The story of a Hungarian chocolate brand
Tibi chocolate, sold in Hungary for some 80 years, is still made in the same factory where it was invented.
The chocolate, which first hit stores in 1941, was named after the grandson of Frigyes Sthümer, founder of the Tibi factory.
Although the ribbed-patterned chocolate was aimed primarily at children, thanks to effective advertising, the milk and dark chocolate candy bars quickly became popular among adults all over the country. To this day, Tibi is one of the most popular players in the chocolate market: The chocolate bars manufactured by the company in one year could cover up to 15 standard soccer fields or be stacked on top of each other to build a tower reaching the top of Mount Everest.
The history of the factory began in 1868 under the management of Frigyes Stühmer, who learned the craft of confectionery in Ludwigslust, Germany, at Schulze et al. He returned home at the age of 25 to take over the management of a small candy factory on Szentkirályi Street and purchased the plant just two years later.
Initially, he only dealt with candy and had the intention of pushing products that had harmful dyes and were bad for people’s health out of the market. But after a few years, he started large-scale production of Christmas candy, including chocolates and Christmas and Easter figurines made out of chocolate as well.
His confections did well at the 1885 National General Exhibition in Budapest, where Franz Joseph recognized his work with the Hungarian Cross of Merit. But Stühmer died at the young age of 46, leaving six children behind. After his death, his family took over the operation of the factory.
Later, the company bought additional buildings in the city and further expanded its operation. The new plant was much more modern and larger than its predecessor; it was considered so unique upon its completion in the 1940s that it garnered the company international recognition among industry players.
One thing hasn’t changed to this day: the “tibi” inscription, which has remained exactly as it was originally. Tibi is the only chocolate out of the traditional big Hungarian brands that has been produced in Hungary from the very beginning to the present day.
Today, the company not only sells basic chocolate bars but numerous Christmas and Easter gift packages and figurines. It also sells its chocolate bars in an ever-expanding variety of flavors.
