Bombons Blasi - Blasi Chocolates

A Catalan family of 5 generations dedicated to the artisanal production of chocolate.

Committed to quality, health and well-being. Get to know us! (The dates that appear are of the beginning and end of each generation)

Who are we?

A chocolate loving family

Throughout 5 generations and 143 years of history, the Cordomí family has always made chocolate in the city of Barcelona where the world’s first flour-free chocolate tablet was manufactured in 1777. Since the beginning of the first generation in 1877 until today it has worked this passion in different locations in Barcelona. Currently the company is located in Alfonso XII street, nº26 (Sant Gervasi). The fourth and fifth generations of Chocolates Blasi work at the workshop: Xavier along with his three children, Xavi, Sergi and Pau Cordomí. Montse, wife and mother of the chocolatiers, is in charge of the store, in collaboration with her assistant Alba.

The first chocolatier in the family

Quimet, the chocolatier from Gracia

The first bonbonier in the family

The current chocolatier

The chocolatiers of the future

1877

1st Generation – Joaquim Cordomí Bernades (1877-1917)

The centennial history of Chocolates Blasi begins in 1877 when Joaquim Cordomí Bernades, 7 years old at the time, and his mother leave Nevà (Girona) to go to Barcelona. They leaved by bus towards the city and by when they reached the final stop at Carders Street they both had already found a job: Joaquim, as a chocolatier apprentice helping to peel with the metate the freshly roasted ground beans; and the mother, as shopkeeper in the same workshop located in Ciutat Vella (“Can Borní” of Carders Street No. 15).

When Joaquim turned 18 (1888) he decided to buy a “metate and roller” and make chocolate at home until 1906 when he was able to start the first family chocolate factory at 201-203 Salmerón Street (currently Gran de Gracia) under the name “Stoned Chocolate”.

Two years after his passing, his second son was left parentless and took over the business.

1919

2nd Generation – Joaquim Cordomí Vilanova (1919-1958)

During two years after the death of Joaquim Cordomí Bernades (because of the 1918 flu epidemic), his wife, Modesta Vilanova y Bayó, and his big son, Gabriel Cordomí Vilanova, took over the business until they also fell ill because of the flu and by not overcoming the disease, left Joaquim CordomíVilanova an orphan, who will continue the Cordomí saga as chocolatiers.
Thus, in 1919, Joaquim took over the business and because of his youth his cousins welcomed him to their home and with the two families they pushed the business forward with the brand “Chocolates Riucord” (the name of Riucord comes up from the initials of each family, Riu of Rius and Cord of Cordomí). Over the years, Joaquim Cordomí continues only with the manufacture of chocolate and the Rius family continues with the company Nederland (the first company in Spain dedicated to cocoa-derived products) that was founded by the two families. With time and due to his personality, the people of the neighborhood knew him as Quimet, the chocolatier from Gracia. At this stage, the production of chocolate without added sugars for diabetics was pioneered.

Joaquim Cordomí Vilanova had three children and the firstborn continued the business.

1948

3rd Generation – Joaquim Cordomí Guinart (1948-1994)

Joaquim Cordomí Guinart entered as partner and apprentice in the Chocolates Blasi of Barcelona’s company in 1948 at the initiative of his father. After a few years of acquiring the necessary knowledge in the preparation of specialties of chocolate, bonbons and candies, he decided to keep the business and unified the production of chocolates along with “Riucord Chocolates” (1952).

The fact of buying the business was confirmed as a strategy to join the two production lines (chocolates and bonbons) and thus be able to sell chocolate and bonbons with the formulas of his father’s Riucord brand to the state territory. At that time, Blasi had the best bakeries in Spain and with the help of the master bonbonier, Mr. Alejandro Pérez, the business began to be recognized for its high quality.

We can say that this was a fruitful stage since the production of chocolates became a novelty and orders arrived from all over the Spanish territory.

The factory remained at Nº 1 Peu de la Creu Street of Barcelona until 1990 (by the Barcelona Olympics, the city council of Barcelona removed the industries of the center of Barcelona) when it was transferred to the Avila Street of Poblenou, where Joaquim worked until his retirement in 1994.

1977

4th Generation – Xavier Cordomí Font (1977-present)

Joaquim Cordomí Guinart had four children with Agustina Font Royo, and the youngest, Xavier, continued the business until today.
Xavier Cordomí entered as an apprentice in his father’s factory (Chocolates Blasi) in 1977, just 100 years after the first chocolatier of the saga began in the world of chocolate. The factory was located in Nº 1 Peu de la Creu in Barcelona, a place where Xavier learned to love the business working at all the sections of the factory (apprentice to roast cocoa, chocolate making and bonbonier). From that time, he keeps a very special memory of the manager, Alejandro Pérez, who was his master chocolatier and of who highlights his quality as a professional and as a person.

In 1994 his father retired and transferred him the business, which meant a new change of location. In 1995, Xavier and his wife, Montse Pagès, opened a shop and a workshop at No. 26 Alfonso XII Street in Barcelona.

At the present, Chocolates Blasi stands out for its quality, continuous innovation of chocolates and bonbons, as well as for its commitment to the health of its customers, since they manufacture products suitable for allergic people.

The marriage has three children, which already work with their parents as apprentices in the shop and workshop.

2012

5th Generation – Xavi, Sergi and Pau Cordomí Pagès

The second son of Xavier and Montse, Sergi Cordomí Pagès, began working in the business with his parents in 2012. In 2015 the youngest son, Pau, joined, and in 2018 the oldest one, Xavi Cordomí Pagès was incorporated, too. All intend to keep alive this centennial business that so many satisfactions and illusions have provided to both the family and its customers.

The shop – Workshop

A space that breathes personality

You can order, come to buy or just answer your questions at our store, located on Alfonso XII Street, No. 26. You will find a pleasant space in which we intend to be attentive to everyone and offer a solution to every need. In addition, it is a unique space, not only for the aromas that surround it, but also for its decoration loaded with symbolism and tradition. The showcase is an essential part that will allow you to capture the most significant creations of each season such as nougat for Christmas; in summer, the refreshing chocolates, in Easter the unmistakable chocolate monkeys and the bombunyols, the chocolate cocas for San Juan, the chocolate masks for the carnival, etc… The entire window has been carefully prepared to offer you a sample of everything you can find inside.

The store contains historical elements that are already part of our legacy and that we like to share with everyone:

See the pictures below

These are pieces of great historical value that allow us to quickly understand that it is a family dedicated for more than 143 years to the chocolate world. Moreover, Blasi gave some old machines for a few years to the Chocolate Museum in Barcelona, due to its magnitude and to enrich said Museum.

Drawing of the first factory

quadres

1-Drawing of the first store on Grande de Gracia street No. 201. 2-Old lamp. 3-Calendar drawing. 4-Logo of the trade of chocolate. 5-Lamp of Pere Cordomí. 6-Metate and roller.

In the drawing of the first factory of the family located at 201, Gran de Gracia Street, you can see most of the elements that are currently exposed at the entrance of the store.

You will see a badge that perched on the street indicating that there was a chocolate factory (slice of wood with the representation of two chocolate chips on the stone). Also hangs the forged lamp made by Pere Cordomí, a blacksmith and father of the first chocolatier Joaquim Cordomí Bernades. This lamp, along with two other wall-type lamps also forged by him, were the last pieces he made. For this reason, all generations of family chocolatiers have wanted to expose and introduce them to the business.

At the bottom and on the balcony of the drawing are seen two metals used to make the chocolate, by the first chocolate maker in the family. On the balcony there are also 2 “metates” used by Bernades and an operator of the moment, who introduced them a year after opening the factory. On the wall of the drawing are some handmade illustrations that Joaquim Cordomí Vilanova commissioned from a painter of the neighborhood of Gracia, called Batalla. The store is currently exhibiting these prints. Batalla was also in charge of making the calendars that were given each year to customers and those reflect images of the time they lived. At the bottom of the drawing is a hand-drawn window that separated the store from the office. It was sliding to communicate with the store.

The rest of the elements of the drawing are stored in different private homes of the family.

Paintings

quadres

1-Engraving of a cocoa bean. 2-Diploma of Honor of the International Exhibition (1922). 3-Transfer of ownership of the company (1958). 4-Certificate of registration to the industrial census (1946).

In the store hangs the 1946’s industrial census certificate of registration in the name of Joaquin Cordomí Vilanova, as well as the letter addressed to Joaquim Cordomí Guinart communicating the ownership transfer of the Chocolates Blasi’s company, signed by Mr. José Cardús. We also find the painting of the 10th International Exhibition contest of the year 1922, with the Certificate of Honor and gold medal earned for the manufacture of sugar-free chocolate. In addition, we can also see the engraving of a cocoa bean that the company Nederland (founded by the 2nd generation of the family and their cousins, Ríos) gave at Christmas to each coca company in the world.

Chocolate making pieces

1-Two reel machine to make crispy. 2-Cocoa pinwheel from the 80s bought in Mexico. 3-Old windlass. 4-Old scale to weigh chocolate. 5-Iron shelf to hold molds and reels. 6-Thermometer that was used to measure the temperature of the refrigerator.

The two-reel manual machine for making crocant products (sugar with nuts) that was discontinued in 1982 was also in the store as well as the iron shelf to hold the different molds in the form of crocant reels. They are unique pieces made expressly by Joaquim Cordomí Vilanova.

Another curiosity is the condensing clock and the clock to measure the temperature. It was at the 201, Gran de Gracia Street factory in a custom made wooden fridge. At first, the cold was produced by introducing ice bars until electricity arrived. We also find a cocoa pinwheel from the 40s and a more modern one bought in Mexico along with a scale from the 1900s used to weigh the chocolate packages that came to the store.

Packaging Items

1-Cans of the 40s to pose cocoa powder. 2-Cliché to record the packaging. 3-Cliché to record the packaging of Riucord tablets. 4-Box of old chocolates.

There are two cans from the 40s that were used for the on sale cocoa powder. One is from the Riucord brand and the other from the Bubi’s. Joaquin Cordomí Vilanova made chocolate with white marks for other chocolatiers.

Visitors can also see a cliché to engrave the wrapping of a milk chocolate tablet with the Riucord brandm, a cliché to engrave the wrapping of a 400g stone chocolate tablet with the Riucord brand and some boxes of old chocolates, that Joaquim Cordomí Vilanova kept and are still preserved.

Pieces used by the family

Values

Blasi is tradition, quality and health

Blasi’s philosophy is closely linked to the evolution of its customers and society without ever losing its origins. We are lovers of tradition, chocolate and quality. We try to take care of our customers and to adapt our products to their needs. In this sense, Blasi has a special sensitivity towards lactose or gluten intolerant people and those who suffer from any food allergy. Our intention is that anyone can enjoy our chocolate without risking their health and well-being. We can sell more or less but nothing gives us more satisfaction than being able to reach as many people as possible.

We are tradition

We are family

We do health

We do quality

We are craftsmen

We invite you to visit us and check out our specialties and creations as well as all the information contained in this website.
We remain at your disposal for any help or suggestion
Thank you for trusting in Chocolates Blasi

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