What Chocotech does

CHOCOTECH GmbH is a German manufacturer of hygienically designed and energy-efficient production machinery for the confectionery industry, headquartered in Wernigerode, Germany. Founded in 1920 as Lauenstein & Co. KG and renamed CHOCOTECH Wernigerode GmbH in 1990, the company has operated continuously for over a century and has been a 100% subsidiary of SOLLICH KG since January 1, 1992. CHOCOTECH develops and assembles a modular portfolio of proprietary processing systems covering weighing (AUTOGRAV, ECOGRAV), dissolving (SUCROTWIST), cooking (CARASTAR, FRUITMASTER, ROTORSTAR, SUCROFILM), vacuum processing (JELLYMASTER, SUCROMASTER), crystallization (CHEWMASTER, MICRON), aeration (TORNADO, TURBOWHIP), cooling (SUCROSTAR, SUCROTHERM), forming (CHOCOFORM PSL, FROZENSHELL, SUCROFORM W), tempering, and chocolate processing (PRALIMAT). Most equipment families also have a PRINCESS laboratory-scale counterpart. The company complements this hardware base with the SweetConnect digital platform (developed with Possehl Online Solutions) for real-time monitoring of process and quality parameters.

The company serves industrial confectionery producers worldwide across bars, caramel, foam, jelly, hard candy, chewy candy, OTC pharmaceutical, fondant, brittle, halva, and chocolate end-products. It earns revenue primarily through one-time capital equipment sales supplemented by spare parts (Fast Lane Parts), preventive maintenance, modernization, installation, commissioning, and training services, as well as full turn-key system project planning. The go-to-market combines direct enterprise sales from Wernigerode with a global network of regional trading representatives covering Europe, the Americas, Asia, Africa, and Australia/New Zealand, supported by heavy presence at trade fairs such as Interpack, Anuga FoodTec, Gulfood, ProSweets Cologne, and Pack Expo. Customers are enterprise manufacturers purchasing large-ticket, quote-based systems; no public pricing exists. The company employs over 200 staff, holds 13+ registered trademarks, and operates an in-house 600 m² CHOCOTECH Innovation Center (CIC) for product validation.

Name

Chocotech

Legal name

CHOCOTECH GmbH

Website

https://chocotech.de

Company type

Private

Founded year

1920

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

CHOCOTECH GmbH is a German manufacturer of hygienic, energy-efficient processing machinery and turn-key production lines for the global confectionery industry, serving industrial producers of chocolate, caramel, jelly, candy, and OTC products across 50+ countries.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Wernigerode

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Supply Chain, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Capital Equipment Sales: Sale of confectionery production machinery and process systems including cooking, forming, tempering, and processing equipment.
2. Spare Parts and Wear Parts: Supply of original spare parts and wear parts through Fast Lane Parts online catalogue.
3. Service and Maintenance: Preventive maintenance, repair, modernization, installation, commissioning, and training services.
4. Turn-Key Solutions: Complete system project planning and delivery including installation and commissioning from a single source.

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

CHOCOTECH GmbH manufactures and supplies hygienically designed, energy-efficient process equipment and turn-key production systems for the confectionery industry. Its portfolio covers weighing, dissolving, cooking, vacuum cooking, caramelization, crystallization, aeration, cooling, forming, tempering, and depositing technologies that enable industrial producers to manufacture chocolate, caramel, jelly, hard candy, chewy candy, marshmallow, nougat, OTC/pharmaceutical confectionery, fondant, brittle, and halva/laminated products. The company complements this hardware portfolio with project planning, installation, commissioning, preventive maintenance, modernization, and training services, plus a digital real-time monitoring platform (SweetConnect).

Product overview

CHOCOTECH is a German confectionery technology company offering a comprehensive modular system portfolio for the confectionery industry. The product portfolio includes core processing modules organized by production stages: weighing systems (AUTOGRAV®, ECOGRAV®), dissolving systems (SUCROTWIST®), cooking systems (CARASTAR®, FRUITMASTER, ROTORSTAR, SUCROFILM®, Zuckerschmelzer RK 50), vacuum processing (JELLYMASTER®, SUCROMASTER®), caramelization (CARASTAR®, CARAFLEX®, ROTORSTAR), crystallization (CHEWMASTER®, MICRON®), aeration (TORNADO®, TURBOWHIP), cooling (SUCROSTAR®, SUCROTHERM), forming (CHOCOFORM® PSL, FROZENSHELL®, SUCROFORM® W), tempering (Temperierband, Wassertemperiermodul), and chocolate processing (PRALIMAT®). Laboratory-scale versions (PRINCESS® series) mirror the production systems for R&D and testing. The company also offers the SweetConnect digital platform for real-time monitoring. These systems cover production of bars, caramel, foam, jelly, hard candy, chewy candy, OTC, fondant, brittle, halva/lamination, and chocolate products.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• AUTOGRAV® Gravimetric weighing system for precise batch weighing of raw materials in confectionery production.
• ECOGRAV® Energy-saving gravimetric batch weighing and dissolving system for raw materials, designed for up to 50% energy savings.
• SUCROTWIST® Dissolving system for sugar and confectionery masses, also applicable for cooking and crystallization processes.
• CARASTAR® Universal batch cooker for jelly, caramel, pure fruit, and fondant masses providing consistent high-quality cooking results.
• FRUITMASTER Cooking system designed for fruit-based confectionery products with precise temperature and process control.
• ROTORSTAR Rotary cooking system for confectionery masses with intensive mixing and heating capabilities.
• SUCROFILM® Thin-film cooking system for confectionery masses with high efficiency and precise temperature control.
• Zuckerschmelzer RK 50 Sugar Melter RK 50 for melting and processing sugar in confectionery production.
• JELLYMASTER® Vacuum cooking system for jelly masses enabling low-temperature cooking to preserve product quality and color.
• SUCROMASTER® Vacuum processing system for confectionery masses with advanced temperature and vacuum control.
• CARAFLEX® Caramelization system for producing caramel and toffee confectionery products with precise control.
• CHEWMASTER® Crystallization system for chewy candy and nougat products, controlling sugar crystal formation.
• MICRON® Fine crystallization system for fondant and other confectionery products with fine crystal structure.
• TORNADO® Aeration system for creating fine air bubbles in confectionery masses for light, fluffy textures.
• TURBOWHIP Two-step aeration system consisting of thermo-siphon cooker and pressurized whipping tank for batch manufacturing of aerated sugar masses like nougat, marshmallow, and halwa.
• SUCROSTAR® Cooling system for confectionery products with precise temperature control for optimal product quality.
• SUCROTHERM Thermal processing and cooling system for confectionery production with integrated temperature management.
• CHOCOFORM® PSL Chocolate forming system using tempered chocolate or cocoa-based coating masses to manufacture spheres, eggs, and lentils via cooled forming drums with optional patented pre-cooling drum for higher output.
• FROZENSHELL® Chocolate shell forming system that creates thin chocolate shells in various shapes by dipping low-temperature form stamps into tempered chocolate bath, producing shells that can be filled with various praline masses.
• PRALIMAT® Depositing and forming machine for confectionery masses like nougat, gianduja, ganache, caramel, and truffle masses, capable of depositing in liquid or paste form with drag-in rollers and wire cutter.
• Temperierband (Tempering Belt) Tempering belt system for chocolate and confectionery tempering processes.
• Wassertemperiermodul (Water Tempering Module) Water tempering module for precise temperature control in confectionery processing.
• PRINCESS® Candy (Lab Equipment) Laboratory cooker designed for cooking processes in laboratory or small test productions with innovative SPS control system for flexibility and precision.
• PRINCESS® ECOGRAV® (Lab Equipment) Laboratory gravimetric weighing system with up to 50% energy savings, ideal for sugar or sugar-free hard caramels, chewy candies, and fondant production.
• SweetConnect (Digital Platform) Digital platform for real-time monitoring of process and quality-relevant system parameters in confectionery production, enabling workflow monitoring and efficiency optimization.
• Turn-Key Production Line Solutions End-to-end project planning, design, delivery, installation, and commissioning of confectionery production lines from a single vendor, including training and process optimization.
• Service, Maintenance, and Modernization Preventive maintenance, repair, modernization, installation, commissioning, training, and online support (Fast Lane) for installed CHOCOTECH production equipment.
• Original Spare Parts and Wear Parts (Fast Lane Parts) Supply of original CHOCOTECH spare parts and wear parts for installed equipment via the Fast Lane Parts online catalogue.

Quantifiable outcome

• Up to 50% energy savings with ECOGRAV® gravimetric batch weighing system
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature15 records

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered flagship/parent, core and minor.

• SOLLICH KGflagship/parentStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 1992CHOCOTECH became part of the SOLLICH Group in 1992 when Mr. Helmut Sollich became partner. CHOCOTECH is 100% owned by SOLLICH Group. The companies share sales networks, joint trade fair appearances, and collaborative training programs (e.g., Vedic Pac Systems training at CHOCOTECH facilities).
• Possehl Online Solutions GmbHcoreTechnology or IntegrationDeveloper of SweetConnect digital platform that enables confectionery producers to monitor process and quality-relevant system parameters in real-time. Theobald Huch (CHOCOTECH Managing Director) and Vincent Laenen (Possehl) collaborated on this digitalization platform.
• euromec.itminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorPartner company whose machines complement the CHOCOTECH portfolio.
• Vedic Pac Systems Pvt. Ltd.coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorIndian agency providing sales, assembly, commissioning, and after-sales service for CHOCOTECH products in the Indian candy and chocolate market. Engineers from Vedic Pac Systems undergo four-month training programs at CHOCOTECH headquarters to strengthen cooperation.
• AwemacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration with Awema to create an all-in-one solution for jelly and OTC products using the JPS-Jelly Processing Starchless Technology. Awema's UDM-101 High-Heat depositor combined with CHOCOTECH's CARASTAR batch cooker for starchless jelly production up to 200 kg/h.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves13 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• SOLLICH KG: Parent company of CHOCOTECH and a global leader in chocolate processing machinery (tempering, enrobing, cooling). Directly comparable as a confectionery equipment specialist with overlapping customers and joint commercial channels.
• Baker Perkins: UK-based supplier of process equipment for confectionery, bakery and cereal. Competes directly with CHOCOTECH in candy and chocolate production systems and shares the same enterprise customer base.
• Aasted: Danish specialist in chocolate processing equipment (tempering, depositing, moulding). Closely comparable niche focus on chocolate production lines and serves overlapping industrial chocolate and confectionery customers.
• Royal Duyvis Wiener: Dutch manufacturer of cocoa and chocolate processing machinery, including roasting, winnowing, refining and conching. Directly comparable as a niche equipment supplier serving the same industrial chocolate and confectionery producers.
• HAAS (Mondomix): Austrian manufacturer of aeration and whipping systems for confectionery (Mondomix line). Directly comparable technology overlap with CHOCOTECH's TORNADO and TURBOWHIP aeration modules.
• AWEMA AG: Swiss maker of depositors and forming machines for confectionery masses; CHOCOTECH is already a documented collaboration partner via the JPS-Jelly Processing Starchless solution. Directly comparable in depositing technology versus PRALIMAT.
• Theegarten-Pactec: German specialist in packaging machinery for confectionery products (bars, pralines, chewing gum). Adjacent but directly comparable in serving the same industrial confectionery customers with complementary equipment.

Broad incumbents

• Bühler Group: Swiss global leader in food processing technologies, including chocolate and confectionery. Serves the same end-customers with broader portfolio (grinding, extrusion, sorting, optical sorting), competing with CHOCOTECH on full-line capability.
• GEA Group: German broad-line process technology group with significant food and dairy equipment exposure. Competes in larger turn-key projects where customers prefer single-source suppliers covering confectionery adjacent processing.
• Netzsch: German industrial group with food and confectionery processing equipment among its portfolios. Competes on grinding, pumping and process equipment that interfaces with CHOCOTECH's cooking and forming lines.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

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• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/chocotech-gmbh
• Instagraminstagram.com/chocotech1920

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Chocotech