Carma

Nine Decades of Swiss Confectionery Tradition – Carma Between Couverture and Fondant

Two products, one conviction: Carma stands for Swiss quality in the two central material categories of professional confectionery – couverture and rolling fondant. What began in a Dübendorf apartment in 1931 has developed over nine decades into a brand present in professional kitchens on every continent. This continuity is no coincidence, but the result of product development that takes craft requirements seriously and delivers technical solutions that hold up in daily baking practice.

1931 – Founding and Early Development

Carl Maentler founded Carma in 1931 under conditions typical of the early days of small businesses: all company activities – office work, production, storage – took place in his own apartment. This constraint was not an obstacle but a starting point. The company's growth in the following years necessitated a professionalisation of the production base and led to the opening of a dedicated production facility in Dübendorf, a location near Zurich that has remained the operational heart of the company to this day.

Carma's early decades were shaped by the development of a range intended to make life easier for bakers and confectioners. This principle – developing products not for the abstract market but for the concrete requirements of craft production – remains the foundation of the brand identity to this day. Carma has been part of the Barry Callebaut Group, the world's largest cocoa processor headquartered in Zurich, since 2008. Integration into this group gave Carma access to international distribution networks and raw material resources without changing the independent product development at the Dübendorf site.

Massa Ticino – the Rolling Fondant That Changed Confectionery in 1963

In 1963, Carma launched a product that would lastingly transform professional confectionery: Massa Ticino, a rolling fondant that set a new standard in processing properties. The sugar paste is supple, rolls out and kneads well, does not adhere to the work surface as quickly as comparable products and retains its dimensional stability over a longer period – properties that are directly perceptible in daily confectionery use.

Massa Ticino is traditionally available in white, but has also been offered in a broad colour spectrum for several years. The coloured variants are identical in processing to the uncoloured version – a property that is not to be taken for granted: many coloured fondants change their consistency through the addition of colourants. With Massa Ticino, handling remains constant regardless of the shade. The quality characteristics go beyond processing properties: Massa Ticino is gluten-free, free from AZO dyes, suitable for vegetarians and vegans and thus meets the requirements of a broad range of customers.

The application possibilities of Massa Ticino are diverse. In professional confectionery it is primarily used for covering cakes: the paste is rolled out thinly on baking starch, laid over the cake smoothed with ganache or buttercream and carefully pressed and smoothed down. The result is an even, glossy surface that serves as a starting base for further decoration steps. In addition, Massa Ticino can be used for modelling work, cutter decorations, flowers and three-dimensional elements – the paste holds its shape after forming and dries to a stable, slightly matte surface.

Couvertures – Extraordinary Flavour as a Programme

Carma couvertures are known in the professional community for an approach that differs from many competitors: flavour stands at the centre of product development, not processing properties alone. The range includes classic dark, milk and white couvertures in various cocoa contents and origin profiles – supplemented by specialities that extend the spectrum of chocolate processing.

One example is Ruby Couverture: this couverture is made from a specific cocoa bean variety that retains its natural pink hue and a berry-fruity aroma through a particular processing method – without colourants, without flavourings. Ruby Chocolate is a comparatively young product category, launched by Barry Callebaut in 2017 as the world's first new chocolate category since the introduction of white chocolate. Processing Ruby Couverture requires somewhat more attention than classic couvertures: the pH value of the mass reacts sensitively to alkaline ingredients such as baking powder and to high temperatures, which must be taken into account when tempering and processing further. The extraordinary colour profile and the characteristic flavour make Ruby the first choice for products that are to stand out both visually and aromatically.

All Carma couvertures are developed and produced at the Dübendorf site – drawing on the raw material base and cocoa processing expertise of the Barry Callebaut Group, but with the specific quality and flavour orientation of the Carma brand.

Product Range at a Glance

Couvertures · Massa Ticino rolling fondant · Ruby Chocolate · Specialities

Carma at miniSchoggi

miniSchoggi carries Carma because the brand stands for two product categories that should be found in every well-stocked bakery: couverture and rolling fondant. Both from a single source, both with a quality standard that has grown from decades of Swiss confectionery experience. The Carma couvertures – including extraordinary specialities such as Ruby Couverture – offer a flavour profile that goes beyond the standard range. Massa Ticino delivers reliable processing properties for covering work, modelling and decorations – in white and in a growing palette of colours, gluten-free and vegan-suitable. The Carma range at miniSchoggi grows continuously and is aimed at professional confectioners as well as demanding home bakers.

Founded 1931 in Dübendorf. Carl Maentler's legacy. Today's world standard. Carma.