How the serfs Abrikosovs became the pastry kings of pre-revolutionary Russia

2024 Author: Richard Flannagan | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-15 23:55

"Crow's Feet" candies, inserts and small toys hidden in sweets, chocolate hares and Santa Clauses in foil - all these childhood joys were invented in the 19th century by a talented person and a uniquely successful businessman, the "gummy king" of Russia Alexei Ivanovich Abrikosov. After the revolution, the name of this man was undeservedly forgotten, and his brainchild, a huge confectionery concern, was named after the chairman of the Sokolniki District Executive Committee Pyotr Akimovich Babayev.

It is believed that pre-revolutionary Russia was not at all a "country of unlimited possibilities," however, talent, enterprise and honest long-term work, probably in any conditions should lead to success. An example is the entrepreneur and manufacturer Alexei Ivanovich Abrikosov. The Supplier of the Court of His Imperial Majesty, Chairman of the Board of the Accounting Bank, Chairman of the Board of the Practical Academy of Commercial Sciences and Acting State Counselor was, surprisingly, the grandson of a serf. According to family legends, the talented craftsman Stepan Nikolayevich was so good at making jam and other sweet delicacies that in 1804 he convinced his mistress to let him go to Moscow for rent. By the way, according to one of the versions, the name of the Abrikosovs comes not from the name of their favorite fruits, but from the word "rent". Business with the founder of the dynasty went well, and soon he was able to completely redeem the family and organize a small production of sweets and jams, which were sold in his own shop.

His children, who inherited their father's business, were less fortunate. By 1841, they went bankrupt, property went under the hammer for debts, and one of the sons of a failed businessman, Alexei, was forced to interrupt his education. The young man, promising and dreaming of a university, left the Practical Academy of Commercial Sciences and went to work in the office of a sugar supplier he knew. However, the future famous merchant did not despair. Carrying out the small work of a messenger and gatekeeper, he gradually rose to the rank of accountant and at the same time learned all the intricacies of doing business. Five years later, he decided to start his own business, and the owner even helped him with a loan for the first pastry shop.

The young man, moreover, married surprisingly well. Still, sometimes in life, business calculation and feelings may not come into conflict. His chosen one, Agrippina Alekseevna Musatova, was the daughter of a tobacco manufacturer. She not only brought her husband five thousand rubles of a dowry, but also became a real support in life. This amazing woman gave birth to 22 children, of which 17 grew up, all received higher education, and many became real stars. It would seem that this is quite enough for one person, but Agrippina Alekseevna remained in history as a patron, organizer and guardian of the maternity hospital in Moscow, which still bears her name (Maternity hospital No. 6 named after A. A. Abrikosova).

Meanwhile, the young businessman's business was growing. From a small pastry shop, he gradually turned into a real empire. Fifty years later, by the end of the 19th century, the "Partnership of A. I. Abrikosov's sons" was one of the three largest Russian confectionery enterprises. In addition to a factory in Moscow, it included a network of branded retail stores, wholesale warehouses in both capitals and at major fairs, a branch of the factory and a sugar factory in Simferopol, a box and packaging plant. Success in this difficult niche, in which the young Abrikosov immediately met many competitors, is mainly explained by his personal qualities.

From the first days of his work, Alexey Ivanovich considered the quality of products to be the main thing for production. He very strictly demanded discipline from workers, adherence to the rules of hygiene and impeccable appearance, he could kick them out for drunkenness. However, the working conditions were excellent at that time - the wages were about 550 rubles a year (this was much higher than the average), there was a system of monetary incentives for many years of work, and Abrikosov personally presented the veterans who had worked at the factory for more than 25 years special medals. For the workers, dormitories were built, in which 1-2 people settled in a room or a separate room was allocated for a family, a hospital worked, and also, with the care of Agrippina Alekseevna, a kindergarten and a maternity hospital.

Another reason for the success was the competent use of advertising and, as they would say today, a creative approach. It was Abrikosov who first came up with the idea of putting small postcards, puzzles and other surprises into chocolates (the kinders, like today, were delighted with this), he is also called the author of chocolate bunnies in bright foil - such sweet toys were even collected, they were so beautiful. And, finally, everyone's still beloved "Crow's Feet". In addition to the unique recipe, exactly half of the success of the sweets is associated with an unusual name. By the way, it is still not known exactly why the "paws". The first option that we can see on antique boxes was Goose Noses. Unusual, but customers liked it. And examples of Abrikosov's promotions today can decorate textbooks on marketing. For example, before the new year 1880, a report appeared in the newspapers that only blondes worked as saleswomen in one store in Abrikosov, and only brunettes in another. Of course, Muscovites rushed to check whether this was really so, at the same time buying delicacies for the holiday.

And yet, the main achievement of the Abrikosov family was their children. Of the 17 offspring, four continued their father's work, some became doctors and scientists. After the revolution, some of the descendants left Russia, but many remained and were able to establish their lives in the USSR. For example, the grandson named after his grandfather, Alexei Ivanovich Abrikosov, a world-famous pathologist, academician of the USSR Academy of Sciences, was one of the doctors who embalmed the bodies of Lenin and Stalin. It is difficult to list all the famous descendants of this worthy surname, but several famous actors can be mentioned. Andrei Lvovich Abrikosov, People's Artist of the USSR, familiar to us from the films "Alexander Nevsky", "Ilya Muromets" and "Ivan the Terrible" became the performer of the role of Grigory Melekhov in the first film adaptation of Sholokhov's "Quiet Don", and his son Grigory Andreevich Abrikosov was remembered as the ataman Gritian Tavrichesky in the film "Wedding in Malinovka".

When in 1899 the Abrikosovs celebrated their golden wedding, 150 people gathered to congratulate them - children, grandchildren, great-grandchildren and their relatives. Children on this day presented their parents with golden crowns decorated with diamonds.

Read in continuation of the "sweet theme": The most famous "Alyonka", or the story of a girl with a chocolate wrapper