Nostalgic

Nostalgia

The Founding Generation

It all began in the tiny kitchen of Grandma Margalit Barth on Hayarkon Street in Tel Aviv.
In 1933, with Hitler’s rise to power, Margalit Wittenberg Barth, a young visionary with entrepreneurial spirit, decided to take a crash course in chocolate making just before fleeing to Israel.
Upon arriving in Israel with no possessions, no steady income, and no knowledge of the language, she began working tirelessly in her small Tel Aviv kitchen, creating snacks and sweets.
Her treats helped bridge language gaps and bring people together. Among the early creations were the Pfeffernüsse – gingerbread cookies, chocolate-coated carrot cake, addictive marzipan, the “Zeh Ma Yesh” (That’s What There Is) chocolate filled with nougat, and the beloved “Ovalet,” a cracker shaped like an O, named after the German word for tracing paper.
With a sharp marketing sense and a deep understanding of sweet flavors, Grandma Margalit quickly gained popularity through word of mouth. Demand for her products soared, and thus, the Barth brand was born.

The Second Generation

Grandma Margalit turned to her son Yaakov Barth, one of the founders of Kibbutz Sa'ad in the south, asking for approval from the kibbutz council to establish the first industrial factory.
For ideological reasons, the idea was rejected by the members' assembly, arguing that the kibbutz was founded on agricultural principles. Yaakov and his wife Ruth decided to leave the kibbutz and opened the first factory at the corner of Dizengoff and Ben Yehuda streets in Tel Aviv.
Entering his role with pioneer vision, passionate love for the land, and pride in local production, the machines started running around the clock, manufacturing blue-and-white products. In 1959, the factory expanded and moved to Ben Gurion Street in Ramat Gan.

In 1962, following Barth’s success and recognizing that sweet flavors connect people across cultures, Yaakov and Ruth decided to establish Chocotrade, a sister company focused on importing top international brands into Israel.

In 1992, the foundation stone was laid for Beit Margalit, a new factory built in Kiryat Aryeh, Petah Tikva, designed to suit the company’s growing needs. That same year, the building won the award for Israel’s most beautiful industrial structure.

The Third Generation

Yaakov and Ruth brought their sons Oded and Micha into management. Upon their retirement, the brothers became joint CEOs of Barth and Chocotrade.
The brothers, raised on Zionism, rootedness, and strong values, carried on Grandma Margalit’s legacy—bringing people together through sweets.
Their deep connection to the country and its people led to active social involvement, founding charitable projects to help those in need—continuing the Barth family tradition of giving with love.
In 2021, Oded and Micha passed away within months of each other, leaving a great void in many hearts.

The Fourth Generation

Carrying the Legacy Forward — A New Language, A New CEO, A New Social Ideology

Meet Alexandra Aharon Barth, who stood by Micha’s side for 40 years. With degrees in psychotherapy, design, and business administration, Sandra set her sights on transforming generational wisdom and the family’s boundless giving into an integral part of the business.
By creating products that carry messages of connection, she fosters small yet meaningful bonds that bring about heartfelt change, believing that “Connection is the whole story.”
In today’s confusing digital world—where the neighbor’s grass always looks greener and communication often feels detached from reality—the Barthism was born.

The Spirit of Barthism

We all long for connection—a real human bond to fill our emotional world.
When we seek connection and sharing, we want someone to smile at, to smile with, someone who will smile back. We want to let go, be ourselves, and feel accepted and safe—even for a moment.
When we share something sweet, magic happens—a bond is formed.
We focus on the moment, meet each other’s gaze, and feel a wave of warmth and closeness.
A sweet connection is created between the smile and the taste buds.