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Just outside Hamburg in Elmshorn, Germany, Walter Wiebold continues his father's legacy in a city that once thrived with cocoa and chocolate manufacturers. Today, Wiebold Confi serie offers its distinctive truffles, chocolates and marzipan products to Germany, England and European Union countries.
Cocoa and chocolate manufacturers such as Hamester, Reese, Wichmann, Stockmann, Pea, Feodora, Venetia, Berger and Moritz once crowded the Hamburg region of northern Germany. As the largest port in the country, Hamburg accepted cocoa beans from West Africa, Asia and South America, making it an ideal place for cocoa processing and, subsequently, chocolate production.
Nowadays, no major chocolate manufacturer can be found in Hamburg, all having either gone out of business or moved to another area.
Even Wiebold Confiserie, which was established in 1968 by Rolf Wiebold, the chocolate truffle master, has left the famous port. Nevertheless, with its 6,000-sq.-meter plant just outside the city limits in Elmshorn, the company continues to build on a legacy started by Rolf through his son, Walter.
Rolf began his career as a chocolate master when he started as an apprentice after World War II making chocolate truffles. Initially, Wiebold Confiserie products were made in the kitchen adminisof Rolf's private home near Segeberg, Germany. His talents soon prompted the company to move to larger premises in Hamburg-Halstenbek.
Continued success enabled Rolf to acquire ginger and chocolate manufacturer Langenbeck in 1976, thus extending the company's product range with ginger and marzipan specialities. Two years later, the company established a distribution arm called Chocon, which supplied the surrounding retail market.
In 1985, Rolf died unexpectedly at the age of 51. Succession fell to his son, Walter, who fortunately was well-prepared to continue his father's legacy.
Not only had he been trained at his parents' company, but Walter also gained valuable confectionery experience elsewhere, working for famed marzipan manufacturer Lübeck as well as other major chocolate companies in Belgium. In addition, Walter had had the opportunity to visit cocoa plantations in...