“Quadratisch Praktisch Gut”…. Square Practical Good… I can’t think of a more German slogan for a company than the one used for Ritter Sport Chocolate bars. Ritter Sport bars are famously square, making them the perfect size for your pocket (practical!). And good! That might be a vast understatement. Now, you won’t find Ritter Sport chocolates in every grocery store in the US, and if you DO find them, they cost more than the average American chocolate bar! So, as a self-diagnosed chocoholic, there was no way I was going to pass up my chance to visit the Ritter Sport Store in Berlin – Bunte Schokowelt to see what flavors I’d been missing. What I discovered there was pure magic! There is much more to Ritter Sport than the flavors I’ve come to know over the years. There’s a whole RAINBOW of flavors! As for sizes, yes, the pocket-sized square reigns supreme, but now there are bigger bars, and divine little cubes.
I left with a tummy full of chocolate and two shopping bags filled with purchases (for research purposes).
Even better, once I got home, I found a few places where you can order Ritter Sport chocolate bars online! Even the more unusual flavors like Tortilla Chip. Although I’m still not convinced that Tortilla Chip Ritter Sport needs to exist.
A Little Bit of Ritter Sport History
Alfred and Clara Ritter started a small chocolate company in 1912, naming it AlRiKa. (This is a standard naming practice that German companies have, combining the first letters of multiple names- see HaNuTa and Adidas). In 1932, Clara conceived the idea for Ritter Sport. This square bar was designed to fit PERFECTLY into the chest pocket of a man’s sports coat without breaking, but still had the same 100 gr of chocolate as other chocolate bars (This is probably why my Opa always had chocolate or other candies in his pockets).
Until the 1960s, the company continued to produce holiday chocolates and boxes of chocolate candies but gradually began to phase these items out of production to focus on the square. 1974 was a revolutionary time for Ritter; the RAINBOW packaging, which gave each variety or flavor of chocolate a different-colored wrapper, was launched in a nationwide push. The marketing idea was that since you could now see the world in color on your TV, you should be able to eat in color, too! From there, other innovations were launched by the people at Ritter, like the snap open package, recyclable packaging, support of small cocoa farmers with an aim at saving the environment, the invention of the BIG BAR, and (my favorite) the opening of the Bunte Schokowelt (Colorful Chocolateworld!) in Berlin.
Bunte Schokowelt
If you happen to be in Berlin and you are feeling a bit weary of touring Museums, Churches, and Monuments, I suggest you take a break at Bunte Schokowelt. It’s a museum with an exhibit that explains how a cocoa bean becomes chocolate, and it’s a shop where you can buy every variety of Ritter Chocolate. You’ll find BIG BAGS of the small squares, perfect for snacking or Advent Calendars. The museum is hands-on for kids (and the child-like) since you can also create your own custom Ritter Bar! Complete with a station where you choose the fillings, and someone mixes it all up for you. Nice souvenir!
Or just do what I did. Wander around a bit, then settle in for a cup of cocoa made with Ritter Chocolate
Cocoa made with Ritter Chocolate
(you can also have cake)
One hour and 2 shopping bags full later, I was ready to take on Berlin again!
Click for information -> Bunte Schokowelt in Berlin
Ritter Sport Chocolate Bars
There are over 30 varieties of Ritter Sport Chocolate bars (That’s more than one for every day of the month). Milk chocolate, Dark chocolate, and even White Chocolate filled with Marzipan, Nougat, Fruit fillings, crispy additions like corn flakes, or puffed rice, coconut, and nuts. Additionally, three seasonal varieties are released each quarter. There is a complex algorithm to determine which ones are repeated and which are doomed to be discarded from memory. All weigh 100g, and all are 4 by 4 squares.
The new Ritter Big Block is 250g, and comes in fewer varieties, but at that size, you might be more willing to share. (Maybe)
And, of course, many of you are familiar with the minis. These little blocks are the perfect size for a quick chocolate pick-me-up. Ideal for Lunch Boxes or Advent Calendars.
But my new favorite was a complete surprise. Ritter is now making soft squares called Choco Cubes. The praline-flavored one is my favorite. But the Jamaican rum… oh my, that’s good.
It’s no good to just READ about chocolate. Chocolate is meant to be eaten and enjoyed. Luckily, it’s possible to find all of these wonderful Ritter Sport flavors online. So, order a few of your favorites, add a few new ones that sound intriguing, and enjoy the taste of Ritter Sport chocolate at home!
Ritter Sport QuadrettisGermanShop24
More to do in Berlin
Buy Ritter Sport Online
Some flavors of Ritter Sport are only available in Bulk (but is it really a hardship to buy 10 bars at once?) Others come individually… I will try to sort them by type so they are easier to find…
Just Chocolate-
Fine Milk ChocolateGermanShop24Gold edition 8.8 ozGermanShop24Dark ChocolateGermanShop24
Chocolate with Nuts-
Honey Salted AlmondGermanShop24Whole NutsGermanShop24Dark Whole NutGermanShop24whole almondGermanShop24White with Whole HazelnutsGermanShop24
Chocolate with Nuts and other things-
Tech Guy can not be left alone in the room with the Rum, Raisin, Nut variety…
Rum Raisin HazelnutGermanShop24Raisin HazelnutGermanShop24Cranberry HazelnutGermanShop24Hazelnut cornflakeGermanShop24
Special Flavors!
Ritter Sport Chill Out Creamy Milk ChocolateGermanShop24Winter Almond MousseGermanShop24White LicoriceGermanShop24LicoriceGermanShop24WaffleGermanShop24Vegan Salted CaramelGermanShop24Funky LemonGermanShop24Groovy Crunchy PretzelGermanShop24
Soft Filled-
I LOVE the Nugat flavor…OH! And Peppermint… and Caramel Mousse…..
PeppermintGermanShop24Strawberry YogurtGermanShop24NogatGermanShop24YogurtGermanShop24CoconutGermanShop24Cocoa MousseGermanShop24MarzipanGermanShop24Butter CookieGermanShop24White and CrispGermanShop24
Ritter Minis-
I love the minis… mostly because when I eat a whole one I don’t feel really guilty (honestly, can you open a Ritter Sport bar and just eat a PART of it???) Keep some in your purse, in case you or someone you love, needs a smile.
QuadrettisGermanShop24Bunter MixGermanShop24Hazelnut MixGermanShop24
Ritter Choco Cubes
These Ritter chocolates are a delightful surprise. No, you don’t get a whole bar… you get an individually wrapped perfect soft chocolate filled with something REALLY YUMMY. Fruit, Praline, Rum/Raisin…. swoon. These are so good, I save them for life’s more trying moments. And then it all goes away.
RUM CRUNCH IS THE BOMB!!!
Ritter Cubes- Thank YOuGermanShop24Rum CrunchGermanShop24
Ritter Sport Chocolate Bars, Cubes and other tasty Treats….
With so many flavors to choose from, you can never get tired of Ritter Sport Chocolates!
Was thrilled to see a display with about 20 varieties of Ritter Sport chocolate bars recently on the Stena Ferry from Fishguard, Wales to Rosslare, Ireland. 5 for £5.50, about $7.
I’m jealous! I occasionally find them in my grocery store for around $3- $4. It’s a splurge.
I really want to order several bars, but with our California weather I don’t dare. Will have to suffer till it’s cold enough to get them without being melted.
true. Ordering them where it’s hot is a recipe for disaster… Fall is coming