Nuts about nuts

"Napoleon is to blame," reckons Bianca Schwarz. "Although we should, of course, actually be grateful to him." Pardon? The Thuringian responsible for the marketing of the Viba sweets GmbH factory site continues: "When the French emperor introduced absurdly high taxes on chocolate at the beginning of the 19th century, this left a sour taste in many people's mouths. They simply could no longer afford this sweet treat." Fortunately, some clever people invented an alternative: nougat, melted chocolate with a low cocoa content stretched with hazelnuts. This idea also proved very popular at the coffee house established by the Viebahn siblings in Schmalkalden, a small town full of charming half-timbered houses. So popular, in fact, that they soon produced their own version. It was very successful, not least due to a friend's cigar rolling machine, which they converted to create a new, more compact shape: the company's famous nougat bars. Ups and downs followed, and after Germany's reunification, the Viebahn Süßwaren company was eventually renamed to Viba. It launched a wide range of new products, established some new branches, and finally opened the Viba Nougat World in 2012. The latter is much more than the brand's head office and a production facility: it's an eye-catching building, a great day trip destination, a mecca for anyone with a sweet tooth.

Close to Schmalkalden station, a completely new site with plenty of greenery and recreation areas as well as warehouses and offices was created on an initially rather unattractive plot within the scope of the Landesgartenschau horticultural show. At its centre: the main building, dominated by glass, designed to look a little like a box of chocolates, which it certainly does, thanks to its oval shape and the huge bow in the Viba corporate colour ruby red that has been "tied" around it. It definitely looks modern and welcoming. The same could be said about Bianca Schwarz, who has already worked for the company for over ten years. She explains: "Everything associated with making confectionery by hand is located on this site; the industrial production, on the other hand, takes place at our site in nearby Floh-Seligenthal, which focuses particularly on the manufacture of the nougat bars, of which we make 120,000 every day."

Multi-sensual nougat experience

Yesterday's classic is certainly still in hot demand today – Germany- and, yes, even world-wide, although especially in the part of Germany that was formerly the GDR. The focus on the east of the country, where the around 40 flagship stores are located, is also clearly explained in the film which the visitors can watch in the in-house cinema. It runs for around 20 minutes, and also includes a few interesting facts about the actual production process, for example that the factory processes two tons of hazelnuts every day, and that in-house roasting is especially important to the company.

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Viba Nougat bars, ©Viba sweets GmbH

The theoretical part is followed by the practical: an interactive exhibition one floor up. Besides information boards, game and quiz stations, you can also smell, feel and sample nuts and almonds there. Right, so that is the difference in taste between raw and roasted! "After all," says Schwarz, "it's all about enjoying the taste, in keeping with our long-standing slogan 'Close your eyes and enjoy Viba', which you can do at the nougat fountain that tempts you with a never-ending supply. However, you should open your eyes again when you reach the area with the floor to ceiling windows where you can watch the confectioners at work behind the glass, shaping chocolate into footballs, Easter bunnies and unusual Prosecco bottles and decorating the finished shapes. Simply amazing. Even more amazing, or it certainly feels that way: actually doing this yourself. The workshop offer ranges from hen nights to school classes. Lone visitors can even spontaneously join one of the two workshops on offer every day, provided these are not fully booked. Definitely an experience!

Piping bag, scissors, flexible moulds

It starts in the changing room, where white aprons and caps must be donned for hygiene reasons and the full-on confectioner experience. In the hands-on chocolate making area next door, long tables offer space for up to 50 people, although we're not as many today. Never mind. What's really great is that knives, papers, moulds, scissors and piping bags are neatly laid out on small boards, ready and waiting for us. Christina welcomes us and announces the overriding motto straight away: "The most important thing is to have fun!"

No problem at all, as we will be creating our own handmade chocolates over the next few hours! First of all, you choose your mould. Regardless of whether the individual chocolates are heart- or shell-shaped, or simply small squares: all of the moulds make fifteen. We fill half of each cavity with nougat. When we're ready to do the top half, Christina asks: "Whole milk or Ruby Chocolate?" I choose the pink Ruby Chocolate, which was launched only a few years ago and has a subtle berry flavour. So I hold the triangular piping bag underneath the tap on the right-hand side and fill it up. Then I cut a hole into the bag and quickly – speed is of the essence as the chocolate might otherwise harden – pipe the mix onto the pieces of nougat until the mould cavities are full to the brim. Christina motivates us: "Now make the whole thing dance," i.e. carefully shake the mould to and fro for an even surface, and to remove any air bubbles.

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Exclusive confectionery experience in the Viba Nougat World, ©Viba sweets GmbH

While the brown and pink chocolates cool down in the fridge, we busy ourselves with part two: shaping white and dark chocolate lollies by hand, without moulds. This is the point at which our individual skill levels become apparent. Some of us create graceful flowers, others broken hearts. Fortunately, you can salvage your reputation as an artist with exercise number three: the now cooled down chocolates are ready to be decorated. Once again, you fill your piping bag with the chocolate of your choice for the finishing touches. "Some confectionery makers manage to squeeze twelve letters onto one chocolate," reveals Christina. I'm just pleased to have managed one...

Three metres of melted chocolate

Either way: everyone is elated, and learns that they also make Advent calendars here, chocolate diplomas, i.e. certificates with a photo, and even offer gateaux decorating courses. People who prefer to eat creations made by professionals can look forward to the café or the lovely, generously-sized restaurant. On the way downstairs, you pass the timeline again. It is three metres long and illustrates the numerous highlights in the company's history. These include the saving of the badly run down company in the 1990s, the takeover of the confectioner Heilemann and a world record, the manufacture of the largest-ever nougat bar: three metres long, 50 centimetres wide, weight 750 kilos.

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Viba Shop in Schmalkalden, ©Viba sweets GmbH

More compact products made by Viba can be purchased in the shop one floor down. The offer ranges from nougat to chocolate bars, chocolates, truffles, marzipan, baked goodies and nougat liqueur to gifts for all kinds of occasions. Well-fortified, you can then set off towards the Viba Park, which is dominated by – how could it be otherwise – numerous nut trees, and also includes an adventure playground. Schwarz's tip: "It's at its most beautiful when the roses are in bloom." Others might say: it's at it's most beautiful when the restaurant's ice cream counter is open. There's a choice of around two dozen varieties of classic dairy ice cream, vegan sorbets and milkshakes – and nougat ice cream, of course.

Header Picture: ©Viba sweets GmbH