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Lindt & Sprungli, the Swiss premium chocolate manufacturer, has increased its share of the premium chocolate market due to its acquisition of the San Francisco-- based Ghirardelli Chocolate Company . . . A seemingly mutually beneficial transaction, Ghirardelli President and CEO Jack Anton predicts the sale will allow Ghirardelli to remain the fastest growing chocolate company in the U.S. for the next five to seven years. "They (Lindt & Sprungli) were prepared to provide the finances and resources to allow Ghirardelli to reach its objective of continued growth," says Anton . . . Ghirardelli, also a manufacturer of premium chocolates, has achieved $100 million in annual sales and grown by 20 percent annually over the past six years . . . Lindt will market both brands under its respective names and not merge the companies into one . . . Anton foresees no big changes to take place in the daily operation nor in personnel at Ghirardelli. "We really expect business as usual," he says . . . Both companies not only share similar growth objectives, but a history as well. Both began in the mid-1800s and are premium chocolate manufacturers . . . "It seemed like this was a natural marriage of two cultures," says Anton . . . The Swiss maker moves forward in reaching its goal of gaining a leadership position in North America. Lindt's objective is to expand its share in all premium chocolate markets it considers strategically important, such as the U.S.