This fall, a new place on the cultural map of Warsaw will take visitors on a journey through the world of the chocolate category, as well as the history and tradition of one of the most famous Polish confectionery companies.
The story of Jan Wedel and the factory in Kamionek
Emil Wedel's son took over the helm of the family business in 1923, after the death of his mother. By deciding to change the name from "Emil Wedel i Syn" to "Fabryka Czekolady E.Wedel Spółka Akcyjna", Jan introduced the company into a "new era", becoming a pioneer in the production of chocolate and sweets in Poland. His innovative approach to business resulted in, among other things, the creation of the iconic Ptasie Mleczko marshmallows and the image of the Boy on the Zebra, which still decorates the roof of the E.Wedel Chocolate Pump Room at Szpitalna 8 in Warsaw.
A key moment in the company's development was the relocation of the factory to Zamoyskiego Street in 1931, where modern technologies enabled further progress in chocolate production. It was there that products such as Ptasie Mleczko began to be created. However, Jan Wedel was not only an entrepreneur, but also a visionary in the field of marketing. Thanks to him, transport cars with the E.Wedel logo appeared on the streets of Warsaw, and the brand used non-standard forms of promotion, including: in the first vending machine in Poland, which was placed at the entrance to Skaryszewski Park, located next to the factory. In the same period, the company also purchased a RWD-13 aircraft, which transported sweet products to the Polish coast, also serving as advertising.
Jan's dreams reached even further… and after many years their culmination would become a chocolate museum.
Chocolate Museum in Warsaw
E.Wedel Chocolate Factory Museum
The facility located on the factory premises at Zamoyskiego Street was designed as an interactive educational center that will engage all the senses. The opening of the museum is planned for autumn this year.
– The E.Wedel Chocolate Factory is not only a place dedicated to the history of our company, but also a testimony to the passion for chocolate and commitment to the development of the local community – says Robert Zydel, Director of the E.Wedel Chocolate Factory. – The new point in Warsaw aims not only to entertain and surprise, but also to educate and inspire, being the only museum of this format in Central and Eastern Europe. The opening of this place will honor Jan Wedel's achievements and enrich the cultural image of the capital, as well as seal the status of the E.Wedel brand as a symbol of Polish tradition and innovation in the world of sweets – he adds.
The museum building, construction of which began in February 2022, is a transformed historic site that has served as a cocoa bean processing center since the 1960s. In keeping with the architectural landscape, the design uses gray brick arranged in characteristic chocolate cubes, thanks to which the building resembles a huge chocolate bar from a distance.
History comes full circle – almost 100 years ago, Jan Wedel built a modern chocolate factory in Kamionek, which was a symbol of innovation of its time. Now, on the occasion of the 150th anniversary of his birth, the E.Wedel brand plans to open a place that invites everyone – not only chocolate lovers – to discover its "sweet" history, tradition and creation process.
