Then newlywed couple Vincek founded their confectionery shop in 1977 offering traditional desserts and sweets prepared to recipes they faithfully keep to this very day.
Stjepan Vincek arrived in Zagreb from Varaždin, where he learned the tricks of the trade. Having taken over the then famous Zagreb confectionery shop Volarić in 1977, they ventured into running their own business in Zvonimirova.
“I was fortunate enough to learn from a master who was a confectioner at bishops’ palaces in Vienna and Budapest, which was considered the apex in the confectionery business back then”, Stjepan Vincek tells us and explains that it was precisely this master who helped him out with recipes and decorations while starting his own business. As years went by, confectionery shop Vincek expanded their business activities, they moved to Ilica during the 1990s, in 2002 they opened shops in Trešnjevka and Kvatrić, while in 2012 and 2016 they showcased their gluten-free desserts in Budek and Tomićeva respectively. The entire Vincek family takes part in running the business so their daughter helps out with the nutritional values of their desserts, their son is in charge of bookkeeping, while their sons-in-law give a helping hand whenever it’s required.
Photo: Sanjin Strukić/PIXSELL
They try to manage their brand by educating confectioners and employing them and they’re definitely good at it since they have over a hundred full-time employees.
“This line of work is a very responsible one and I’m happy that the children are running the business because everything has changed over the years”, Stjepan Vincek tells us nostalgically. Figuratively speaking, former hits such as cherry strudel and cheese and meat pie have been replaced by more modern and gluten-free desserts, while people traditionally love their Icy Wind and cremeschnitte. In the 1980s they came up with the Zagreb cremeschnitte, which has been their signature dessert ever since. The confectionery shop in Ilica is by far the most popular locations and tourist flock there, whereas soon they’ll open a new production facility in Dugave, which will extend over four thousand square metres.
