes away by car (20 km) and also does not have to be visited on the same day. The adventure tour lasts about an hour.

Swiss Activities Tips for the Chocolarium

Club members Hello Family and Raiffeisen MemberPlus

For Club Members, the Chocolarium offers a 30% discount from mid-June to the end of August. Raiffeisen MemberPlus members even get in for free. The ticket can be booked online free of charge.

do not come with a full stomach

To fully enjoy the chocolate experience, you should not eat too much beforehand. After all, there must still be enough room for the sweet happiness.

only chocolate factory with live production

The Chocolarium is the only chocolate factory in Switzerland where you can get a live insight into the production. You can do this from Tuesday to Friday through the glass gallery on the experience tour.

chocolate trail

From the train station in Flawil, an approximately 2.5 km long theme trail leads through the nature reserve. The great landscape and a comfortable hiking trail let you feel the Schoggi experience even better afterwards. The short hiking trail ensures a good appetite for a reward.

Come also in nice weather

If you want to experience the walk surrounded by a little less people, pick a nice sunny day. While most people are outside enjoying the sun, you can spend as much time as you like in the Chocolarium, tasting your way through the delicious chocolates at the five brand new chocolate fountains.

How to get to the Chocolarium

The Chocolarium - the happiness factory of Munz and Minor, is located near St Gallen in Flawil. From the cities of Constance (D), Bregenz (A), Zurich or St Gallen you can reach the chocolate factory in less than an hour.

by car

By car, you come from the northwest and northeast via the A1 highway and take exit 78/Uzwil near Oberbüren. Via Gupfenstrasse, Niederuzwilerstrasse and Flawilerstrasse you will reach Toggenburgerstrasse in Flawil.

150 free parking spaces are available directly at the Chocolarium.

by public transport

You can get to the chocolate factory very easily by train and Postbus. From St. Gallen, take the train via Gossau to Flawil and then the Postbus to the "Maestrani" stop. By the way, the Bodensee Ticket (south zone) is also valid here. Alternatively, you can walk for about 40 minutes from the train station in Flawil along the Schoggiweg.

From Zurich, first take the train to Uzwil station and then the post bus to the "Maestrani" stop.

Practical information about Maestrani's Chocolarium

What to look out for

• Last admission is one hour before closing.
• The Chocolarium is closed on Monday
• On weekends you can not watch the live production, because then there is no production.

What you should bring

• Hunger and anticipation of chocolate
• Club cards such as Hello Family or Raiffeisen MemberPlus, if applicable

Further practical information

• The Maestrani is fully wheelchair accessible and also has an appropriate toilet.
• Animals are not allowed here.
• Smoking is not allowed in the entire house.

Maestrani's Chocolarium is not the only chocolate factory you can visit. In our article about Swiss chocolate factories you will find many more sweet happiness factories.