Sarotti facts for kids
Sarotti is a well-known German chocolate brand. Since 1998, it has been owned by a company called Stollwerck GmbH.
Contents
Sarotti's Story
Sarotti has a long and interesting history, starting in Berlin and growing into a big chocolate maker.
Early Days in Berlin
In 1868, a person named Hugo Hoffmann started a company to make sweets. His first shop was in Berlin. Later, in 1881, the company began making chocolate in a factory. This factory grew bigger over the years, adding more buildings. By 1913, the factory moved to a new, larger building in a part of Berlin called Tempelhof.
Factory in Hattersheim
Sarotti also had a large chocolate factory in Hattersheim, a town in Hesse, Germany. In the 1960s, this factory was one of the biggest employers in the area, with up to 2,000 workers. Eventually, this factory became part of another company, Nestlé. The Hattersheim factory closed in 1994. Today, it is recognized as a historic site by the state of Hesse.
The Sarotti-Mohr Mascot
The Sarotti-Mohr was a famous mascot created for Sarotti in 1918 by a German artist named Julius E. F. Gipkens. It was designed to encourage people to buy more chocolate after World War I, when chocolate production had gone down.
The mascot was a figure dressed in bright, detailed clothes, including a turban and fancy shoes. It was shown on chocolate bars and was very popular. The mascot looked like a child and was meant to seem friendly. However, it also had features that were seen as stereotypes of African people.
At first, there were three such figures, but by 1922, only one was used. Gipkens was asked to create this icon for Sarotti's 50th anniversary. One idea for the mascot came from the street where Sarotti's first shop was located, which translated to "Blackamoore Street." Also, at that time, pictures of black servants were common in art.
During a difficult political period in Germany, the Sarotti-Mohr was viewed in different ways. Some thought its exotic look was not "German," but others liked its connection to faraway lands. Even though it appeared on some packaging, chocolate was not widely available then, so the mascot was not often seen in public. After World War II, the figure became very popular again. Sometimes, Afro-German children even posed as a "live Sarotti-Mohr" at fairs.
However, starting in the 1990s, people began to question the mascot more. Many felt it was based on racist stereotypes.
Changes in Ownership and Mascot
In 1929, Nestlé became the main owner of Sarotti. Sarotti was mainly known in Germany. In 1998, Nestlé sold Sarotti to Stollwerck Chocolates.
In 2004, a new mascot was introduced because of the concerns about the old one. The new figure is called the "Magician of the Senses." It has golden skin and is shown juggling golden stars instead of holding chocolate. This new image still reminds people of the original Sarotti-Mohr, but it is designed to be more modern and respectful.
See also
In Spanish: Sarotti para niños
