This bittersweet story of our chocolate began with a trading business in 1805 in Damascus. The Ghraoui brand has always been associated with high quality and excellence despite the political hardship that plagued its history, the Ghraoui success and legacy was passed down from one Ghraoui generation to the next.
THE GHRAOUI LEGACY
1805
The Ghraoui family, 1914. From left to right: Sadek Ghraoui (Bassam Ghraoui’s father), Ahmad Ghraoui (the father) holding Mohamed, Fawzieh in the back, Nadim, Mahmoud and Shafik
1900
In the early 20th century, the head of the family’s 4th generation, Mr. Sadek A. Ghraoui, was a pioneer in introducing Syrian crafts to the international community. He represented the Syrian merchant and business communities in Levant countries and all over the world. Sadek Ghraoui was one of the five main founders of the fruit and vegetables canning company ‘Companie National des Conserves’, which was the very first public shareholding company, and also the largest company, in Syria at that time. It employed over 1000 employees, its products were known across Europe and America and it participated in international fairs where Ghraoui products received numerous accolades and awards, including gold medals, from Paris to New York acknowledging their dedication to quality and excellence. Ottoman Syria was annexed by the short-lived Arab Kingdom of Syria in 1920 and then subsequently became a French mandate.
Sadek Ghraoui
Ghraoui stand representing Syrian and Lebanese Chambers of Commerce and Industry at the Paris Fare in 1931. Canned products in metal and glass containers are displayed in the stand
1930
THE PATH LEADING TO CHOCOLATE
In addition to founding several other big companies – among them the National Sugar Company in Homs and a cement company in Damascus – Sadek Ghraoui engaged in various commercial activities: the importing and distribution of food products led him to new adventures. After a visit to France in 1931, Sadek Ghraoui decided to introduce quality chocolate to consumers in the Middle East; to people used to traditional Arabic confectioneries, artisan chocolate was a new delicacy and a culinary discovery. At first, chocolate in and of itself was not alluring enough, so sterling silver scissors or a golden letter cutter were included in every chocolate box to tempt people into buying this novelty.
Sadek Ghraoui during a visit to a chocolate factory in France, 1931
Sadek Ghraoui is overseeing the installation and trial of manufacturing biscuits during his last manufacturing project: the Syrian Company for Manufacturing Biscuits and Chocolate, which which became the first Public Private Partnership Company in Syria
1960
The first nationalisation occurred after Syria and Egypt were united. President Nasser began a wave of nationalisation in both countries in June 1961, without first consulting the leading Syrian economic experts. The state gained total control of the cotton trade, as well as every import-export company. Bassam Ghraoui’s father lost all his factories when Nasser declared the nationalisation of all the banks and factories. Following the coup of 1961, Syria seceded from the union and once more became an independent nation. Then in 1963, Sadek Ghraoui decided to found a large manufactory where high quality chocolates, biscuits and confectioneries would be made. The manufacturing line needed to produce the biscuits was purchased from Werner and Pfleiderer in Stuttgart, the line for the chocolate from the Italian company Carle Montanari and the caramel line from the East German manufacturing combine, Nagema. The new company name was S. Ghraoui and Co. (Syrian Company for Chocolate & Biscuits). This was the last industrial venture of Bassam Ghraoui’s father. The factory was nationalised under the Baath Party’s leadership in 1965; the Syrian government took complete control of the factory’s management and production, without Mr. Ghraoui.
Workers at the Syrian public shareholding company for biscuits and chocolates, Sadek Ghraoui's last project in 1966.
1990
BASSAM S. GHRAOUI
Following the complete loss of the enterprise and the untimely death of Sadek A. Ghraoui in 1969, his son, Bassam S. Ghraoui, started over from scratch from the single small shop remaining to the family. The boutique weathered those difficult times under the management of the former shopkeeper while Sadek Ghraoui’s son completed his studies at university, before taking over the management of the last business to their name. Bassam Ghraoui founded the Ghraoui Chocolate Company Ltd. in 1996 and opened a factory equipped with the most modern of technological tools in the outskirts of Damascus, where artisan chocolates and confectioneries of unparalleled quality were created. Ghraoui products were made with the utmost attention and the most superb of raw materials were selected as ingredients, so that the expectations accompanying the grand legacy of their brand’s name would be satisfied to the utmost.
Bassam S. Ghraoui
RENAISSANCE
In 2017, Ghraoui has relaunched. Another page has been turned in Ghraoui’s history: our chocolate was reborn once more, this time in Budapest.’ With a dedication to high quality and excellence for over two centuries, GHRAOUI has accumulated an exceptional expertise about making exquisite artisan chocolate and confectionary products, the GHRAOUI team is proud to introduce a wide selection of delicacies. Our flagship store is on Andrássy Avenue, in the heart of Budapest. The avenue was listed as a world heritage site by UNESCO in 2002, making it a choice that complements our story perfectly. Since then, three more exceptional Ghraoui boutiques have opened their doors in Doha, Dubai, and Abu Dhabi.
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