Einem confectionery factory. "Red October. Branded chocolate dispensers

19.05.2022

Hello dear.
Let's continue with you a short journey into the past of the Russian confectionery industry. Last time we stopped here:
Today we will talk about another candy-chocolate giant, which has become extremely popular in the country not only because of the excellent quality of its products, but also because of its design.
Today we will talk about the "Einman partnership", or rather "Einem. Partnership of the steam factory of chocolate confections and tea biscuits."

Some of the leaders in this area in the pre-revolutionary Empire started very modestly. In 1846, 22-year-old German businessman Ferdinand Theodor von Einem (Einem Ferdinand Theodore) arrived in Moscow. He was born in Prussia, but had Württemberg citizenship. He came not alone, but with his wife Carolina (nee Muller), as he saw great prospects in our country.

F. Einem

He started in the sugar business, but very quickly switched to the retail sale of sweets. He loved this job very much.

By 1850, he founded a small workshop that produced chocolate and sweets. I rented a small room in the Areoli house on the Arbat and hired 4 craftsmen. And things started right away. Either due to the fact that there were no competitors in the district, or because of German pedantry and attention to detail, or the product was of high quality. In 1853 he joined the third guild of the Moscow merchants. And in 1853-1856, during the Crimean War, Einem was able to enter the state order, and, as the documents say, “honorably completed the contract” for the supply of jam and syrups for the Russian army.
This gave free money and promoted Fyodor Karlovich (and Einem, who had completely Russified by that time, asked to be called that way) in his big and beautiful dream. And his dream was to create a real chocolate factory in Moscow. However, there was not enough energy and finance for this business.

Everything changed in 1856. It was then that Einem was able to find reliable Russian partners - Colonel Lermontov and collegiate secretary Romanov, each of whom invested 5 thousand rubles in the business. silver. They rented a room for ten years on Petrovka, in Rudakov's house, and set up a confectionery factory there, producing ten varieties of chocolate, chocolates, pralines. Well, in the next year he had a fateful meeting.

Y. Geis

In the process of choosing a house and buying reliable equipment for his factory, Einem became close to the Moscow German Julius Geiss. The priest's son, Julius Geis, was six years younger than Einem. Before meeting Einem, he had already worked as a traveling salesman in Germany, after that in his relatives' store in Odessa, and then for almost 10 years he lived in Moscow, working in private firms and in municipal structures for street lighting with kerosene and gas. Geis gave the impression of being reliable and thorough. Einem realized that he needed such a person to develop his business. On May 12, 1870, an agreement was concluded between the partners in Berlin, according to which Einem received 60%, and Geis 40% of the profit. As his share, Geis contributed all his own property worth 20 thousand rubles to the business. Thus, "Einem. Association of the steam factory of chocolate confections and tea biscuits" was formed.

This money allowed the newest steam engine to be ordered from Europe and the construction of a factory on the banks of the Moskva River began.

On August 1, 1871, the new factory building on Sofiyskaya Embankment began to operate. And already in the same year, the Einem factory became the largest of the five chocolate factories in Moscow. It produced almost half of the products of all Moscow enterprises, namely: 32 tons of chocolate, 160 tons of chocolates, 24 tons of "tea cookies" (the same English biscuits) and 64 tons of crushed sugar, totaling 300 thousand rubles. (of which 246 thousand rubles accounted for chocolate).

It was a major breakthrough. I must say that Fedor Karlovich was a very good person and did a lot of charity work. For every pound of new biscuits sold, Einem donated five kopecks of silver, half of which went to charitable institutions in Moscow, and the other half to the German School for the Poor and Orphans. Big money, by the way.

The comrades paid great attention to the design of their products. The company's advertising was carried by theatrical programs, surprise sets with postcards embedded in a box of chocolates. For the factory, his own composer wrote music, and the buyer, along with caramel or chocolate, received free notes of "Chocolate Waltz", "Montpensier Waltz" or "Cupcake Gallop". In addition, exclusive candies were always sold together with special accessories - branded napkins, postcards and special candy tweezers were put into the boxes.

However, Einem began to get very sick, he had problems with his heart. He was treated more than he worked, so Geis offered to buy out his share. By the time of the death of Fyodor Karlovich in Berlin in 1876 (who by the way bequeathed to bury himself in Moscow, which was done), the partnership was wholly owned by Julius Geiss, who, in respect for his former business partner, did not change his name. It was Julius who was able to make the company one of the largest and most famous in the country. By the beginning of the 20th century, the Einem company owned two factories in Moscow, branches in Simferopol and Riga, several stores in Moscow and Nizhny Novgorod.

In 1896, at the All-Russian Industrial and Art Exhibition in Nizhny Novgorod, Einem products were awarded a gold medal, in 1900 the company received the Grand Prix at the World Exhibition in Paris for the assortment and quality of chocolate.

In 1913, Einem was awarded the title of supplier to the court of His Imperial Majesty. But Julius Geis himself did not live to see that day. He died in 1907 at the age of 75.
As early as the end of the 19th century, Julius Fedorovich (and Geis also completely Russified) began to attract his five eldest sons to work: Julius, Voldemar, Albert, Oscar and Karl. After the death of Julius Fedorovich, the eldest son Julius Yulievich Geis became the managing director, Voldemar Yulievich and Oskar Yulievich became directors, and Karl Yulievich became a candidate for director. Another son, Albert, was not formally a member of the board, but at the same time he was in charge of a factory in the Crimea.

By 1910, the fixed capital reached 1.5 million rubles. It consisted of a thousand shares of 5000 rubles. and two thousand shares of 500 rubles. The joint-stock company in form was in fact a family-owned enterprise - the owners of the shares were nine people from the Geys family

In July 1916, the value of the real estate of the Einem company alone amounted to 3,518,377 rubles. 88 kop. About 3,000 workers worked for the partnership. It all ended with the revolution. Geys left the country.

In 1918, the Einem factory was nationalized and renamed the State Confectionery Factory No. 1, which emphasized the company's leading position in the domestic confectionery industry. In honor of the fifth anniversary of the revolution, the factory was named "Red October", to which was added "former. Einem" until the early 1930s
Well, the brand "Red October" probably all of you know :-)

To be continued....
Have a nice time of the day.

The name "Red October" instead of associations with the shot of Aurora and the storming of the Winter Palace, much more often sets us up for quite peaceful "sweet" thoughts about the joys familiar from childhood: "Clumsy Bear", "Little Red Riding Hood", chocolate "Alenka" ...

Indeed, more than one generation of our fellow citizens has grown up on the sweets and chocolate of the Krasny Oktyabr factory, but only a few of them knew that this factory existed before the revolution, called the Einem Partnership.
The Bolsheviks, of course, had nothing to do with the foundation of the Moscow factory of the merchant Einem, which produced its first products back in the middle of the 19th century. But, as they say, “there was such a time” and the epidemic of renaming affected almost all the then nationalized industries. In this case, however, a small exception was made, and for several years after the new name, in brackets, they wrote “Former. Einem" - this "brand" was so highly valued by contemporaries.

founding fathers

Einem, or the Einem Chocolate and Tea Cookies Steam Factory Partnership, was officially established in 1867. It all started with the fact that Ferdinand von Einem, who arrived in commercially promising Moscow from Germany, in 1851 organized a small workshop on the Arbat, or, as they said then, a workshop for the production of chocolate and sweets.
During the Crimean War, which began in 1853, Einem supplied his products to the front, and lucrative military orders allowed him to expand production and move the factory to Myasnitskaya Street. Soon, the German merchant Julius Geis joined Ferdinand Einem. Having ordered the latest steam engine in Europe, the partners open a confectionery shop on Theater Square and build the first three-story factory building on Sofiyskaya Embankment of the Moscow River, increasing the staff to hundreds of people.

Even before the first official entry about the Einem partnership appeared in the reference book “Factory enterprises of the Russian Empire” in 1867, the company already had awards received at all-Russian manufacturing exhibitions in Odessa and Moscow. The company, constantly expanding its range, produced sweets, chocolate, caramel, marshmallows, cocoa drinks, cookies, biscuits and gingerbread. The quality of the products was excellent and the volume of orders increased year by year.
Ferdinand Einem had no heirs, and after his death in 1878, Julius Geiss took over the factory and decided to leave the name of the company unchanged. A year later, the Einem branch opens in Simferopol, where marmalade and chocolate-glazed fruits are launched into production.
The conditions for workers in the factories were very good, which was already felt when they were hired - the “newcomers” were taken on a “gastronomic” tour of the entire enterprise, allowing them to eat whatever they wanted. The Moscow factory had its own school of confectioners, mugs, and a boys' choir. Workers were provided with clothing and footwear, housing and subsidized meals. After 25 years of work, a person received a commemorative silver badge, and with it various benefits and a lifetime pension.

Julius Geis, in addition to the main production and personnel issues, pays special attention, as they would say now, to the branding of his products. Bright and memorable names "Golden Label", "Favorite", "Capital", "Empire" and so on - were accompanied by stylish packaging, trimmed with silk, velvet and leather. The best artists of that time, such as Vrubel and Benois, were invited to design the packages, which undoubtedly attracted more and more new customers.
Awards are again added to the increasing popularity - in 1896, the products of the Einem partnership received a gold medal at the All-Russian Industrial and Art Exhibition in Nizhny Novgorod, and in 1900, at the World Exhibition in Paris, the factory received the Grand Prix for the range and quality of products. The range is really impressive. Even if we talk only about chocolate, then several varieties of only vanilla chocolate were produced at once, in addition, there was Tsarsky, Princely, Boyarsky, Stolichny, American, Worldwide, Sport, Favorite" and others. And the "favorite varieties of the public", as follows from the advertisements of "Einem" of that period, were considered "Golden Label", "Silver Label" and "Chocolate with Milk".
Great importance was attached to product advertising: airships soared in the skies with calls to buy Einem's chocolate, on the theater program of the play "Romeo and Juliet" an advertisement for cough drops was unexpectedly found, advertising leaflets and a series of postcards with geographical maps, animals, and reproductions of paintings were put into boxes of sweets. famous Russian artists.
Composer Karl Feldman, commissioned by the Einem Partnership, wrote special melodies with “talking” names: “Chocolate Waltz”, “Montpensier Waltz”, “Cupcake Gallop”, “Cocoa Dance”. The notes of these works were put into boxes with products that were very popular with buyers.
Some names, for example, sweets "Come on take it!" Survived the revolution and survived to this day. True, instead of a girl playing with a puppy, in the past, the label was decorated with an image of a gloomy-looking kid with a baseball (actually for playing bast shoes) bat.
Interestingly, during the NEP period, when the factory was already called "Red October", advertising was again paid close attention here, and the "singer of the revolution" Vladimir Mayakovsky personally engaged in the "PR" of its products. Thanks to his efforts, the motto “I eat cookies from the Krasny Oktyabr factory”, the former Einem. I don’t buy anywhere except in Mosselprom!” - knew all of Moscow. The poet himself took his job very seriously, as evidenced by his following words: “Advertising is industrial, commercial propaganda! Not a single, even the most faithful, business moves without advertising.

Unsweetened Times

In 1913, the partnership was awarded the honorary title - the supplier of the court of His Imperial Majesty. At the same time, for the 300th anniversary of the Romanov dynasty, a festively decorated jubilee series of sweets was released. In 1914, the First World War began and the construction of a new complex of factory buildings on Bersenevskaya Embankment, begun in 1889, was completed.
During the war, almost the entire Geis family left Russia, but one of the sons of Julius Geis, Voldemar, accepted Russian citizenship and continued to manage production, while at the same time organizing a hospital for wounded soldiers, sending food to the front and donating money for army needs.
The ensuing "troubled" times led the country to revolution, and the factory was nationalized. But production did not stop, and by 1925 its volume had recovered and continued to grow. Candy "Creamy fudge with candied fruit", "Creamy toffee", "Clumsy Bear", "Southern Night", toffee "Kis-Kis" appeared.
With the beginning of the Great Patriotic War, part of the Red October equipment was evacuated to Kuibyshev. All production had to be rebuilt, but the production of the most famous products - Mishka Kosolapy sweets and truffles was not stopped. For the front, concentrates were produced: millet, buckwheat and oatmeal, as well as new varieties of chocolate - Cola and Guards. "Cola" was included in the diet of pilots and submariners and had a tonic effect due to the African kola nut included in its composition.

Memories of the future

After the war, "Red October" returned to the production of peaceful products, and in 1950, caramel innovators V.D. Semenov and V.I. Sanaev were awarded the Stalin Prize. In 1966, the factory began producing milk chocolate "Alenka".
Gradually, the new name becomes a famous brand, confirming the continuity of the Einem Partnership's quality traditions. Numerous achievements and awards of Russian and international exhibitions and fairs, including the Grand Prix of the International Exhibition in Brussels (1958) and the Grand Prix (Gold Medals) of the international exhibitions "WORLD FOOD" (2000-2003) speak of the quality of products, which Companions Ferdinand and Julius could be proud.
In 1991, Krasny Oktyabr became a joint-stock company, and since 2002 it has been part of the United Confectioners holding.
And in 2007, the main production facilities of Krasny Oktyabr were transferred from Bersenevskaya embankment to a new building on the street. Malaya Krasnoselskaya, where in March of this year, the United Confectioners opened the first in Russia Museum of the History of Chocolate and Cocoa (MISHK), created on the basis of the museums of the confectionery factories Krasny Oktyabr, Rot Front and Babaevsky Confectionery Concern.
The founder of the enterprise has not been forgotten either – modern sets of Einem sweets are named after Ferdinand von Einem, on the boxes of which drawings by artists of the mid-19th century are used. The plot is Moscow of the future. These naive images are somewhat akin to the sublime monologues of Chekhov's heroes about what life will be like in 200-300 years. Our present, imagined by people of the century before last, evokes both a smile and sadness - not only because it has nothing to do with reality, but also because it again leads us to memories of that Russia, which we today, alas, still we know so little.

Having talked about the spirits of Brocard and Rahl, I cannot fail to mention another branch of which the Russian Empire was rightfully proud. Imagine, in 1900 at the world exhibition in Paris for a huge assortment and excellent quality of chocolate, the Russian factory "Einem" received the highest award - the Grand Prix. So, a century ago we could call Russian chocolate the best in the world. "Einem" was, as it were, a signboard for Russian chocolate of the early twentieth century.

On the chocolates was a well-fed peanut with an unkind look and a bast bat in his hands. The defiant label was also supplemented by a lovely rhyme:

"I got a bar of chocolate
And I don't need a friend.
Before all I say to people:
“Eat everything. Come on, take it!"

Oh, they really knew how to please discerning customers. Boxes with products were finished with silk, velvet, leather - these were real small works of art. The factory was a supplier to the court of His Imperial Majesty and received the right to print the coat of arms of Russia on the packaging. Postcards with congratulations were invested in the sets. For the factory, his own composer wrote music, and the buyer, along with caramel or chocolate, received free notes of the Chocolate Waltz, Montpensier Waltz or Cupcake Gallop. Among the flour products, small pot-bellied salted fish stood out, especially attracting beer lovers. But even children who did not drink beer willingly gnawed at these figurines. Even more entertaining were colored figures made of marzipan, depicting carrots, turnips, cucumbers, and some little animals. They were sometimes hung on the Christmas tree, to the great delight of the little ones.
Among the cakes was a cake with an extraordinary name "Love me" at a different price. Witty buyers said to young saleswomen: “Please,“ Love me ”for three rubles” :)

And it began back in 1850, when the founder of the factory, a German citizen Ferdinand Theodor von Einem, came to Moscow in the hope of starting his own business. At first, he engaged in the production of sawn sugar, then (in 1851) he organized a small workshop for the production of chocolate and sweets on the Arbat. In 1857, Einem met his future partner Julius Geiss (J.Heuss), who had an outstanding talent as a businessman. Together they acted more confidently and opened a pastry shop on Theater Square. Having accumulated sufficient capital, the entrepreneurs ordered the latest steam engine from Europe and set about building a factory on the banks of the Moskva River, on Sofiyskaya Embankment. In the reference book "Factory enterprises of the Russian Empire" an entry was made about this fact: "Einem. Association of steam factory of chocolate confections and tea biscuits. Year of foundation 1867. The working day at the factory in those days was 10 hours. Confectioners, most of whom came from villages near Moscow, lived in the Hostel at the factory, and ate in the factory canteen. The factory administration provided workers with some benefits:

* a school was opened for apprentice children;
* for 25 years of impeccable service, a silver name badge was issued and a pension was assigned;
* a health insurance fund was established to provide material assistance to those in need;

Caramel, sweets, chocolate, cocoa drinks, marshmallows, cookies, gingerbread, biscuits were produced. After opening a branch in the Crimea (Simferopol), "Einem" began to produce chocolate-glazed fruits - plums, cherries, pears, as well as marmalade.
Einem Partnership successfully competed with other confectionery magnates - for example, Abrikosov and Sons, but I plan to write about them later (of course, if you want).
The excellent quality of confectionery products, the technical equipment of the factory, colorful packaging and advertising put the factory in one of the leading places in the confectionery industry of that time.

By the beginning of the XX century. T-vo Einem owned two factories in Moscow, factories in Simferopol and Riga, numerous shops in Moscow, Nizhny Novgorod.
During the difficult years of the First World War, the Einem company was engaged in charitable activities: it made monetary donations, organized a hospital for wounded soldiers, and sent wagons with cookies to the front.
After the October Revolution, in 1918, the factory was nationalized, and in the same year it received the name "State Confectionery Factory No. 1, formerly Einem", and in 1922 it was renamed "Red October", although a few years after that in brackets always added "Former. Einem "- the popularity of the brand was so great, and the quality of the products was appreciated.

The foundation of the Krasny Oktyabr confectionery factory has its roots in the late 40s - early 50s. XIX century. In 1846, a Prussian subject, Ferdinand Theodor Einem, arrived in Moscow. On December 6, 1849, the confectioner "had the good fortune to supply" products of his skill to the table of members of the imperial family, and for those products he received the highest approval of the Empress and Grand Duchesses. In 1851, he opened a small shop for the production of sawn sugar and chocolate on the Arbat. By the end of the 60s, the Einem company was already known in the Russian confectionery market, its turnover was growing rapidly and it became necessary to build a large factory. In 1867 a factory opens on Sofiyskaya Embankment, directly opposite the Kremlin. At this time, the factory has only 20 workers. In 1870 a three-story factory for the production of biscuit was built on Bersenevskaya embankment, and since 1889. the territory on Bolotny Island begins to be actively developed. Since 1869 F.T. Einem invites Julius Geis as a partner, who buys out 20% of the company's shares, and after Einem's death in 1876. becomes the owner of the company. By this time, the Einem enterprise had two factories in Moscow: (on Sofiyskaya and Bersenevskaya embankments), a workshop for the production of fruit juices, compotes in Simferopol, and three stores on the central streets of Moscow. Turnover of the enterprise in 1876. already reached 600,000 rubles.

In 1886 Yu.Geys creates a joint-stock company "Einem Chocolate, Candy and Tea Cookies Steam Factory Partnership". The company's turnover increased rapidly and by 1914. reaches 7,800,000 rubles. The total number of workers and employees is 2,800 people. All production in factories is equipped with the latest technologies of that time with the most perfect hygiene and cleanliness. Supplying vast Russia with its products, Einem has six elegantly furnished stores that are very popular in the capital and its environs. At the All-Russian Exhibition in 1896. (Nizhny Novgorod) "Einem Partnership" was awarded the State Emblem, and at the World Exhibition in Paris in 1900 - two "Grand-Prix".

In 1913, the "Einem Partnership" was honored to become the supplier of the Court of His Imperial Majesty.

November 15, 1918 the factory was nationalized and named "State Confectionery Factory No. 1". July 13, 1922 the general meeting of the labor collective of the factory decided to rename the State Factory No. 1 (formerly Einem) into the Red October factory. From 1922 to May 31, 1934 the factory was under the jurisdiction of the Moscow Economic Council (Moscow Council of the National Economy under the Moscow Regional Trade Department Mosselprom).

During the Great Patriotic War, 50% of the equipment was evacuated to Kuibyshev, more than 500 people volunteered for the front, the factory continued to produce confectionery products even in larger volumes than then in peacetime in the 50s. Production went to the front. At this time, by order of the government, a new chocolate "Guards" was created. Since 1942 pilots began to receive it, and the factory produced Cola chocolate for submarine sailors. Workshop No. 6 was created at the factory to produce products for the front: flame arresters for aircraft, colored smoke bombs for the fleet, porridge concentrates in briquettes. The factory was awarded the Banner of the State Defense Committee as the winner in the socialist competition.

After the war, the reconstruction of the factory begins. Production lines are introduced for the first time. In 1947-49. the caramel shop was automated, in 1951 - 53. - chocolate, candy shops.

Since 1959 the factory is called the Moscow confectionery factory "Red October". In 1961 for the first time in the USSR, complex-mechanized production lines for the production of cast iris were created at the factory. By 1965 40 complex-mechanized production lines for the production of confectionery products worked at the factory. The production lines developed by the Krasny Oktyabr factory were installed in almost all confectionery industries in the Soviet Union. On these lines, new varieties of sweets, caramel, chocolate were developed and produced.

July 8, 1966 By decree of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR, "Red October" was awarded the highest government award - the Order of Lenin.

Krasny Oktyabr constantly mastered and produced new varieties of products: Red Poppy®, candies Stolichny®, Truffeli®, Yuzhny Nut®, Golden Label® and others. In 1965 the factory began to produce a new milk chocolate "Alenka"®, which later became the most famous brand of the factory. In 1977, the Krasny Oktyabr confectionery factory was transformed into an experimental one. 1996 – Krasny Oktyabr was renamed into JSC Krasny Oktyabr. 2002 - as part of the growing influence of transnational corporations in the Russian market, in order to create worthy competition for domestic producers of foreign confectionery manufacturers, Krasny Oktyabr OJSC became part of the United Confectioners holding.

The new production site of the Krasny Oktyabr factory was opened on the territory of the Babaevsky Concern in 2007. The transfer was carried out in stages, without stopping the production process. The new building of Krasny Oktyabr has equipment for the production of chocolate masses, icing, chocolate, chocolate bars and sweets with various fillings.

Currently, the factory produces more than 240 types of confectionery products under the brands "Alenka"®, "Mishka clumsy"®, "Little Red Riding Hood"® and others.

In 1913, the "Einem Partnership" was honored to become the supplier of the Court of His Imperial Majesty.

factory workers

After the war, the reconstruction of the factory begins. Production lines are introduced for the first time. In 1947-49. the caramel shop was automated, in 1951 - 53. - chocolate, candy shops.

July 8, 1966 By decree of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR, "Red October" was awarded the highest government award - the Order of Lenin.

Currently, the factory produces more than 240 types of confectionery products under the brands "Alenka"®, "Mishka clumsy"®, "Little Red Riding Hood"® and others.