Stollwerck AG,[2] a majority of which he has owned since January 1972, was one of the leading, historically important chocolate manufacturers worldwide.

It had an extensive pool of exhibits, which the company owner noticed when moving to the new location in Cologne-Westhoven in December 1975.

However, he embarked on an experiment in which he organized an exhibition in Cologne's Gürzenich from July 8 to August 20, 1989 to mark the 150th anniversary of the Stollwerck company and presented a chocolate fountain.

[3] The museum was built independently of the production facilities as the first building in the new Rheinauhafen district by the architect Fritz Eller.

According to the purchase agreement dated 23 January 1992, Imhoff acquired Hall 10, the Prussian Customs Office (1898), the Malakoff Tower and the swing bridge from the owner of the area, Häfen und Güterverkehr Köln.

It also consists of a new building completed by October 1993, the shape of which symbolizes post-modern ship motifs.

[8] Among the most valuable items in the museum's collection are 18th and 19th-century porcelain and silver bowls and vessels for drinking chocolate from pre-Columbian Mesoamerica.