Kadó Lakritzfachhandel

Kadó Liquorice Shop: 500 Varieties of Liquorice from All Over Europe

Kadó was founded in 1997 in Kreuzberg’s Graefekiez and was Germany’s first specialized liquorice shop; the name is derived from the French word “cadeau”. The assortment includes around 500 varieties, sorted by mild-sweet, sweet-tart, salty, extra-salty, salmiak, and pure liquorice, plus mixes, liquorice drinks, liquorice powder, and vegan options. The salt content of the strongest varieties reaches the legal maximum and is expressly for adults. Products are sourced from Italy, France, Spain, the Netherlands, Belgium, Denmark, and Scandinavia, with a special emphasis on the Calabrian producer Amarelli, who has been making liquorice since 1731. A Kadó liquorice mix of 250 grams costs 6.80 Euros, the liquorice marble mix 8.50 Euros. The team manually creates the mixes, and in addition to their own sales, selected Berlin art-house cinemas and bookstores carry a small selection. The Graefekiez is located between Planufer and Hasenheide and is named after the ophthalmologist Albrecht von Graefe; the nearest subway stations are Schönleinstraße and Südstern.

From Retail Store to Liquorice Window on Graefestraße

The retail store at Graefestraße 20 had to close in 2021 following an eviction ruling after the building was sold. Since then, Kadó has been operating a few doors down at Graefestraße 68, in a warehouse converted by a friendly architect, featuring a large work table in the center and liquorice boxes on shelves all around. Sales are made through a hatch in the entrance door, reminiscent of a kiosk, and those who want to delve deeper can join a culinary city tour through Kreuzberg to visit the table. Kadó Liquorice Shop is run by Ilse Böge and Frank Büttner, who are members of the Bamberg Licorice Society; Böge is co-editor of a book about liquorice. In-house developments like ginger liquorice, salty sea urchins, and cinnamon liquorice jelly are available exclusively here, and their own shipping service has been delivering to North America and Australia since 1998. The move had a concrete reason: the rent for the old store would have increased from 12.10 to 21.25 Euros per square meter. For shipping, payment is accepted via invoice, direct debit, or advance payment; within Germany, it costs a flat rate of 5.95 Euros and is free for orders over 60 Euros.