Industrial chocolate production in Zagreb began in 1911 in the ‘Union’ factory. By the 1920s, the product range expanded to include caramels and desserts. Biscuit and wafer factories were also established during this period, most notably the ‘Bizjak’ factory.

Products were packaged in metal containers, which started to be produced in Croatian factories and the ‘Saturnus’ factory in Ljubljana after World War I, primarily for the food and chemical industries. These containers were attractively coloured with figurative designs and cityscapes created through lithography at the Rožankowski and Co. Chromolithography Factory. Tin boxes preserved the products’ freshness and were also reusable. People could store various household items or food ingredients in them.

In 1950, Union, Bizjak, and other smaller producers merged to form the Josip Kraš Chocolate, Candy, and Biscuit Factory. The factory expanded its product range and branded some of its best-known products, continuing the production of Union’s caramels and candies. In 1959, Kraš won an Oskar award for the packaging of the candy ‘505 s crtom,’ which had been in production since 1936.

Leading producers Kraš and Kandit regularly introduced new products to the market during the 1960s and 1970s, which quickly gained recognition. Their packaging featured modern, attractive designs, and they periodically redesigned the visual identity of their well-known products.