Fresh from Switzerland

There’s a new reason to detour through the mall: expertly made Swiss chocolate.

Swiss brand Läderach is set to open its first Washington store in early July at Westfield Southcenter in Tukwila. A second location will follow at Bellevue Square in August.

Läderach is best known for FrischSchoggi — slabs of chocolate embedded with nuts, fruit, or crisp add-ins like toffee or brittle, broken off by hand at the counter and sold by weight. The new shops will also offer single-origin bars, truffles, pralines, and chocolate popcorn, all made in Switzerland.

Family-owned and founded in 1962, Läderach oversees every step of its chocolate-making process, from bean to bar, using organically sourced cocoa beans and traditional Swiss techniques.

The high end brand already has locations in New York City, Toronto, and San Juan, Puerto Rico as part of a North American expansion that began in 2020. “These new stores reflect our growing customer base and our confidence in the North American market,” said Läderach North America president Warren Dunkelberger. Ten additional locations are planned in the coming year.

Läderach is the largest chocolate retailer in Switzerland, with 200 shops in 21 countries. Headquartered in the Swiss canton of Glarus, it employs more than 2,500 people.

Good luck walking by without stopping in — or even driving through Southcenter now.