Germans love marzipan: no other country on the globe, allegedly, has a higher consumption rate. Products originating in the city of Lübeck are particularly well known, but the secret stronghold of raw marzipan production is believed to be in Berlin, where marzipan-based confectionery is also now available.

Hamid Djadda came up with the idea while waiting for his flight to leave Berlin airport. Browsing through the offerings in the duty free area he found a spot with a sign saying “Greetings from Berlin“. “There was a corner with lots of products made in Berlin,“ Djadda recalls. “But then I spied Marzipan from Lübeck!“ Djadda, aged 61, was appalled. “It really doesn’t make sense to offer sweets from elsewhere among products made in Berlin, especially since plenty of Marzipan is readily available right here in this city.“

In fact, Lübeck in northern Germany is world famous for its Marzipan. However, it is largely unknown that Berlin is a global center for raw marzipan manufacture. In Berlin’s Neukölln district, more raw marzipan is produced than anywhere else on earth thanks largely to two companies – Moll and Lemke. The firms were established more than a century ago, but because they supply their raw Marzipan to others instead of marketing under their own brand, they have remained largely unknown. Indeed, most of Berlin’s own inhabitants don’t know that their city is a secret marzipan hub.

Hamid Djadda was surprised, too. So when he saw the Lübeck Marzipan at the airport, an idea was born: he decided to create Marzipan-filled confectionery made in Berlin. Djadda teamed up with Sabine Dubenkropp – Germany’s Master Chocolate — maker in 2015 to develop recipes for the newly founded brand ‘Ohde’, procuring the raw material from the two local Berlin companies Moll and Lemke. The end-results are not only incredibly delicious, not only because the raw marzipan has an almond content of 62 percent, but also because Djadda has deliberately reduced the amount of sugar in his products, and ensures everything is exclusively handmade.

You can find Ohde products around the city—including the airport?—as well as at the company website.

Info: ohde.berlin