Italian Perugina Chocolate: The Baci

Have you ever heard of Baci chocolate? Baci, in Italian word, means kisses. Italy is not only famous for pizza and spaghetti, the typically traditional food that has been known all over the world. Italy is also the producer of chocolate, which has the best quality among Delfi from Swiss or Cadbury from England.

Baci chocolate is produced by a chocolate factory named Perugina. This original Italian chocolate factory is located in a small town named Perugia, situated in the province of Umbria, which has the population of 157,842 pupils. In this town, a noble-descendant Giovanni Buitoni and together with his wife, a chocolate confectioner, Luisa Spagnoli, established a chocolate factory in the year of 1907.

I visited the factory which is located in the small town of Perugia on last summer. Before going to the processing room, a documentary film on the history of the Perugina chocolate factory was screened in the audiovisual room.

The cacao seeds for the factory are imported from the countries outside Europe: Ivory Coast and Ghana with 1,290,000 tons and 590,000 tons of cacao seeds.

To make the Baci, the cacao seeds which have been through the process are then filled with hazel nuts, forming a small, round pellets. The idea of Baci was initiated by Luisa, who felt the desire to express her love in the form of the chocolate she made. She imagined a woman who was deeply in love wanting to perform it through the most romantic way. Therefore, in 1922, Luisa created the Baci chocolate packed with a message of love in four languages. Baci which means kisses, symbolizes the passion and spirit of life which has been the characteristic of Italian people.

Besides Baci chocolate, Perugina also produces chocolate bars, sweet candies, biscuits and cookies. Other additional ingredients to enrich the flavor of their products are milk, almond, raspberries, and extracts of menthols. Perugina organizes short courses in chocolate making too.

Now, Perugina has merged with the world's biggest food and dairy products company from Swiss, Nestlé. Nevertheless people will always know that Baci chocolate is the real, original, Italian-made chocolate. If you have the occasion to visit Italy, don't forget to buy Baci chocolates for your beloved friends and families in your home country.

How to Reach Perugina?

From outside the Perugia Railway Station, take the bus no.E45 to San Sisto direction. The Perugina chocolate factory and school is located in the Via Pievaiola, 06143 San Sisto, Perugia. Don't forget to make a reservation before a visit or course to this number: +39075-52761.