Philippe Suchard founded the Swiss chocolate company Suchard in 1826.
Suchard began when Philippe Suchard opened a confectionery shop in Neuchâtel, Switzerland. That same year, he established a chocolate factory in nearby Serrières, initially producing chocolate with machinery designed for the work. The business helped make Neuchâtel an important center of Swiss chocolate production.
The Suchard name is often associated with Milka because Suchard later became part of the corporate history behind that brand. It is also sometimes confused with Lindt, Cailler, or Toblerone, all major Swiss chocolate names but separate companies with different founders and origins.
Suchard expanded during the nineteenth century and developed products for both the Swiss and international markets. The company eventually passed through several corporate owners, but its founding date and founder remain key facts in the history of industrial Swiss chocolate.