• 1806
    The confectioner Lorenz Caviezel lays the foundation for the Estonian confectionery industry by opening his confectionery store on Pikk Street, Tallinn, where Café Maiasmokk is now situated. This will become the oldest predecessor of today’s Kalev confectionery factory.
  • 1864
    The confectionery store changed hands many times, until Georg Stude Senior buys it in 1864 and greatly expands it. Marzipan figurines and handmade chocolate confectionery were the most sought-after items in Stude’s store. The Russian Imperial Court was among the clients who ordered sweets from Stude on a regular basis. Unique marzipan figurines are made at Café Maiasmokk to this day, using historical marzipan moulds and methods.

    Confectioners in Georg Strude’s store

  • 1921
    The chocolate and confectionery factory Kawe, AS Kalev’s best-known predecessor, is founded. The product range of Kawe, the largest confectionery company in Estonia at the time, was well known locally and abroad. The company exported a considerable amount of its products to various countries, the US, UK, Tunisia, Morocco, France, India, China and elsewhere. Other large confectionery companies of the time included Ginovker (est. 1906), Brandmann (1901) and Klausson (1920). In the late 1930s, more than 75% of all of employees in the Estonian confectionery industry worked in these companies and Kawe. Several smaller companies such as Riola, Endla, Eelis, Efekt and others provided competition to the large manufacturers.
  • 1940
    The beginning of nationalisation and merging of confectionery companies. Brandmann’s company was merged with the Riola factory, and the new name of the company became the Karamell confectionery factory. Later, the marzipan and chocolate confectionery department at Georg Stude’s company joined Karamell. At this time, cakes and pastries were still made in the building on Pikk Street, which is today known as Café Maiasmokk. The Efekt, Eelis, Endla and Soliid factories were soon merged with Kawe, as was the Ermos syrup production facility located in Kloodi Manor near Rakvere. The merged company continued operating under the name of Kawe.

    Confectioners in the Kalev factory

  • 1948
    On 1 April, Kawe was renamed the Kalev Confectionery Factory. The name change took place due to ideological reasons; someone complained to the Minister that Kawe’s name had been formed using the initials of its former owners. This was not acceptable for a Soviet company. A naming competition was quickly organised and saw two proposals – “Punane Kompu” (“Red Sweet”), which was ideologically acceptable at the time, and “Kalev”, taken from the Estonian national epic. The name “Kalev” won by a single vote.
  • 1957
    The new confectionery company Uus Kalev is completed at Pärnu maantee 139, Tallinn. A year later, the Karamell factory is merged with it.
  • 1962
    The merger of confectionery companies is completed. Uus Kalev and Kalev are joined, and the company name becomes Kalev Confectionery Company. Only one confectionery manufacturer now exists in Estonia and it is located at Pärnu mnt 139. Throughout the entire Soviet period, Kalev manufactured sweets for Estonia, as well as for almost all of what is now the former Soviet Union, and it also supplied the “uncrowned rulers” of the Kremlin. Kalev’s confectionery also became renowned outside of the Soviet Union, winning awards and prizes at several international trade fairs and exhibitions.

    Confectionery factory Kalev

  • 1991
    The public limited company RAS Kalev is established on the basis of Kalev Confectionery Factory.
  • 1995
    AS Kalev’s new, modern production facility is completed in Põrguvälja, Rae municipality, Harjumaa; the company leaves Tallinn. At this time, it is the largest new food industry building in Estonia since the restoration of independence.
  • 2003
    AS Kalev’s new, modern production facility is completed in Põrguvälja, Rae municipality, Harjumaa; the company leaves Tallinn. At this time, it is the largest new food industry building in Estonia since the restoration of independence.

    Sweets production line in Kalev’s new factory in Põrguvälja

  • 2006
    AS Kalev celebrates the 200th anniversary of the Estonian confectionery industry.
    On 13 June 2006, AS Kalev establishes a subsidiary, AS Kalev Chocolate Factory, which takes over the production and sales of chocolate and confectionery products from its parent company.
  • 2010
    On 27 May 2010, AS Kalev Chocolate Factory becomes a member of the international Orkla Group, which is based in Norway.
  • 2012
    On 9 April, the company restores its historic name, AS Kalev.
  • 2016
    AS Kalev celebrates its 210th anniversary with a special collection of products and various events.
  • 2018
    AS Kalev is renamed Orkla Eesti AS from 1 February. It continues to produce confectionery under the Kalev trademark.
    As of 2 April, Kalev AS and Põltsamaa Felix AS form a single legal entity ‒ Orkla Eesti AS.

Kalev products through the ages