The story began in summer 1940. Master baker and company founder Emil Richterich had long been interested in herbs and how they could be used, taking inspiration from the renowned Swiss herb specialist Johann Künzle. However, Richterich was not content to simply learn about the various herbs native to Switzerland – he started to experiment with them and unearth their special properties. And his efforts were not in vain: that summer, Richterich created the recipe used in the Ricola herb drops which are famous around the world today.