The heritage of flavors, tradition and innovation – Stühmer’s story that sweetened Hungary

It is impossible to imagine a more authentic venue than the Hungarian Museum of Commerce and Hospitality for the book launch event of Stühmer, which is now 157 years old. The brand also plays a significant role in the museum, as usual, with complete Stühmer store details, unique brand packaging and period advertisements welcoming visitors.

Stühmer: a master recipe of tradition and innovation

The Stühmer brand name has been synonymous with quality chocolate production in Hungary since the 19th century. The founder of the brand, Frigyes Stühmer, a master confectioner from Hamburg, founded the first Hungarian steam-powered chocolate factory in 1868. The Stühmer name quickly became recognized, thanks to its excellent quality and innovative packaging. The company has undergone many renewals over the decades, but has always remained true to its core values: tradition, innovation and excellent quality. Upon entering the Stühmer confectionery shop in Eger, the current owner of the brand, Péter Csóll, was immediately captivated by its atmosphere. In 2004, he purchased it, and later the Stühmer brand trademark itself. From there, Stühmer began to flourish again thanks to Péter’s developments.

In 2025, Stühmer pulled off another unexpected feat, developing space chocolate, which not only passed NASA’s filters, but also made it into outer space thanks to research astronaut Tibor Kapu. Stühmer is a brand of both tradition and innovation. The company believes that if we allow ourselves the freedom of inspiration and dare to dream big, then anything is possible; all of this is brought to life in a unique way in Balázs Hornyák’s book.

Hungarian Museum of Commerce and Hospitality – more than just a venue

The museum is not only the venue for the press event, but also a professional partner of the brand and the author of the book – it also supported the research material and professional editing of the Stühmer bookDr. Róbert Török, Director General, Chief Museologistand his team.

The Hungarian Museum of Commerce and Hospitality is proud that, based on the latest research results, it was able to support the research into the history of one of the most significant companies in the Hungarian confectionery industry, Stühmer Kft., and the Stühmer family, and the professional editing of their joint book, which is now being published. The museum’s staff assisted the author, Balázs Hornyák, with intellectual, material and historical materials, and contributed to the spectacular artistic execution of the book. The colorfully illustrated quality volume can be closely linked to our institution’s series of books exploring the history of domestic industry and businesses as well as domestic applied art and design. The colorful and spectacular, and at the same time gap-filling, confectionery volume may well become a favorite of buyers. The true story of Tibi and Zizi Stühmer is authentically presented to the highly interested public, who, by browsing the book, can learn about the life of the Hungarian Confectionery Industry, which is still alive and thriving today, full of “colorful sweets and sweet stories.”

The author of the book, Balázs Hornyák, called the process of the creation of the work special.

“The research on the topic started almost from scratch, and only little by little did the forgotten pieces of the past emerge. Day by day, the everyday life of a Hungarian factory with a long history and the history of the family that founded the business unfolded before me. The period articles cited in the book also strengthen the nostalgic atmosphere and nicely complement the vast image material. I consider the greatest achievement of the research to be that I managed to get in touch with the descendants of the Stühmer family, who helped my work with photographs never seen before, anywhere, and information that could not be obtained from anywhere else. Selfless private collectors, fearing They placed their carefully guarded Stühmer relics at my disposal, so it was a real team effort! The end result: a physically and content-wise thick, but uniquely colorful and informative book that presents the past and present of the 157-year-old Stühmer chocolates.”

More than a book

Péter Csóll, managing director-owner, the “storyteller” of the brand’s modern history, is proud that the book is a worthy memorial to all those who have determined the success of Stühmer over the past 157 years.

“The book, for me, is the Stühmer bible a true stand and guidance for values, the past and the present itself living with us. The spirit and thinking of Frigyes Stühmer are particularly important in a world where values ​​sometimes seem to be lost. At Stühmer, we feel it is important that the core values ​​formulated by the founder, tradition, the continuous pursuit of innovation and uncompromising quality, are not wasted, and nurturing them is a common task for all of us. Our consumers give feedback on our work, day after day, thus proving that we are on the right track.”