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E. Wedel, Warsaw



If there was ever a brand that symbolizes Poland, E. Wedel, would be that brand.




Karol Wedel opened his first confectioner's shop in Warsaw in 1851.  He served drinking chocolate, chocolates, as well as malt syrup, cough caramels and peppermint pastilles.

Emil received the company as a wedding gift after learning the skill at this father's side.  He moved the factory to Szpitalna Street in Warsaw, where a store is still thriving to this day.

In 1923 Jan, Emil's son, took over the family business after his parents passed away.  Jan began to hire women for the manufacture of chocolates and even opened a kindergarten on premises for the  children of the employees, a very forward thinker!

The factory was operational during the siege of Warsaw (WWII) but was ordered to manufacture chocolate only for the Germans.  Jan was later arrested and transported to the camp in Pruszkow and in September of 1944 the possessions of the factory were stolen by the Russian army.

The factory and the shops remained in the hands of the Wedel family until 1949 when the communists stole it from them and unceremoniously forced the family out.  It was the communist post war zeal to nationalize private industries.  After the 1989 changes in the political climate, the factory was offered for sale to private investors.  It went through different owners and is now part of a Japanese group LOTTE.

Wedel is an old, much beloved brand in Poland that each and every one of us associates with their childhood.   

They are known for their hot chocolate but also for the famous chocolate wafer.



 Here, at the Szpitalna street location, one can take a Torcik (wafer cake) decorating class, a fun activity for kids and adults alike. 


 When I was growing up, we had very limited kinds of sweets available to us and the chocolate candy assortment from Wedel was a sought after commodity. 








Wedel is mostly known for the Torcik Wedlowski, a wafer with chocolate  and for Ptasie Mleczko, a marshmallow covered in chocolate.



A real treat is to have hot chocolate at one of their locations.  The chocolate, here with cream, is not too sweet, creamy and delicious.  It is a decadent dessert that makes me feel like a child again. 




The prettiest store is on Szpitalna 8
Monday - Friday - 8am-10pm
Saturday - 9am-10pm
Sunday - 9am-9pm

Joanna





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