Switzerland is renowned the world over for the quality of its chocolate. The nation has earned an international reputation for its premium chocolate brands. However, residents in the Swiss town of Olten, near Zurich, got the surprise of their lives earlier this week when it started snowing chocolate. Some locals wondered if the brown dusting was a bizarre consequence of climate change. However, all became clear after the local chocolate manufacturer revealed the brown shower was the result of a malfunction at its factory. The chocolate maker Lindt confirmed that a minor defect in its cooling ventilation systems allowed gusty winds to whip up chocolate dust and sprinkle it over the town.
Many parts of the town were covered in a fine layer of light brown, milk-chocolate-flavoured dust. A representative from Lindt offered to pay for any cleaning services required as a result of the event. To date, no one has asked for help. The spokeswoman reassured people in the vicinity of the factory that crushed cocoa beans are harmless to human health and the environment. She added that factory engineers are currently working on repairing the technical hitch. The cocoa-dust incident led to a lot of banter on social media. A Twitter user wrote: "Chocolate snowflakes falling from the sky, dreams do come true." Another tweeter posted a comment saying: "I'm dreaming of a brown Christmas."
