Once a medium of exchange and 'food of the gods', and today a beloved delicacy, chocolate celebrates its day on September 13, and Kraš, the leading confectionery manufacturer in Southeast Europe, joins in the celebration.
Sweet Journey from America to Europe
Although Christopher Columbus brought cocoa beans back from his journey to the New World, it was the Spanish explorer and conquistador Hernando Cortés who was responsible for their popularization. Initially, the Spaniards were not fond of the bitter drink, but it became popular after they added honey and cane sugar and removed the pepper. After the English got hold of cocoa and added milk instead of water to the drink, chocolate became a fashionable beverage throughout Europe, and the first pressed chocolate bars, pastilles, and figures were created in Belgium in 1840.
110 Years of Sweet Moments
Like chocolate, Kraš’s history is long and dates back to 1911, when the Union factory was established as the first industrial chocolate manufacturer in Southeast Europe. The factory soon earned the flattering title of royal court supplier for the royal court in Vienna and Buda. By 1920, nougat was also being produced, which later developed into the famous Bajadera. The 1930s marked the modernization of chocolate production and investments in new machines for candy production, and in 1938, the production of the thinnest chocolate in the world, weighing only 15 grams, began, the precursor to today’s Animal Kingdom. The unification of the Union, Bizjak, and other smaller manufacturers in 1950 led to the creation of Kraš, today’s leader in the regional confectionery market. The first Kraš Bonbonnièra opened in 1952 at 15 Ilica Street in Zagreb, and in 1954, the queen among desserts, Bajadera, was created.
– Kraš’s century-long history is marked by numerous sweet achievements, irresistible products, and innovative milestones. Behind all of them are years of knowledge and experience from experts and continuous innovations and modernization of production and technological processes, with an emphasis on unquestionable quality. In designing each product, we are primarily guided by the desires and needs of consumers and market trends that determine our direction and further development strategy. Consumers ultimately recognize this and reward us with their trust, and we are happy and proud that our products are part of their everyday lives, sweet memories, and the most beautiful moments of life – stated Dr. Marija Carić, a renowned chocolate expert, who has worked as a technologist and product development consultant at Kraš throughout her rich career, and is now responsible for advising the Management on development and production.
