A love for sweets is characteristic of people across all countries of the Middle East, and Israel is no exception. As a delicious gift for loved ones, visitors can purchase various types of halva, loquat (Japanese medlar), passion fruit, and caramelized pecans.
Israel offers a wide variety of confectionery products: baklava, doughnuts known as ponchkes fun t’vore, blinchikes (crepes with a variety of sweet fillings), hamantaschen—pastries filled with poppy seeds, candied fruits, and much more. One particularly interesting dessert that is definitely worth trying is knafeh. This incredibly вкусное and delicate treat is made from shredded kataifi pastry and goat cheese. When served, knafeh is soaked in sugar syrup and sprinkled with almonds, walnuts, or pistachios.
A traditional Israeli snack is Bamba—corn puffs coated with a thin layer of peanut butter. It is extremely popular and no celebration goes without it. Middle Eastern sweets deserve special mention: caramel pudding (malabi), candied fruits, and baklava made from pastry, honey, and nuts. There is also sahlav—a thick drink made from milk, corn starch, sugar, and spices; and malabi—a chilled milk-based dessert with corn flour and rose water. And many, many other delicacies.
“The chocolate cow is always with you,” as Israelis jokingly call their favorite treat—the chocolate of the country’s most famous brand, Elite, produced by the Strauss Group. Today, the company manufactures dairy products, salads, savory snacks, coffee, honey, sweets, and, of course, chocolate. For more than 70 years, the famous “Para” chocolate has been a leading brand of the company. Over time, in addition to traditional Elite chocolate bars, the company began producing flavored bars, candies, wafer treats, and even “Para” ice cream.
The company’s history began in 1925, when Eliyahu Fromchenko acquired the Laima chocolate factory in Riga. Together with partners, he strengthened the Laima brand both in Latvia and abroad. In 1932, Fromchenko, along with his partner Yakov Arens, traveled to Palestine. Following this visit, they decided to purchase land and build a chocolate factory in Ramat Gan. After a long search, the location was chosen where the Elite factory still stands today.
At the beginning of 1934, production of confectionery and chocolate products began. Factory workers, along with Fromchenko himself, would go out into the streets of Ramat Gan inviting people to taste Elite chocolate. People were delighted, and word about the excellent taste quickly spread throughout the country.
In 1946, a chewing gum production line was opened at the factory. By 1951, Elite chewing gum was successfully sold in European countries such as England and Sweden. In 1958, Fromchenko and his partners acquired a factory in Nazareth Illit and began producing Elite products there. At that time, the workforce consisted of only 30 people—today, around 700 employees work at the factory.
In 1982, the chocolate bar “Pesek Zman” was launched and quickly became one of the factory’s leading products and a favorite among sweet lovers. Today, more than eight product lines are produced simultaneously across different factory departments. Among them:
Elite is also a leader in Israel’s coffee market and one of the few brands recognized and appreciated abroad. The secret of the popularity of Elite instant coffee lies in two simple factors: its smooth, familiar taste and the “blue-and-white” philosophy of the brand, reminding Israelis of their roots, traditions, and family.
Coffee is widely consumed in Israel. Israelis drink approximately 2.2 billion cups of coffee per year, 1.6 billion of which are produced under the Elite brand. About three-quarters of all coffee consumed is instant. The fast-paced lifestyle and cultural habits influence both the style of coffee consumption and taste preferences. Elite instant coffee remains a true national symbol, used by 55% of households in Israel. About 10% of Israelis do not travel abroad without taking a jar of their favorite instant coffee with them.
In 1993, company PR specialist Mark Moshevich shared how the idea of producing instant coffee originated: during business trips to Finland in the 1950s, he encountered instant coffee, which was extremely popular there. At the time, it was unavailable in Israel and its import was prohibited. This inspired the idea to produce it locally. However, the technology was highly secret and controlled by only a few companies, such as Nestlé and General Foods. Eventually, a partnership with an American Jewish manufacturer provided the necessary expertise, leading to successful production.
The product quickly found its place in the market, despite uncertainty about whether Israeli consumers would accept it. The project proved highly successful, and the 1960s became a particularly successful period for Elite, partly due to the construction of a factory in Safed.
Today, 90% of the country’s population is familiar with the Elite instant coffee brand. A 200 g package is found in more than 800,000 Israeli households, and 70% of young people report drinking Elite instant coffee. One in every three cups of instant coffee consumed in Israel is Elite.
Some interesting facts about Elite instant coffee:
Elite coffee and chocolate are widely available throughout Israel, including in Duty Free shops at Ben Gurion Airport.