Lindt Excellence to Indulge Chocolate Fans at 2012 Pebble Beach Food & Wine Festival

STRATHAM, N.H., April 10, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Premium Swiss chocolatier, Lindt USA, is partnering with the 5th annual Pebble Beach Food & Wine Festival to showcase its collection of EXCELLENCE chocolate bars.  As the Official Chocolate Sponsor of the event, Lindt will be offering Festival attendees an opportunity to experience EXCELLENCE, the company's sophisticated chocolate bar collection.  During the Festival, Lindt will host tastings of its two newest EXCELLENCE bars and a special session led by the Lindt Master Chocolatier.  In addition to the Festival, Lindt will be offering its Facebook fans an exclusive opportunity to win complimentary, full-size versions of the new EXCELLENCE bars before they are available in stores across the country.

Experience EXCELLENCE at Pebble Beach

The Festival, which runs April 12 – 15, 2012 in Pebble Beach, Calif., is expected to draw more than 5,000 attendees and Lindt will be offering guests the chance to enjoy a variety of EXCELLENCE bars.  Festival attendees are encouraged to visit the Lindt booth to learn about the art of premium chocolate making and get an exclusive first taste of the two newest additions to the collection, EXCELLENCE Coconut and EXCELLENCE Caramel with A Touch of Sea Salt.  To further educate attendees, Lindt will be hosting an interactive session led by Lindt Master Chocolatier, Ann Czaja, who will discuss how to appreciate premium chocolate with all five senses and walk attendees through chocolate and wine pairings, featuring wine from Ferrari-Carano. 

To keep all Lindt fans up-to-date on the Festival action, Lindt will have a live correspondent from its EXCELLENCE Influencers Club on-site, providing updates to the Lindt Facebook page, Twitter account, and the Lindt Chocolate Unwrapped blog.  The Lindt correspondent will be sharing details about the Festival, giving a behind-the-scenes look at the sessions, and conducting interviews with some of the on-site chefs. 

Win an Exclusive Taste of EXCELLENCE

To extend the sneak peek of the new EXCELLENCE bars, Lindt will also be giving fans across the country an early taste of the new additions through a special online giveaway.  For the first time, starting April 16, 2012, Lindt will offer chocolate lovers the chance to indulge in exclusive samples of the two new EXCELLENCE bars, EXCELLENCE Coconut and EXCELLENCE Caramel with A Touch of Sea Salt, before the bars are available in stores in June. 

From April 16 – 20, 2012, consumers can visit Facebook.com/LindtChocolate for a chance to win one of the 1,000 complimentary bars that will be given away.  Each day, Lindt will be giving away EXCELLENCE Coconut and EXCELLENCE Caramel with A Touch of Sea Salt bars to 200 fans. 

The Lindt EXCELLENCE collection is the world's most exceptionally-crafted premium chocolate, boasting a wide range of cocoa percentage bars and innovative flavor combinations.  Made with the finest cocoa beans and highest-quality ingredients, Lindt Excellence bars have a thin, refined profile to offer chocolate lovers a unique and sophisticated sensory experience.  To learn more about the Lindt EXCELLENCE collection, visit LindtEXCELLENCE.com. 

About Lindt & Sprungli
Founded in 1845, Lindt & Sprungli is a global leader in the premium chocolate category, offering high-quality products in more than 100 countries.  Lindt & Sprungli operates eight production facilities in Europe and the United States and employs 7,400 worldwide.  Lindt USA operates more than 40 retail stores in the U.S., Lindt Chocolate R.S.V.P., the company's premium direct selling program, and maintains wide distribution through extensive retail and wholesale channels.  For more information on Lindt, visit www.lindt.com.

SOURCE Lindt & Sprungli