Have you ever eaten biscuits for lunch?

My children and I did when we ventured out to Switzerland’s Emmental Valley on one of the coldest days this past winter. In the village of Trubschachen, you can visit the Kambly Experience and learn about the history of this well-known Swiss biscuit company. This visitor center has over 100 varieties of biscuits—primarily sweet ones, but with a few savory options too.

Oscar Kambly started his company in 1910 with his grandmother’s recipe for Bretzeli—a thin, crisp waffle-like biscuit that dates back to the 14th century in the Emmental. Kambly, a Swiss family-owned company, now spans three generations. It has continued to make these and many other types of biscuits in Trubschachen for over 100 years. It’s considered the largest biscuit manufacturer in Switzerland.

The Kambly Experience has rows and rows of shelves filled with bags of these delicious biscuits. The display for each type of biscuit has a round tin filled with some that you can sample. I tried as many as I possibly could, never finding one that I didn’t like. The biscuits have myriad flavors and ingredients, like chocolate (blonde, white, milk and dark), nuts (hazelnuts, almonds and pistachios, etc.), caramel, coconut, orange and many others. Everyone should be able to find at least one biscuit they really like.

Practical Information for your visit 

The Kambly Experience does not charge any admission fees for the visitor center. This center has interactive exhibits and a short film in several languages, including English. It also hosts children’s workshops and birthday parties, as well as other family and group programs. Information about the schedule and cost for these activities is available online. All of the biscuits you can sample are also available to purchase.

At the Kambly Café, also located at the visitor center, you can order beverages, sandwiches and desserts, while catching a glimpse of the confectioners working on various projects. During our visit, they were preparing chocolate eggs and bunnies for the Easter holiday.

If you take public transportation to the Kambly Experience, you may want to consider the RegioExpress Kambly train, which runs from Tuesday through Sunday. You can take one of these trains from either Bern, like we did, or from Luzern. It features a special Kambly design inside and out. In addition, there’s a “family zone” with children’s activities and vending machines with hot beverages and Kambly biscuits.

Other activities in Trubschachen

Every year in May, Kambly hosts a 2-day Bretzeli Festival, and in November and December, it presents a special Christmas Market. No matter when you go, I recommend that you also check out the following while you are in Trubschachen, which are within walking distance of the Kambly Experience:

• Gasthof zum Bären – A restaurant and guesthouse considered the oldest Gasthof Bären in Switzerland. According to Helvetic Kitchen, they make an excellent rösti.
• Zur alten Weinhandlung – A small market with lots of local products from the Emmental and throughout Switzerland, such as beer, wine, spirits, chocolates and much more. On a warm day, you can also have a drink in the Gartenbistro.

The Kambly Experience, Mühlestrasse 83555 Trubschachen, Switzerland, +41 34 495 02 22.

In addition to the Kambly Experience in the Emmental Valley, this company also has a Factory Store and Café in Lyss, Switzerland.