Ritter Sport, the family-owned maker of the square German chocolate, today announced the promotion of Ralf Hilpuesch to CEO of Chocolove, the premium brand it acquired in November 2025. With this appointment, Hilpuesch will now lead both company’s U.S. businesses, consolidating operations under a single strategic vision to drive growth and build a stronger presence for both brands in the premium chocolate market, the company says.

Timothy Moley, founder and CEO of Chocolove, owned by Creative Natural Products, Inc., will retire from the company effective March 31, concluding decades of visionary leadership that established the brand as a leader in premium chocolate, Ritter Sport notes.

“Chocolove was founded on a vision of making and selling a great tasting, fresh, European-style chocolate to North American customers. In the process, we created the niche of premium chocolate in the United States, which over the years grew into a category that was embraced by consumers. We measured our success by counting the Chocolove consumers we reached,” says Moley. “At the 30-year mark, I am happy to find a good brand steward in Ritter Sport; a firm that shares in the same values and can further the mission of Chocolove.”

Hilpuesch brings more than three decades of confectionery leadership and a proven record of building category-defining brands, Ritter Sport says. He previously spent 13 years as president and CEO of Storck North America, where he transformed the business into one of the most successful and respected candy companies in the U.S. and Canada. Throughout his career, Hilpuesch has demonstrated deep market expertise, the ability to cultivate high-performing teams, and a consistent track record of accelerating brand growth and long-term value creation.

“Together, these two companies share similar values—both are family-driven, uncompromising in quality and passionate about crafting premium chocolate that brings people joy, while remaining deeply committed to sustainability and responsible sourcing,” says Hilpuesch. “We have an extraordinary opportunity to build on each brand’s legacy and unlock significant growth potential in the premium category, where both are already leaders.”

He adds, “I look forward to spending time in both Chicago and Boulder, working closely with our teams to shape the next chapter of growth together.” 

Alfred Ritter GmbH & Co. KG (Ritter Sport) is on the current Candy Industry “Global Top 100 Candy Companies” list. Click here to view the current “Global Top 100” rankings.