Iron box einem 1896 depicts a butterfly. Handmade sweets

Confectionery factory "Red October" Until recently, it was located at Bersenevskaya embankment, 6 on the spit of the island formed by the Vodootvodny Canal and the Moscow River, but in 2007 it was transferred to the territory of the Babaevsky chocolate factory.

Photo 1. Former buildings of the confectionery factory "Partnership Einem" and "Red"

October" in Moscow

The beginning of the history of the Einem Partnership chocolate factory

The production was founded by Theodor Ferdinand von Einem, a native of Germany who arrived in the Mother See in 1850 from the German town of Württemberg.

Fyodor Karlovich (this is how the entrepreneur began to introduce himself in the Russian manner) noticed that sawn sugar began to be in special demand in Moscow, after which, showing his entrepreneurial spirit, the German began its production.

The profitable business worked out well, and already in 1851 Einem opened a small workshop for the production of chocolate candies. Only four people worked in the workshop at that time.

The supply of sweet products to the front lines during the Crimean War and, of course, successful trade in the city of Moscow brought Einem profit, thanks to which he opened a chocolate factory.

Photo 2. Address of the former production Bersenevskaya embankment, No. 6

In 1857, Fyodor Karlovich made acquaintance with Julius Geis. The extraordinary entrepreneur first helped open a candy store in the center - on, and over time became Einem’s partner.

The business continued to develop successfully, which helped the partners purchase a special steam engine in one of the European countries and begin construction of a new factory in .

The first newly constructed building, a three-story building, housed production workshops for the production of caramel, marshmallows, various types of cookies and gingerbread, chocolate and glazed fruit, as well as cocoa drinks and marmalade.

Although the Einem Partnership was officially registered in 1867, its products by that time already had a number of awards received at manufacturing exhibitions in the Russian Empire: Odessa (1864) and Moscow (1865).

It is worth noting that for every pound of cookies produced, the partners donated 5 kopecks in silver to charity, and half of the funds went to a German community school for the poor and orphans, and the remaining money was distributed among various Moscow charitable institutions.

And again, everything turned out well for Einem and Geis, which required them to begin the construction of new factory buildings already on Bersenevskaya embankment, opposite the one standing on the opposite bank of the Moscow River.

The production complex was impressive with its architectural appearance and “filling”.

Qualified European confectioners who had experience working with installed modern equipment were brought in to organize chocolate production. It’s interesting, but thanks to the mechanization of processes, only a few dozen Russian craftsmen worked in such a large production, but only professionals from Great Britain were involved in the production of the first biscuits in Russia - traditional English desserts.

Before his death in 1878, Einem completely handed over the reins of the confectionery factory to his partner, to whom the founder’s widow subsequently transferred her shares. Even concentrating everything in his own hands, Julius Geis did not change the Einem Partnership trademark, correctly judging that this would only benefit his business.

At the beginning of the 20th century, the company owned several stores in large cities - Nizhny Novgorod and Moscow, the products of which were supplied from two Moscow confectionery factories and two production facilities in Riga and Simferopol.

In 1899, Geis bought the first of eight neighboring plots from the merchant Ushakov, and in 1914 the last of them went to the company. By that time, the Einem Partnership had become the largest confectionery production in the Russian Empire.

It will be interesting to learn about the organization of labor in the factories of Julius Geis.

During his reign, the working day lasted 10 hours. A hostel was set up and meals were provided for non-residents. A school was opened for children working as apprentices in the factory. After 25 years of work, the craftsmen were granted a pension and awarded a silver badge.

In 1914, during the First World War, workers and employees themselves raised funds and built a military hospital in Moscow, and the company itself, in addition to monetary donations, arranged to send wagons with cookies to the front line.

Also interesting, as they say today, is the marketing that Julius Geis established.

Being a creative person and also passionate about photography, he paid special attention to the packaging design and names of candies, as well as other sweet products. The boxes, covered with silk, velvet and even leather, contained photographic postcards, various theater programs and small cherubs made of tin.

The architectural ensemble was almost completely formed after the construction of the Caramel Shop in 1906, the design of which was carried out by the architect. In 1911, he also designed the new Administrative building at Bersenevskaya embankment, 6.

Confectionery factory after the revolution

The Bolsheviks who came to power nationalized the “Einem Partnership” in 1918 and already in 1922 at a general meeting of the team they approved a new name - “Red October”. True, for a couple of years the products were still produced under the old brand, it was so popular even in post-revolutionary Russia.

In the early 20s of the last century, the confectionery factory was in crisis, which almost led to its complete closure. New specialists were able to make changes to the production process, and also organized worker control and the fight against theft, which made it possible by 1925 to exceed the 1913 figures.

The Soviet authorities, in addition, allocated funds for the purchase of the latest machines from Germany. It was in those years that such famous candies as “Bear-toed Bear” and “Kis-Kis” toffees appeared on Soviet shelves.

Despite the efforts of Moscow leaders, especially in previous years, there are still historical places in Moscow. One of them is the complex of buildings of the Red October confectionery factory on Bersenevskaya Embankment, which is located in the very center of the city - on the spit formed by the Vodootvodny Canal and the Moscow River opposite the Cathedral of Christ the Savior, where I was recently invited on a tour.

Theodor Ferdinand von Einem - founder of the factory

Theodor Ferdinand von Einem is the founder of the factory. When he was a little over 20 years old, he came from Prussia to Russia to organize a confectionery business here. What kind of faith did a person have in Russia to leave everything in his homeland and come to this hungry and cold country, where serfdom still existed? I started with simple things - chocolate and sweets. Thus, the founding date of the factory is 1851, when Einem began producing his first products (let me remind you that serfdom in Russia was abolished only in 1861).

How many entrepreneurs do you know who, at the age of 20, arrived in a foreign country and were able to successfully organize their business like this?

At first, everything that was produced was sold out within a day. Production gradually expanded, and soon he met his compatriot Julius Geis, with whom he continued to develop his business.

The Einem factory is a supplier to the Kremlin

Soon their products become very popular, the Einem factory begins supplying products to the Kremlin. At the same time, they produce products in completely different price ranges, so their popularity is growing among all segments of the population.

After Einem's death, the factory was run by Julius Geis, who in 1889 bought several plots on Bersenevskaya Embankment - a very advantageous location in all respects - right next to the Kremlin. And the construction of production workshops begins, which were used for their intended purpose until recently.

This is, for example, what a mine looks like in one of the buildings.

The business is expanding, the products receive awards at the All-Russian Industrial and Art Exhibition in Nizhny Novgorod (1896) and Paris (1900).

Strikes of 1905

At the beginning of the last century, working in factories and plants lasted 15 hours with two short breaks for breakfast and lunch. Work started at 4 am. It is clear that no one really cared about the workers. At the Einem factory, they decided to reduce the working day to 10 hours and built spacious dormitories for the workers.

This was done, of course, not so that the workers would finally have a better life, but simply so that they would stop damaging the equipment and hating their work and the owners of the factory at the same time.

When a wave of strikes swept across the country in 1905, and workers from neighboring factories came to the factory to invite them to join them, Einem employees refused to participate.

Now, more than 100 years later, I don’t even know how to feel about this, whether to praise them for it or, conversely, condemn them. On the one hand, the proletarian solidarity of the working class, and on the other, it is no longer a secret to anyone that first of all, those who did not want to work and at the same time terribly hated those who had at least something came up for all such events , dreaming of taking it all away from them...

"Red October" - former "Einem"

In 1917, the factory was nationalized, in 1922 it began to be called “Red October” (however, for several years after this renaming, “Former Einem” was always indicated in parentheses on the packaging of the factory’s products - that’s the power of the brand!), and until 1935 it was led by one of Geis's sons. One can only guess what happened to him after 1935.

Luxury housing project on the site of the Red October factory

Now the factory territory belongs to Guta Development, which immediately after its purchase developed a project to build luxury housing here. Grandmas rule the world - who needs these old brick ruins if you can make good money in such a place?

From the roof of the factory you can just look around the surroundings,

You just need to know how to get there. Our guide helped us with this.

Fortunately, another crisis occurred, so now the buildings are simply rented out.

But the project to build luxury housing on the spit remains...

How do you, after more than a hundred years and having seen enough of coups, revolutions and Maidans with your own eyes, feel about the fact that the workers of the Einem factory refused to participate in the strike, thereby supporting the owners of the factory - the capitalists and exploiters of the working class?

P.S. Organizers of the excursion: Mosblog and the project "

More than 150 years have passed since the founding of the Einem confectionery factory. In 1850, the young and ambitious Ferdinand Theodor von Einem came to Russia to get rich. Ferdinand was the son of a simple German priest, Karl Einem. He grew up in Spartan conditions, excluding any “sinful” luxury. One day, Ferdinand's father discovered a piece of chocolate candy in his 10-year-old son's pocket. The evidence of the Fall was laid out on the table for general condemnation - how could a future priest spend the thaler given to him on base pleasure?! Who would have thought that 15 years later chocolate would become Ferdinand’s life’s work...

At first, Einem became an apprentice in the chocolate shop of master Oreole - in the very shop where the memorable “sinful” candy was bought. By the age of 20, the talented young man had mastered all the tricks of making chocolate and even surpassed his teacher. Master Oreole advised the young man to go to Russia and open his own business there. In those days, many Europeans left for Russia - a country of severe frosts and untold riches. Besides, in Russia they didn’t know how to make chocolate at all...

After arriving in Russia, Einem began producing sawn sugar, but trade did not take off, and after a year he had to close the business. Then the resilient entrepreneur organized a small workshop for the production of cookies and sweets.

Einem loved Russia with all his soul. He even began to call himself in the Russian manner - Fedor Karlovich. During the Crimean War, he managed to obtain a state order to provide the front with sweets - the supply of syrup and jam for wounded soldiers. Einem fulfilled the government contract “with unparalleled honesty,” as the Vedomosti newspaper wrote. The company's business went uphill. In 1857, the smart and perspicacious Einem met the talented businessman Julius Geis, who contributed his entire fortune (20 thousand rubles) to the development of the business and became Einem’s partner. The partners ordered a steam engine from Europe and began building a large factory on Sofiyskaya Embankment - the same one that is now called “Red October”.

Einem's factory was the first in Russia to launch mass production of chocolates and cocoa. Its products regularly received Russian and international awards, the range expanded, and production grew. In 1900, at the World Exhibition in Paris, the factory's products were recognized as the best and received the highest award. On the occasion of the 300th anniversary of the House of Romanov in 1913, the factory was awarded the title “Supplier of the Court of His Imperial Majesty.” In a word, Einem's factory became the leading confectionery production in the Russian Empire, despite the fact that they had serious competitors - the oldest confectionery company in Russia "Abrikosov and Sons" (the current concern "Babaevsky"), the confectionery of Adolf Siu (factory "Bolshevik" ).

What was the reason for this success? Why was the popularity of the factory so great that even after nationalization in 1918, “Formerly” was added in parentheses to the new name “Red October” for twenty years? Einem"? Even the Bolsheviks did not immediately manage to get rid of her real name.

Here are a few marketing techniques from the Einem factory, tested in a time when no one had heard of marketing:

Luxurious packaging.
The best artists of that time were invited to decorate the sweets: Vrubel, Bakst, Bilibin, Benois. Candy boxes were decorated with silk, velvet or leather.

The idea to associate the new taste of candy with a painting by the fashionable artist Ivan Ivanovich Shishkin belonged to Julius Geis. This is what the first “Ballfoot Bears” looked like.

Educational inserts and wrappers for candies.
A great idea - a child eats candy and learns something new. Boxes of sweets and cocoa were filled with collectible postcards with geographic maps, animals, historical scenes, and reproductions of paintings by famous Russian artists. The most beautiful playing cards were drawn for adult buyers. To become the owner of a whole deck, you had to eat a lot of candy.
Look how beautiful it is! You can buy these chocolates just for the wrapper alone!

Having received chocolate
And having taken a bite,
Suddenly I saw Vasya Stepka -
Bully and disheveled...
What are you doing? Do you want half?
Would you like some clubs?
And he went to swing the club...
Styopka came out with a lantern.
Having received a great embarrassment,
Throwing away the stick and cap,
He ran as fast as he could
And I forgot about chocolate.
Victorious, brave Vasya,
Bragging about the strength of his muscles,
He said that to all of these -
He owes only Einem.

By the way, candies with the name “Come on, take it away” are still produced to this day. Only instead of a frowning toddler, a pretty girl playing with a puppy is printed on the wrapper.

Exclusive offer.
Composer Karl Feldman, at the special request of the Einem Partnership, wrote “chocolate melodies”: “Cupcake Gallop”, “Chocolate Waltz”, “Waltz Montpensier”, “Cocoa Dance”. These melodies quickly became popular. Sheet music for them could only be obtained with the purchase of chocolates. If you want to play a fashionable waltz, buy candy from Einem! For little customers, we developed cross-stitch patterns that were included in boxes of sweets and cocoa.

Branded chocolate dispensing machines.

By inserting a 10-kopeck coin into such a machine and moving the lever, the child received a small chocolate bar in a wrapper. These machines quickly became a fashionable innovation and a real “tempt” for young buyers.

Branded accessories.
Boxes of chocolates included free branded napkins or tweezers with the factory logo. Confectionery shops sold beautiful tin cans for bulk products, decorated with the Einem brand logo.

To a modern reader these techniques may seem devoid of originality, but at that time it was a real breakthrough. They tried to imitate Einem, not only by direct competitors, but also by entrepreneurs not related to the confectionery business. It is surprising that their “teacher” was the son of a simple priest, who at the time of his arrival in Russia had neither a good education nor serious savings. Thanks to his amazing instincts, ability to find the right people and sincere love for his work, Fyodor Karlovich Einem became one of the richest people in Russia and earned respect and honor.

Shortly before his death, Einem sold his share to his partner Geis and returned to Prussia. He had no children. In 1876, newspapers reported Einem's death. At the time of his death, the famous chocolatier was only 50 years old. Fyodor Karlovich bequeathed his body to be buried in Moscow - in his new homeland, where he lived most of his life and found happiness and wealth.

The confectionery business under the leadership of Geis grew even more, but they did not rename the factory - the words “Einem” and “quality” were firmly associated among the townspeople. After the death of Julius Geis, his son Voldemar took over the management of the factory. Geis did not live to see the 1917 revolution. Probably fortunately...

A box of chocolates has long become a universal gift for any occasion. So universal that it is often not taken seriously. Handmade sweets are a more refined version of the “duty” present. Such a gift will no longer look banal. Individual, unique decor, beautiful packaging - and an ordinary set of sweets becomes a symbol of a special attitude towards a person.

Elite handmade sweets

Exclusive handmade sweets and chocolates are a kind of edible jewel. There is even a legend according to which the Spanish Queen Elizabeth of Valois was given a box of chocolates in addition to semi-precious stones and other jewelry at one of her receptions. At that time, they were made exclusively by hand, and each pastry chef had his own secret signature recipe. The august lady was most delighted with the sweet gift. She countered the reproach of King Philip II on this matter, saying that candy is much tastier than diamonds. It's hard to argue with such a true statement!

Gift sets of sweets do not lose their relevance even now. However, in the modern world, their sale and production are well-established and streamlined, so you can please not only royalty, but also ordinary citizens with a sweet souvenir. And the higher the value of gift sets of handmade sweets, because in a sense they demonstrate a “royal” approach to the person to whom they are addressed.

It is important that they are of good quality and meet all necessary requirements and standards. It happens that original natural sweets only bring disappointment if you buy them from an untrusted place. Therefore, it is better to choose a set created by masters of large and famous confectionery factories, such as the Babaevsky concern, the Rot Front or Red October factories. It is here that sweets and chocolates are produced from natural cocoa beans in accordance with the highest standards. Unlike small confectioneries, which, when creating “expensive handmade sweets,” use ready-made industrial chocolate, the origin and composition of which they can hardly vouch for, large factories make their own chocolate and cocoa butter, controlling the entire production process, starting with the processing of raw materials .

The quality and taste of products from large factories are time-tested. For example, Abrikosovsky handmade sweets are still valued, although the famous confectionery factory long ago changed and glorified its other name - the Babaevsky concern. Another famous factory, the Einem Partnership, now Red October, continues to produce handmade chocolates in sets, created according to old recipes and packaged in antique-style tin cases.

Original candies

Nowadays, when even high-ranking officials are often given something standard and formulaic, an individual approach is especially highly valued. Handmade sweets are his sweet embodiment, because with such an abundance and variety of factory sets, the donor chose something handmade and unique, deliberately complicating his task. The further progress goes, the less there is something special, individual around. The result of handmade work is always unique and inimitable. Moreover, the simpler and more banal the thing itself, the more valuable is the fact that a living person had a hand in its creation, pushing aside the impartial machine.

Exclusive sets of chocolates are one of the best illustrations of this statement. It would seem a simple and everyday sweetness, nothing special. But the soul of the master is put into each of the handmade chocolates; it is almost a work of art, and not just a “box of chocolates as a gift.” In addition, exclusive chocolates are always extremely high quality, unique design and original recipe.

If you want something completely exclusive, you should think about luxury custom-made chocolates. They can be made in any shape, in the form of a chocolate sculpture, for example, or you can apply a special pattern to each candy in the set to create a message.

Gift candies become especially popular on the eve of the holidays. They are especially actively given to women: it is believed that they should be given beautiful things as a gift, and men should be given practical and status items. Nevertheless, beautiful sweets of exclusive work will charm not only a sophisticated lady, but also a respectable man, especially since a handmade item is quite a status item, even if this item is edible.

Expensive candies in a set

The cost of handmade candies is always higher than that of a product that came off the assembly line: the price per 100 grams of handmade candies is on average about 1.5 times higher than regular ones. However, they are worth it. Beautiful handmade sweets combine sophistication, individual approach, high quality and excellent taste.

Of all the varieties, truffles are considered the most expensive and status-bearing. On the other hand, they are quite boring, although tasty. Therefore, boxes most often contain candies with a variety of fillings, and there are not 2-3 types of them, as in ordinary assorted sets, but 10-12.

Handmade chocolates are suitable for any occasion in the same way as a regular box of chocolates, but at the same time they differ from it. Such a gift will emphasize special attention to the person and will definitely be remembered.

If you don’t know what to give, but want the gift to not look simple and banal, give handmade sweets. The Alyonka online store offers a large selection of different options for such a present. In addition, they can be bought in bulk inexpensively to immediately please everyone who wants to present something exquisite and unusual. Delivery is another reason to order sweets online, especially considering the cost of handmade sweets, their delivery may well be free.

Manufacturer of German origin, founder of the largest confectionery company.

First steps and success in Russia.

Born into the family of a Lutheran priest, he refused to continue his father’s work. In Moscow since 1848. Three years later, he rented premises on Arbat, setting up a chocolate workshop there. From 1853 - in the III Guild. Moscow merchants, from 1867 - to the II Guild. In 1853-56, during the Crimean War, E. completed a contract for the supply of jam and syrups for the Russians. army. The government order brought him significant income. The quality and precision of execution immediately attracted attention. After the war, together with his companions, Colonel Lermontov and collegiate secretary Romanov, who invested 5 thousand rubles each. silver, rented a house in Myasnitskaya for 10 years and set up a confectioner there. factory that produced 10 varieties of chocolate, chocolate. sweets, pralines.

In 1867, Einem bought a house on Sofiyskaya embankment, opposite the Kremlin, in the name of his wife Caroline. In the vacant lot behind the house there is a factory, equipped. a six-horsepower steam engine and a steam boiler. In the process of purchasing equipment for the factory, E. became close to Moscow. German Julius Geis (1832-1907), cat. offered to coordinate work with wholesale buyers. In 1870, an agreement was concluded under which E. received 60%, and Geis - 40% of the profits.

In 1870, a plot of land on Bersenevskaya Embankment was purchased for the production of light biscuit cookies in Moscow (using English technology and English equipment). In 1871, Einem's factory was the largest of the five chocolate factories. factories in Moscow and produced almost half. products of all Moscow. pr-tiy, namely: 32 tons of chocolate, 160 tons of chocolate. sweets, 24 tons of “tea biscuits” (English biscuits) and 64 tons of crushed sugar; in total for the amount of 300 thousand rubles.

Against the background of growing profits, Einem did not forget about charitable activities. For every pound of new cookies sold, Einem donated five kopecks in silver, of which half the amount went to charitable institutions in Moscow, and the other half to the German School for the Poor and Orphans.

From Einem to Red October.

E. died in Berlin and, according to his wishes, was buried in Moscow. The graves of E. and his wife are preserved at the Vvedensky cemetery. After Einem’s death in 1886, the enterprise was corporatized and acquired the form of a partnership (fixed capital 0.5 million rubles) with collegial shares. board with the participation of Julius Geis and his sons (Woldemar, Julius, Albert, Oscar, Karl). In 1914, Einem took first place among confectioners in terms of sales. Russian companies. At the 1900 World Exhibition in Paris, where eight roses were presented. food companies (confectionery, tea and sugar), the Einem company received the highest award - the Grand Prix. In 1913, the Einem company received the title “Supplier of the Court of His Imperial Majesty.”

After the revolution in 1918, the Einem factory was nationalized and renamed State Confectionery Factory No. 1, which emphasized the leading position of the enterprise in the country. confectioner. industry. In honor of the fifth anniversary of the revolution, the f-ka received the name “Red October”, to which the “former Einem” was added until the beginning. 1930s (this served as a safe bet for buyers).