Individually personalizable confectionery promotional products from our own fruit gum and chocolate production
BÄREN COMPANY INTERNATIONAL GmbH
79336 HerbolzheimNew on Amplifa
Delicious Communication Made In-House
Kalfany Süße Werbung, today a brand of BÄREN COMPANY INTERNATIONAL GmbH and part of the ZERTUS Group, produces and distributes customizable confectionery as promotional products for promotional goods distributors. At its Herbolzheim site on the edge of the Black Forest, the company bundles the entire value chain: its own fruit gum production (Bären Company® brand) on an in-house Mogul line, chocolate refinement according to its own recipe (Choco Company brand, launched 2025), its own printing plant with flexographic and digital printing, a packaging operation, plus logistics and sales. Every year, over 2,000 t of fruit gum are produced from more than 1,100 developed recipes and over 2,300 realized individual shapes; per season, approximately 350–400 t of chocolate are processed, predominantly cast into deep-drawn parts for Advent calendars. The printing plant produces up to 2.2 million packaging units daily, with shipments of up to 1 million fruit gum bags (10–20 g) per day. The range includes gelatin-based and vegan recipes with pectin, organic quality, reduced-sugar variants, and fruit gum with dietary supplements; additionally, contract packaging, Private Label and brand cooperations with Ferrero, M&M'S®, Lindt, Ritter Sport, Pulmoll, Dextro Energy* and tic tac are offered. Around 200 employees deliver to promotional goods distributors across Europe.
- Site
- Herbolzheim
- Processes
- Fruit gum production (in-house fruit gum manufacturing, Mogul line, casting into molds), Chocolate casting / chocolate refinement (own chocolate casting), Flexographic printing for packaging, Digital printing for packaging (own printing plant), Packaging of confectionery, sugar and snack products in sachet bags, films, blisters, aluminum foil, Production of fruit gum as dietary supplements, Production of ecological/organic products (fruit gum, foods in portion packs), Individual product development (Custom Candies)
- Materials
- Fruit gum with gelatin, Vegan fruit gum with pectin, Chocolate (milk chocolate, min. 35% cocoa), Fairtrade cocoa, Marzipan, Tinplate (packaging/tins), FSC-certified paper, Compostable films
- Certificates
- IFS Food Version 8, Higher Level (96.81%), Organic certification (EU Organic Regulation 2018/848), Fairtrade Cocoa (trader, FLO-ID 41801), FSC Chain of Custody, IFS Food V8 Higher Level, Organic certification (EU Organic Regulation, DE-ÖKO-007), ISO 9001
- Founded
- 1981
- Employees
- around 200
- Industries
- Promotional goods trade/promotional products industry, Advertising specialties, Marketing/Communication
- 01
Product development (Custom Candies, recipe and shape)
- 02
Fruit gum production on Mogul line / own chocolate casting
- 03
Finishing and personalization
- 04
Flexographic and digital printing in our own printing plant
- 05
Packaging production
- 06
Contract packaging / filling
- 07
Logistics and shipping
- 08
Distribution via promotional goods distributors
Recipes, Raw Materials and Packaging Materials
Fruit gum with gelatin
Standard base mass for fruit gum promotional items in numerous shapes, colors and flavors.
Vegan fruit gum with pectin
Plant-based base mass for vegan recipes, including as vegan standard shapes.
Chocolate (milk chocolate, min. 35% cocoa)
Freshly cast for chocolate promotional items such as Naps, bars and Advent calendars.
Fairtrade cocoa
Cocoa with Fairtrade certification (FLO-ID 41801) for Choco Company chocolate.
Marzipan
Historically the first material basis for individually shaped confectionery promotional items.
Tinplate (packaging/tins)
Material for metal tins and magnetic-tin Advent calendars; certified as recyclable.
FSC-certified paper
Paper and cardboard from responsible forest management for packaging.
Compostable films
Film packaging with certified compostability as a sustainable alternative.
R-PP film
Recyclable polypropylene film for flow-pack packaging.
Organic ingredients (DE-ÖKO-007)
Ingredients from controlled organic farming for organic-certified fruit gum and sugar products.
Herbolzheim Site
Herbolzheim
DEProduction, printing plant, packaging, logistics, sales, administration
- Part weight / size
- Fruit gum bags 10–20 g; annual volume over 2,000 t
- Lot size
- from 3,500 pieces à 10 g (standard shapes); own shapes from 150/300 kg
- Materials
- Fruit gum (gelatin/pectin), chocolate, marzipan, paper, films, tinplate
- Mogul line (fruit gum production)
- Flexographic printing presses
- Digital printing plant (HP Indigo)
- Packaging and filling systems
- Chocolate casting
Product and Packaging Shapes
Inside the production
Industries
Processes & technical limits
| Processes | Tolerance | Max. part | Weight | Lot size | Materials |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fruit gum production (in-house fruit gum manufacturing, Mogul line, casting into molds)Plastics | – | – | – | from 3,500 pieces à 10 g (standard | Fruit gum with gelatin, Vegan fruit gum with pectin |
| Chocolate casting / chocolate refinement (own chocolate casting)Casting | – | – | approx. 350–400 tonnes of chocolate per | – | Chocolate (milk chocolate, min. 35% cocoa), Fairtrade cocoa chocolate, Marzipan |
| Flexographic printing for packagingSurface | – | – | – | – | Paper packaging, Film packaging, Cardboard boxes |
| Digital printing for packaging (own printing plant)Surface | – | – | – | – | Paper, Cardboard, Films |
| Packaging of confectionery, sugar and snack products in sachet bags, films, blisters, aluminum foilAssembly | – | – | 10 g (fruit gum bags) – 20 g (fruit gum bags) | – | Confectionery, Sugar confectionery, Snack products (including trail mix) |
| Production of fruit gum as dietary supplementsPlastics | – | – | – | – | Fruit gum with dietary supplements |
| Production of ecological/organic products (fruit gum, foods in portion packs)Plastics | – | – | – | – | Organic fruit gum, Organic sugar confectionery |
3 Anlagen & Maschinen
| Machine | Manufacturer / model | Quantity | Working area | Year built | Site |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mogul line (fruit gum production) | – | – | – | – | Herbolzheim |
| Printing press (flexographic printing) | – | – | – | – | Herbolzheim |
| Digital printing plant (HP Indigo, per Awards) | HP Indigo | – | – | – | Herbolzheim |
Additional services
Reference customers
Certified Production
Production in Herbolzheim is certified to IFS Food Version 8 at Higher Level (96.81%) and is audited unannounced. In addition, there is organic certification under the EU Organic Regulation (DE-ÖKO-007), Fairtrade cocoa certification (FLO-ID 41801), and FSC Chain of Custody for packaging.
| Evidence | Herbolzheim |
|---|---|
| IFS Food V8 Higher Level | |
| Organic certification (EU Organic Regulation, DE-ÖKO-007) | |
| Fairtrade Cocoa (trader, FLO-ID 41801) | |
| FSC Chain of Custody | |
| ISO 9001 |
From the Confectionery to the Sweet Advertising World
- 1975
In his confectionery business in Emmendingen, Pieter Schubert shapes individually formed confectionery as promotional items for the first time, including from marzipan and chocolate.
- 1981
Founding of the company "Süße Werbung".
- 1998
Relocation to Herbolzheim and start of own fruit gum production.
- 2007
Merger with "Kalfany" to form Kalfany Süße Werbung GmbH & Co. KG, part of the ZERTUS Group; first IFS certification.
- 2009
Organic certification according to DE-ÖKO-007.
- 2019
Fairtrade and FSC certifications.
- 2025
Launch of the in-house chocolate brand Choco Company.
- 2026
A new chapter under the umbrella of BÄREN COMPANY INTERNATIONAL GmbH with more than 200 employees in Herbolzheim.