Győri Keksz
A historic Hungarian biscuit and confectionery brand originating in Győr and associated with a broad range of biscuits, wafers, rusks, candies, and baking products.
Last updated October 30, 2026
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Overview
Győri Keksz is a historic Hungarian biscuit and confectionery brand whose origins trace back to the first Hungarian biscuit factory, established in Győrsziget in 1880 from Hermann Bach's steam mill. The business was acquired in 1892 by Lajos Koestlin, an Austrian biscuit manufacturer who moved equipment and experienced workers from his Bregenz operation to Hungary. Production restarted in Győr in 1900 with approximately 50 specialists and initially covered biscuits, rusks, army-style cvibak, wafers, and gingerbread. The factory expanded rapidly and became one of the leading biscuit producers in the Austro-Hungarian market. Before the First World War it employed approximately 1,000 people, and demand from civilian and military customers increased substantially during the conflict. The postwar period brought shortages of ingredients and a reduction in employment, but the company diversified to stabilize the business. Chocolate and bonbons were added in 1922, candies in 1925, and jellies by 1926. The company was exporting to 14 countries by 1926 and offered approximately 334 product varieties during the 1930s. Its portfolio and corporate form changed repeatedly in response to economic and political conditions. It became a public limited company in 1931, while retaining a broad product range despite the Great Depression. During the German occupation, manufacturing was narrowed largely to biscuits, wafers, and rusks because the factory was assigned to war production. After the Second World War, production was interrupted for several months because of shortages of money and raw materials. The plant was subsequently directed to meet public demand in Győr. It was nationalized in 1947, restored to independent status in 1948, and reorganized in 1950 as the Győri Keksz és Ostyagyár Nemzeti Vállalat, or National Company of the Győr Biscuit and Wafer Factory. In 1963 it was incorporated into the Magyar Édesipari Vállalat, the national Hungarian confectionery company, alongside the country's other confectionery factories. The factory underwent repeated modernization during the 1980s. Following Hungary's political and economic transition, it was privatized in 1991 by the British company United Biscuits and registered as Győri Keksz Ltd. The company headquarters moved from Győr to Budaörs in 1997. Danone acquired the business from United Biscuits in 2000, and the Danone biscuit division, including Győri Keksz Ltd., was acquired by Kraft Foods in 2007. The documented headquarters later moved to Székesfehérvár, while manufacturing was no longer carried out within Hungary according to the cited reference material. The brand's historical identity rests on familiar Hungarian biscuit and wafer products, but its former industrial business was considerably broader. Over time, the factory made rusks, sponge fingers, baking ingredients, candies, chocolate products, chewing gum, drops, jellies, gingerbread, and licensed confectionery. Important licensing arrangements included Albert biscuits, Dr. Oetker products, Negro throat candy, and PEZ pressed candies. Győri Keksz therefore represents both a consumer-facing brand and a long-running industrial confectionery enterprise whose ownership and production structure changed substantially while its Hungarian brand heritage remained significant.
History
The industrial predecessor of Győri Keksz emerged from Hermann Bach's steam mill in Győrsziget, where Hungary's first biscuit factory was established in 1880. Lajos Koestlin bought the factory in 1892 after facing strong competition at his biscuit operation in Bregenz, Austria. He transferred machinery to Hungary in six railway freight cars and brought approximately 50 experienced workers. Manufacturing restarted in Győr in 1900. Koestlin's factory initially made biscuits, rusks, military cvibak, wafers, and gingerbread. It grew into a major regional producer, employing about 1,000 people before the First World War and supplying customers throughout the Austro-Hungarian Monarchy. Wartime demand increased, but the years after the war brought shortages and reduced employment. The company responded by diversifying: chocolate and bonbons were introduced in 1922, candies in 1925, and jellies by 1926. It was exporting to 14 countries in 1926 and had around 334 product varieties during the 1930s. In 1931 the enterprise was reorganized as a public limited company. Despite the Great Depression, it maintained a wide assortment. Under German occupation, it was designated for war production and concentrated on biscuits, wafers, and rusks. Production stopped for four months in 1945 because of financial and material shortages, after which the mayor of Győr directed the plant to supply public needs. Parts of the production halls were also leased to other industrial interests. The factory was nationalized in 1947 but declared independent again in 1948. In 1950 it became the Győri Keksz és Ostyagyár Nemzeti Vállalat. A further structural change came in 1963, when Hungary's six confectionery factories were consolidated under the Magyar Édesipari Vállalat. Product responsibilities also shifted: some chocolate figures, bonbons, Christmas candies, jellies, chewing gum, drops, and rusks were discontinued at the factory, while it gained production rights for gingerbread, wafers, and babapiskóta, a sweet sponge-finger product. Expansion continued in the late 1960s. A new division enabled production of baking powder, vanilla sugar, custard powder, and tea flavorings from 1968. A Dr. Oetker licensing agreement broadened the assortment in the 1970s. In 1980 the factory obtained a license for Negro candy, a menthol- and anise-associated throat confection later made in several flavors. A joint venture with the Austrian HAAS Company subsequently operated under the name Hungarocandy Kft. and produced PEZ candies under license. Modernization took place several times during the 1980s. After Hungary's transition away from the state-socialist economic system, the Győri Keksz és Ostyagyár was privatized in 1991 by United Biscuits and registered as Győri Keksz Ltd. The company's headquarters moved from Győr to Budaörs in 1997. Danone acquired the business in 2000, and Kraft Foods acquired Danone's biscuit division, including Győri Keksz Ltd., in 2007. The documented headquarters later became Székesfehérvár. The cited reference states that production was no longer taking place in Hungary, although the Győri brand continued to represent a recognizable Hungarian biscuit and confectionery heritage.
- 2007
Acquisition by Kraft Foods
[1]Kraft Foods acquired the Danone division that included Győri Keksz Ltd.
- 2000
Acquisition by Danone
[1]Danone acquired Győri Keksz from United Biscuits.
- 1997
Headquarters moved to Budaörs
[1]The company's headquarters shifted from Győr to Budaörs.
- 1991
Privatization by United Biscuits
[1]Following Hungary's economic transition, United Biscuits privatized the factory, which was registered as Győri Keksz Ltd.
- 1980
Negro candy license acquired
[1]The factory received a license to produce Negro throat candy.
- 1968
Baking ingredient production begins
[1]A new division enabled the production of baking powder, vanilla sugar, custard powder, and tea flavorings.
- 1963
Integration into Magyar Édesipari Vállalat
[1]Hungary's confectionery factories were consolidated under the Magyar Édesipari Vállalat.
- 1950
Creation of the national biscuit and wafer company
[1]The factory was reorganized as the Győri Keksz és Ostyagyár Nemzeti Vállalat.
- 1947
Nationalization
[1]The factory was nationalized in postwar Hungary.
- 1931
Conversion to a public limited company
[1]The business was reorganized as a public limited company while retaining a large assortment.
Products and positioning
A traditional, mass-market Hungarian biscuit and confectionery brand with strong national heritage and a historically broad product portfolio.
Biscuits · 1900
Biscuits
Biscuits are the core category associated with Győri Keksz. The factory produced a broad variety of everyday and licensed biscuit products, helping establish the brand as a major Hungarian packaged-food name.
Licensed biscuits · 1912
Albert biscuits
Albert biscuits entered the portfolio through a 1912 license from the British T&T Vicars Company. Their inclusion illustrates the factory's early use of international product licenses alongside its own biscuit production.
Wafers · 1900
Wafers
Wafers were among the factory's original product categories and remained an important part of its assortment through later organizational changes and modernization.
Baked goods · 1900
Rusks and babapiskóta
The historic range included ordinary rusks, army cvibak, and later babapiskóta, a sweet sponge-finger product. These products connected the brand with both staple baked goods and confectionery-style biscuits.
Throat candy · 1980
Negro candy
Negro is a throat-oriented candy historically associated with anise and menthol flavors. Győri Keksz received a production license in 1980, and the product was later made in additional flavor variants.
Pressed candy
PEZ candies
Through a joint venture with Austria's HAAS Company, operating as Hungarocandy Kft., the factory produced PEZ pressed candies under license.
Baking products · 1968
Baking ingredients
From 1968, an additional division produced baking powder, vanilla sugar, custard powder, and tea flavorings, expanding the operation beyond finished biscuits and confectionery.
Brand decisions
2007
Kraft Foods acquisition of the Danone biscuit divisionM&ABackground
Danone's biscuit operations included Győri Keksz Ltd.
Action taken
Kraft Foods acquired the Danone division containing Győri Keksz.
Aftermath
The brand entered the Kraft Foods portfolio, while the cited reference states that production was no longer taking place in Hungary.
2000
Danone acquisitionM&ABackground
Győri Keksz was operating as a privatized biscuit business under United Biscuits.
Action taken
Danone acquired the company from United Biscuits.
Aftermath
The brand became part of Danone's biscuit division until that division was sold to Kraft Foods in 2007.
1991
Privatization and corporate re-registrationStrategyBackground
Hungary's post-socialist economic transition created the conditions for state-owned food factories to be transferred into private ownership.
Action taken
United Biscuits privatized the Győri biscuit and wafer factory, which was registered as Győri Keksz Ltd.
Aftermath
The transaction began the brand's modern period of multinational ownership.
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