Schokoladenfabrik Pflöger & Krause “PORTOLA” – 1913 to 1945
Established in Magdeburg in 1913 under the name Schokoladenfabrik Pflöger & Krause “PORTOLA” – the “Portola” chocolate factory quickly established a reputation for producing high quality chocolates, sweets and pastries. The factory of the Portola Süßwarenfabrik was built in Magdeburg-Nord, on an industrial estate next to the city port, allowing Portola to have its own railway connection.
Like many businesses in Germany after the first world war, the Portola Süßwarenfabrik issued its own emergency currency – more specifically encased postage stamps. The Schokoladenfabrik Pflöger & Krause “PORTOLA” managed to continue to operate until the end of the second world war, when its factory was partially destroyed – thus putting a brief stop to its production lines.
VEB Portola Süßwarenfabrik – 1945 to 1990
After 1945 the Schokoladenfabrik Pflöger & Krause “PORTOLA” was rebuilt, but at the same its owners were dispossessed and the factory turned into a publicly owned enterprise and renamed into VEB Portola Süßwarenfabrik.
The VEB Portola continued producing a wide assortment of sweets and chocolates throughout the 1950s, when it was merged – along with the Gesundkost Magdeburg – under the VEB Süßwarenfabrik „Wesa“ Wilkau-Haßlau, which itself was part of the VEB Kombinat Süßwaren Halle (which is the oldest still operating Chocolate factory in Germany – dating back to 1806),
VEB Portola Süßwarenfabrik – Candy M. – 1991 to 2003
After German reunification, the staff of the VEB Portola Süßwarenfabrik managed to take ownership of the factory. The company achieved a small claim to fame, when they started producing Trabbi-shaped gummi bears, even sending Ronald Reagan some (no word on if he liked them or not).
The company went through a rebrand, now operating under the name Candy M. – though the company ran into serious financial issues due to low sales and the need to upgrade the outdated and worn out production machines. The company went bust and the factory was shuttered. The now abandoned factory was left to rot for the next few years, with vandalism and copper thieves tearing through the buildings. In September 2003, a fire broke out in one of the buildings, burning it to the ground.
VEB Portola Süßwarenfabrik Today (2025)
Not much has changed since the fire broke out in 2003. The factory is still abandoned, and essentially everything that could be smashed up has been smashed up. One of the production buildings has a terrible stench coming from it, deterring the more sane minded people from exploring it. Supposedly after the factory shut down, they left a whole bunch of chemicals and flavouring behind in the cellars, which could possible be the reason behind the smell. We didnt care to find out.
The main building does have some architectural appeal, though it doesnt seem to fall under any heritage protection. Its most likely that the building(s) will fall victim to another arson attack at some point and burn down completely – or they will be torn down then they find a buyer in the next 20 years. Overall, theres not much left to see – but worth having a peek at when passing by.
Portola Süßwarenfabrik Address
Allerstraße 1, 39126 Magdeburg
52.15993269066244, 11.663800022562736
