Mazetti in Malmö
Mention cocoa, and most Swedes will think of the most classic Swedish brand of all: “Ögoncacao” (Eye Cocoa). Ögoncacao – which used to be called Mazetti Ögon Cacao (and did not in fact have eyes on the packaging until later on) – was produced in the Mazetti factory in central Malmö. The beautiful factory manufactured goods including chocolate and cocoa powder for more than a hundred years, until it was finally closed down in 1992. A new era was about to begin for the old premises – an era in which The More Hotel set the tone in the surrounding district.
Renovated with feeling
68 spacious studio apartments fill four floors in the building. Many of the studio apartments show traces of the building’s rich history. For instance, the top floor of the hotel is a carefully restored attic; rooms feature heavy wood ceiling beams and ceiling windows.
Philosophy
We created The More Hotel with the idea that we would be a little different than most hotels. We wanted to create a feeling of our guests' second home. Our goal is to create solutions to the problems that may arise while on the move.
This is us!
We take care of our customers as well as our staff. Everybody performs an important part of the service we want to provide you. Everything from making the bed with freshly washed sheets, displaying the breakfast buffet, to the route guidance of the front desk and the serving of a delicious dinner in the evening. If the staff thrive then our guests will also be happy.
Come and say hi next time you're in the area!
Our history
Here you can learn how The More Hotel ended up in a chocolate factory in Malmö. But let us begin with a story about strength and the power of love.
It is said that once upon a time, a boiler had to be replaced at the Mazetti chocolate factory in Malmö. Over the years, the factory’s expansion had made the boiler redundant. Buildings had sprung up around it, and it was impossible to get access with a crane or truck to remove this large and extremely heavy item. If you have been to the hotel and looked out over the beautiful old courtyard from your hotel window, you will see why.
It just so happened that a travelling circus was in Malmö at the time. They had brought with them two elephants, a male and a female. The elephants were led through the city to the chocolate factory’s narrow gate and into the courtyard, followed by a trail of curious children and adults who back then had hardly ever seen such animals, much less up close. On site, the male on its own was harnessed to the boiler, as there was no space for anything else. The male elephant strained on its harness, but the cheers of the onlookers did not have the desired effect. The female was led to his side to encourage him to pull harder. And with the power of love, the boiler was finally pulled free.
From the very beginning, when buildings sprung up around the chocolate factory in Malmö, on the site where The More Hotel is today, business flourished for founder Emil Nissen, who was originally from Flensburg. In 1888, he founded Malmö Choklad och konfektfabrik AB, which later changed its name to Mazetti. The tins of cocoa became popular and, to Nissen’s annoyance, some people gradually started re-using them. Finally, it was decided that the contents of the cocoa tins should be sealed, so that buyers could easily see that this was not a re-used can of dubious content. It was at this point that the eyes were added, both as advertising and as a warning to check the quality of the cocoa so as to make sure that it really was made by Mazetti: “See with your own eyes that you get Mazetti’s Ögoncacao.” Ögoncacao was born, and it soon became synonymous with quality.
About 70 years later, legendary advertising illustrator Olle Eksell was brought in to spruce up the brand’s appearance. It was at this point – at the end of the 1950s – that those eyes were created which we still associate with Ögoncacao. The eyes and the new design were an important reason for the renewed increase in sales, and they are still part of Swedish culture today.
Fazer bought Mazetti in 1975, but the factory was still operating until 1992, when production finally ceased. The machines stopped running and the staff left the buildings for the last time.
Peter Dahlqvist took over the abandoned premises in 2002 and a new chapter began for the old factory. Today, The More Hotel is located in large parts of the old district. Mazetti’s courtyard, where the story of the boiler and the elephants unfolded, now happens to be the site of Cirkus, The More Hotel’s restaurant.
The hotel rooms have been carefully renovated to preserve the character of the building with beautiful windows and exposed beams. Over the years, many guests have chosen time and again to stay in the old chocolate factory premises. But to truly experience the quality and care this hotel provides, you must pay us a visit and “see with your own eyes” what we have to offer.