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Kunzles

Re: Kunzell Cakes

Kunzell cakes were the highlight of high tea at my great aunts on a Saturday visit to them, so pretty, but which one to choose - never did work out which was my favourite!
Sue
 
Re: Kunzell Cakes

I remember the round cakes which were choc sponge with cream in the middle and covered with choc. I think they were in cellophane packets at the local store. Mo
icon7.png
 
Re: Kunzell Cakes

I think they were a special line for Wimbush - my "auntie" worked there and used to bring us on each when they visited, if there were any left in the shop, they were very popular!
Sue
 
Re: Kunzell Cakes

I have been told recently that both my mother and Aunt worked at Kunzles, so we are probably going back to the 1930s and apparently the initial factory was just off Five Ways in Edgbaston. Can anyone confirm this? Thanks.
 
Hi Carolina. From this article I found it looks as though the Kunzle's Bakery was next door to their shop at 146 Broad Street, Five Ways and was where Auchinleck House stands today. This article mentions the shop and especially the decorated Easter Eggs with edible flowers which I remember seeing. It was a shop to be noticed. I don't think we have seen a photo of the Broad Street shop or the bakery on BHF. Hope someone can find one. Kunzles moved to their Garrett's Green Lane factory in 1960. https://www.thefreelibrary.com/Sweet+memories+of+Brum's+cake+king...-a0268466
 
Thanks Jennyann, it looks like Astoness put one on the Broad Street thread but it was one that had been hacked.
 
As there are missing images and links on this thread, I'm posting images of the Kunzle's offices and shop at Five ways and the cafe at Union Street.

The first two images are of Kunzle's Five ways from Birmingham Gazette December 1931.
image.jpeg

image.jpeg


Kunzles's Union Street Cafe.
image.jpeg image.jpeg
 
You really are naughty Vivienne, drawing out attention to Kunzle products, especially as they are no longer available. I am sat here, watching tv with a nice warm log fire and the only thing that would make it all perfect - considering the cold wind and rain outside - would be coffee with a couple of mouthwatering Kunzle cakes. ;)
 
Totally agree Alan. I remember the cakes very well but not the shops or the cafes.

As I understand it Kunzle's was, like Cadburys, a very caring employer which produced a delicious product. The world could still do with more of those. So yes Alan, lets Bring back Kunzle's !

Viv.
 
I think their factory used to be on the trading estate over Garrets Green way. A particular favorite was the Show Boat selection but one was enough as they were rather sickly -
eating the decoration off the top, licking the cream center until it was gone and then finishing off the chocolate casing :)

Showboat.JPG
 
mbenne said:
I think their factory used to be on the trading estate over Garrets Green way. A particular favorite was the Show Boat selection but one was enough as they were rather sickly -
eating the decoration off the top, licking the cream center until it was gone and then finishing off the chocolate casing :)

View attachment 123853
Click to expand...
My mum and two of her friends put the decorations on top of the cup cakes , Friday was always a day to remember when she came home after a visit to the shop for rejects ,Happy memories
 
Maybe that was why Kunzle Show Boat is no longer with us. One - two for the over-indulgent - was enough. Whereas many present day boxed cakes are not as rich and encourage them to be quickly consumed. :eek:
 
My aunt by marriage and her sister worked at Kunzles when they left school (1930s ?).
She was in the department that tied the ribbons round the boxes of chocolates.

Aunty said when she first went to work there they were allowed to help themselves to the chocolates but after the first week most of the girls got so sick of them they didn't bother anymore! I guess the company knew that was likely to happen so it was a good strategy.
 
I remember a shop they had on the corner of St Martins St and Broad St when I was a nipper late 50's early 60's , I think that head office etc at Five Ways was a bit before my time
 
A Sparks said:
My aunt by marriage and her sister worked at Kunzles when they left school (1930s ?).
She was in the department that tied the ribbons round the boxes of chocolates.

Aunty said when she first went to work there they were allowed to help themselves to the chocolates but after the first week most of the girls got so sick of them they didn't bother anymore! I guess the company knew that was likely to happen so it was a good strategy.
Click to expand...

That was similar to Cadburys, where the girls/women on the packing lines were allowed to eat as many of the particular sort they were packing, but not any others. They usually got sick of just strawberry cremes or whatever.
 
Sakura said:
Re: Kunzell Cakes

I remember the round cakes which were choc sponge with cream in the middle and covered with choc. I think they were in cellophane packets at the local store. Mo
icon7.png
Click to expand...
They were my absolute favourites! We always used to go there for the “rejects”.
 
mbenne said:
I think their factory used to be on the trading estate over Garrets Green way. A particular favorite was the Show Boat selection but one was enough as they were rather sickly -
eating the decoration off the top, licking the cream center until it was gone and then finishing off the chocolate casing :)

View attachment 123853
Click to expand...
happy mems of sunday tea.at moms great thanks
 
The cakes are mentioned in Barbara Vine's 1998 novel The Chimney Sweeper's Boy. The narrator says that they had just come back into the shops after a forty years' absence. Assuming the novel is set in the late 1990s, does this sound right?
 
is this the same as kunzles choc. factory five ways? my sisters first job early 1950(aprox).filling choc boxes.conveyor belt started slowly and gradually speeded up.brought home bag of mishap chocs on friday.memories!!
 
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