Chocolates Garoto S.A. is a Brazilian chocolate and confectionery company headquartered in Vila Velha, Espírito Santo. The company was founded in 1929 by German immigrant Heinrich Meyerfreund and acquired by Nestlé in 2002.
History
Early history and launch of Garoto (1929-2001)
The company Chocolates Garoto was founded on August 16, 1929, by the German immigrant Heinrich Meyerfreund, with the name of candy factory H. Meyerfreund & Cia., in a warehouse located in Prainha, a neighborhood located in the city of Vila Velha in the Brazilian state Espírito Santo. Garoto started by producing the Pastilha Garoto mint. The first candies were first sold at the local tram stops in Vila Velha and subsequently distributed to commercial clients, both in the capital and in other major cities of the state.
In 1934, Heinrich Meyerfreund received an inheritance from his parents and bought machines for the production of chocolates. Two years later, he obtained financing to set up a more modern factory in the Glória neighborhood, where Garoto's industrial park still stands today. With new infrastructure and chocolate-based products, the company entered a phase of strong growth and began selling beyond the limits of Espírito Santo.
In 1938, business was boosted when Günther Zennig joined the company.