The Sweetest Thing // Sawade, Berlin’s oldest chocolate maker
The trend of shopping and eating locally is a trend worth supporting, in my opinion. So let’s just say it was a philanthropic drive to support a 133-year-old local business that took me to a chocolate factory up in Alt Tegel. Philanthropy, not gluttony. That’s my story and I’m sticking to it.
I was working on an article recently about Berlin’s longest-running manufacturers and came across Sawade, Berlin’s oldest chocolate praline maker. The first Sawade opened at Unter den Linden 19 in the year 1880. During the company’s glory days, Sawade was the official praline purveyor to His Royal Highness Prince Wilhelm von Preußen. The brand survived WWII and the lean post-war years, but the closest call for Sawade came just last month, when the company would’ve fallen into bankruptcy if not for a last-minute rescue from private investors, a local couple that, like me, believes historic Berlin businesses are worth preserving.
There are three Sawade shops in Berlin, all out west. If the one I went to in Charlottenburg is any indication, the shops are quirky, cluttered little places, staffed by a small army of fussy gray-haired ladies that are as dated as the design of the packaging. For the record, I’m totally charmed by the retro-ness of it all, though the new owner/CEO has already expressed his wish to modernize a bit. But I digress. What excited me most during my poking around on the Sawade website was the section about their factory outlet sales. An exploratory U-Bahn trek to a new corner of the city? Culminating in half-price pralines? Yes please.
The factory outlet, open daily from Monday to Friday, is a pretty simple affair. Health codes prevent visitors from being allowed to visit the production area, but in the one-room shop you’ll find a variety of surplus, out-of-season, or discontinued truffle and praline varieties at discounted prices, including the unique and surprisingly addictive Waldmeister-flavoured white chocolate truffle. Waldmeister chocolate! A Berlin delicacy if there ever was one. Long live Sawade.
Sawade Berlin | Website | Factory outlet at Wittestr. 26e
Sylee
January 7, 2014Heavens but that display board of pralines is the very best. Thank you for sharing this find!
Benno
February 24, 2014Dear Hilda,
thanks for the great article and your excitement for Sawade. My wife and I will do our very best to make Sawade survive another 133 years while keeping as much as possible of its charme. We will keep you posted.
Best,
Benno Hübel / CEO Sawade
Hilda
August 18, 2014Glad that Sawade is in good hands!
Job
March 17, 2014Hi Hilda,
I love articles like this. Never heard of the place but will defenitely visit it. Thanks!
Job (berlin-enjoy.com)
Elise
August 18, 2014Hilda, great hint! I was already out near the outlet for an errand (no really!) and popped in. Never would have found such a gem if left to my own devices.
As ever, thanks for sharing.
Hilda
August 18, 2014Very happy to hear you had a chance to check it out and stock up!