We owe the name of our brand to Hermann Baeder's daughter Carola, as we told her story in our previous article.
The owners of Caola have always strived for innovation and leadership. Mr Baeder, like his predecessor József Hutter, aimed to produce quality products, cosmetic innovations and, later, chemicals that would become essential for the household, and to distribute them all over the world.
Hermann Baeder studied abroad the science of perfumery and soap making, and in 1908 he opened his perfume laboratory in Budapest. Even then, he paid great attention to meeting the needs of his customers, and he had a perfect grasp of the right target audience and the types of products to be produced for them.
However, the First World War interfered with the factory's operations. For the owner, who returned home from the war four years later, there was no question of continuing, and he continued to expand his factory with even greater dedication. Within a few years, the company employed 200 workers and was supplying a growing market in the region, with exports to Czechoslovakia, Yugoslavia, Romania and Italy, which was of huge importance.
The best-selling products at the time included Ovenall toothpaste, Caola soap and vitamin cream, and Exotic cosmetics. These products were available in supermarkets and Caola's own speciality shops. It also had several subsidiaries, represented in Arad, Milan, Prague and even New York.
Taking a giant leap forward in time, Caola is still building its relationships and developing its products, following the innovative example of its predecessors, with an emphasis on environmentally conscious product development. Its products are available in several countries, including the Middle East.
Tamás Boros, our Trade and Marketing Director, was also surprised to hear the above:
"Our predecessors set the bar very high! The more I learn about the company's past, the more interesting and surprising things come to my attention. I would never have imagined that our products were even available in New York. We'll have to pull up our pants to beat that!"
Source of photo: Szabó Ervin Library of Budapest
