Manner (confectionery) facts for kids
Manner is a famous company from Austria that makes delicious sweets! They are part of a bigger company called Josef Manner & Comp AG, which started way back in 1890. Manner makes all sorts of treats like crispy wafers, chocolates, candies, and special holiday goodies.
Their most famous product is the "Neapolitan wafer". These tasty wafers were first made in 1898. They come in blocks of ten small wafers, each filled with a yummy hazelnut cream. The hazelnuts originally came from the Naples region in Italy, which is how they got their name. The recipe for these wafers is still the same today!
The company's logo shows a picture of St. Stephen's Cathedral in Vienna. This logo has been used since the 1890s. That's because Josef Manner (who founded the company) opened his first shop right next to the cathedral. The church and the Manner company made a special agreement: Manner could use the cathedral in its logo, and in return, they would help pay for a stonemason to repair the cathedral.
Contents
History
How Manner Grew Big
Josef Manner was a smart businessman who had a small shop in Vienna. He sold chocolate and coffee there. In 1890, he bought a small chocolate factory and started his own company, "Josef Manner Chocolate Factory," with his brothers. Just six months later, they moved to a bigger place in Hernals. By 1897, the company had grown to 100 employees! The special "Manner cut" for their wafers was invented in 1898.
In 1900, Johann Georg Riedl joined the company, starting a partnership between the families that still lasts today. By 1913, Josef Manner's company had become the top sweet maker in Austria-Hungary. They even built the large factory in Vienna-Hernals that is still used today. In October 1913, the company became a public company and had 3,000 employees.
During World War II
During World War II, Manner continued to make sweets. The company produced chocolate and biscuits for soldiers. Even with many challenges, the company kept growing during this time. The factory building was not badly damaged by bombings.
After the War
After the war ended, the company faced a shortage of ingredients like sugar and cocoa for two years. In 1947, the company's founder, Josef Manner, passed away at 82. His grandson, Carl Manner, joined the company in 1953.
In 1960, Manner started using new packaging for their wafers. They used special aluminum-coated foil with a red tear-off strip. This kept the wafers fresh and tasty! Because of this new packaging, sales went up, and in 1964, they had their best sales since 1914. In 1970, Manner took over two other sweet companies, Napoli and Casali. This made their product range much bigger.
In 2005, there was a discussion about protecting the old Manner factory building in Vienna as a historical monument. The company worried this might make them move their production, which caused a lot of talk in Vienna.
Manner has opened special shops called "flagship stores." In June 2004, they opened one on Stephansplatz in Vienna. They also have shops at Vienna Airport, in Salzburg, and in Graz. These shops help them sell more products, especially in other countries.
In 2009, Manner's total sales were about 155.4 million euros. About 55% of their products were sold outside Austria. In 2011, Manner announced they would expand their factory in Vienna. They planned to make all their wafers there starting in 2015. In 2014, part of the Manner factory in Hernals collapsed during renovations, but luckily, no one was hurt. In 2016, some production was moved to Vienna from another factory in Upper Austria.
Carl Manner led the company as the third generation of the family until he passed away in 2017. He was a very important part of the company for many years.
The factory in Vienna was greatly improved. In 2017, they even started using heat from the factory to help warm about 600 homes! By 2020, all the changes were finished. The factory in Perg was closed, and its machines were moved to Vienna.
Trademark St. Stephen's Cathedral
Manner has used Vienna's St. Stephen's Cathedral as its special trademark since 1889. The design was created by Josef Diltsch. In 1999, Carl Manner received a special award for his company's support of the cathedral.
| Nutritional value per 100g | |
|---|---|
| Energy | 485 kcal (2,030 kJ) |
|
65 g
|
|
| Sugars | 46 g |
|
22 g
|
|
| Trans | 13 g |
|
Protein
|
5.6 g
|
| Minerals | Quantity
%DV†
|
| Sodium |
10%
150 mg |
| †Percentages estimated using US recommendations for adults. | |
Original Manner Neapolitan Wafers
The Original Manner Neapolitaner wafer was first officially mentioned in 1898. At first, the wafers were sold loosely. From 1924, they were sold in packs of ten wafers. Then, in 1960, they started using the special sealed aluminum-paper packaging with a tear-off strip that we know today.
| Nutritional value per 100g | |
|---|---|
| Energy | 503 kcal (2,100 kJ) |
|
66 g
|
|
| Sugars | 46 g |
|
25 g
|
|
| Trans | 21 g |
|
Protein
|
2.9 g
|
| Minerals | Quantity
%DV†
|
| Sodium |
7%
100 mg |
| †Percentages estimated using US recommendations for adults. | |
Fun Facts
- In 2008, Austrian Post made a special stamp with Manner's classic advertising picture from the 1950s. It said "... so good!"
- The world's biggest waffle oven is at the Manner factory in Vienna. It can make 49 tons of waffles every day!
- In 2014, for Carl Manner's 85th birthday, 8,500 packs of Manner wafers were set up like dominoes in a big hall in Vienna. They all fell down with one push!
- Carl Manner studied math and physics at the University of Vienna. He joined the Manner company in 1953 when he was 24. He passed away in 2017, almost 88 years old.
- After part of the factory collapsed in 2014, Carl Manner said that the St. Stephen's Cathedral trademark had protected them, and no one was hurt.
- The bike companies KTM and Stilrad have made bicycles with the cool Manner design.
See also
