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Elite Israeli Chocolate: Pesek Zman, Mekupelet & Kif Kef — The Complete Guide (2024)
Elite is Israel's most iconic chocolate brand — born in 1934 when its founder fled Nazi Europe. Discover the history of Mekupelet, Pesek Zman & Kif Kef, plus where to buy authentic Elite chocolate in the USA.
The Chocolate That Predates the State — by 14 Years
When Israel declared independence in May 1948, Elite chocolate was already 14 years old.
That's the first thing you need to understand about Elite: it isn't just Israel's most popular chocolate brand. It's older than the country itself. It witnessed the founding of the state, the wars, the economic crises, and the pop culture shifts. Israelis didn't grow up with Elite chocolate — in a very real sense, Elite grew up with Israel.
But the story begins not in Tel Aviv. It begins in Latvia, with a man named Eliahu Fromchenko, and a factory called Laima.
From Riga to Ramat Gan: The Refugee Who Built Israel's Chocolate Empire
In the 1920s, Eliahu Fromchenko ran a successful confectionery business in Latvia under the brand name Laima. He had a factory, skilled workers, and a growing reputation for quality chocolate and candies.
Then the 1930s arrived. As Adolf Hitler rose to power in Germany, the shadow of National Socialism spread across Eastern Europe. Jewish business owners across the region began making a calculation that would define their lives: stay and hope for the best, or leave while you still could.
Fromchenko chose to leave.
In 1933, he emigrated to Mandatory Palestine — then under British administration — joining the wave of Jewish immigrants fleeing European antisemitism in what historians call the Fifth Aliyah. He arrived with a clear vision: rebuild his confectionery business in the Middle East.
In 1934, he opened his factory near Tel Aviv. He named it Elite — a word chosen deliberately for its universal recognition, a name that could travel across languages and borders. The Hebrew word for it, אֶלִיט, carries the same connotations of quality and distinction.
From the very beginning, Elite wasn't just making candy. It was making a statement.
Mekupelet: The Chocolate Bar Older Than the State of Israel
The year was 1935. The British were still ruling Palestine. Tel Aviv was a city of less than 150,000 people. And Eliahu Fromchenko's new factory introduced a chocolate bar unlike anything the Middle East had seen.
He called it מקופלת — Mekupelet.
The name means "folded" in Hebrew, and that's exactly what it is: a milk chocolate bar made of dozens of impossibly thin, delicate layers, folded over one another in a technique borrowed from European confectionery traditions. When you break off a piece, the layers separate like flaky pastry. When you bite into it, it dissolves differently than any solid chocolate — the texture is airy, almost like a chocolate cloud.
It's been compared to the British Cadbury Flake, but Israelis would tell you that comparison gets it backwards. Mekupelet came first, and it's been made the same way ever since.
The brand's most famous slogan — "עד הפירור האחרון" ("Down to the last crumb"), introduced in 1992 — captures exactly what Mekupelet does to you. You can't eat half a Mekupelet. The flaky layers crumble everywhere. You are always, inevitably, finishing it.
For the 55th anniversary of Israeli independence, Elite released a special blue-and-white Mekupelet edition. A chocolate bar wearing the colors of the flag. That's the kind of brand integration that money can't buy — it has to be earned over decades.
World War II: Elite Supplies Churchill's Army
When World War II broke out in 1939, the British army needed supplies. A lot of them.
Elite — already established as one of the most capable food manufacturers in Palestine — won a contract to supply chocolate to the British military and Allied forces. The same factory that had fled Nazi persecution in Europe was now producing chocolate for the soldiers fighting to defeat Nazi Germany.
It was a remarkable turn of history. The refugee confectioner from Latvia was feeding the liberating army.
The wartime contracts accelerated Elite's growth massively. By the time Israel declared independence in 1948, Elite was no longer a small factory — it was a national institution.
Pesek Zman: The Chocolate Bar That Sparked a National Controversy
If Mekupelet is Israel's most beloved chocolate bar, Pesek Zman (פסק זמן — literally "Time Out") is its most debated.
Introduced in 1982, Pesek Zman was Israel's answer to the global phenomenon of chocolate-covered wafer bars. Think Kit Kat, but Israeli — and arguably better. The original formulation featured layers of crisp wafer, filled with rich chocolate cream, all coated in Elite's signature milk chocolate.
In 2008, Elite changed the filling from chocolate cream to hazelnut cream — moving toward the Nutella-style profile that had become dominant globally. The response was swift and polarized. Israelis who had grown up with the original chocolate cream felt betrayed. Israelis who discovered Pesek Zman after 2008 couldn't imagine it any other way.
The debate continues to this day.
But the real controversy came in 2012, at the height of Israel's cottage cheese protests — a wave of social activism against the high cost of living. Someone noticed something extraordinary: Pesek Zman was cheaper in New York than in Tel Aviv.
The same bar. Made by the same company. Sold for less in the United States than in its home country.
The story exploded across Israeli media. Pesek Zman became a symbol of the broader conversation about food pricing, corporate profits, and the burden on the Israeli middle class. A chocolate bar had become a political flashpoint.
Kif Kef: The Wild Card of the Elite Family
While Mekupelet and Pesek Zman carry the brand's heritage, Kif Kef (כיף כף — roughly "Fun Scoop") is Elite's playful sibling.
Imagine a chocolate-covered wafer with a peanut-caramel twist. Where Pesek Zman is refined and layered, Kif Kef is more indulgent — the combination of peanuts, caramel, and wafer creates a textural complexity that makes it impossible to eat just one.
In Israel, Kif Kef has its devoted cult following. Israeli expats living abroad often list it alongside Bamba and Bisli as the snacks they miss most — the specific combination of flavors that no American brand has quite replicated.
Ta'ami: When Chocolate Gets Complicated (In the Best Way)
Ta'ami (טעמי — "My Tastes") takes a different approach to chocolate bars. Where Mekupelet is a meditation on texture and Pesek Zman is about layers, Ta'ami is about the intersection of multiple flavor experiences in a single bite.
The classic Ta'ami bar combines:
- Rice crispies for crunch
- Nougat for sweetness and chew
- Caramel for depth
- Milk chocolate coating for the finish
The result is a bar that Israeli candy lovers describe as "creamy, chewy, crispy" — three textures in one bar. It's the chaos chocolate, in the best possible way.
The Strauss Merger: How Elite Became a Global Brand
In 1997, the Strauss food group — one of Israel's largest food companies, founded by Hilda Strauss, a German Jewish immigrant to Israel — acquired Elite.
The two companies merged gradually, completing the integration in 2004, and the combined entity was renamed Strauss Group in 2007.
Today, Elite's products are manufactured by Strauss Group and distributed globally. The brand appears in kosher stores across North America, Europe, and Australia — wherever there are Israeli expats or Jewish communities seeking authentic Israeli flavors.
But something important didn't change: the recipes. Mekupelet is still made with the same folded-layers technique from 1935. Pesek Zman is still covered in the same milk chocolate formula. The merger made Elite larger and more efficient. It didn't make it less Israeli.
The Holy Trinity: What You Actually Need to Try
If you've never had Elite chocolate and you're ordering for the first time, start here:
| Bar | What It Is | The Texture | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mekupelet | Folded flaky milk chocolate | Airy, crumbling, layered | Solo snacking, nostalgic moments |
| Pesek Zman | Wafer + hazelnut cream + chocolate | Crispy, creamy, layered | Sharing, coffee pairing |
| Kif Kef | Peanut-caramel wafer in chocolate | Crunchy, sweet, indulgent | Afternoon treat |
| Ta'ami | Nougat + rice crispies + caramel + chocolate | Chewy, crunchy, complex | When you can't decide |
A Brief Israeli Chocolate Timeline
| Year | Event |
|---|---|
| 1933 | Eliahu Fromchenko flees Latvia, emigrates to Mandatory Palestine |
| 1934 | Elite factory established near Tel Aviv |
| 1935 | Mekupelet introduced — folded flaky chocolate bar |
| 1939–45 | Elite supplies chocolate to British Army and Allied forces during WWII |
| 1958 | Elite opens Safed factory for coffee production |
| 1982 | Pesek Zman introduced |
| 1992 | Mekupelet slogan "Down to the last crumb" launched |
| 1997 | Strauss Group acquires Elite |
| 2004 | Elite fully merges with Strauss |
| 2007 | Company renamed Strauss Group |
| 2008 | Pesek Zman filling changed from chocolate cream to hazelnut cream |
| 2012 | Pesek Zman price controversy: cheaper in New York than Tel Aviv |
Why American Chocolate Is... Different
Israeli expats in the United States quickly notice something: American chocolate tastes different.
It's not imagination. American chocolate manufacturers — Hershey's being the most famous example — use a slightly different milk processing technique that produces a subtly different flavor profile, one that some describe as having a faint tangy note. European and Israeli chocolate manufacturers use a different formulation, resulting in the smoother, creamier milk chocolate most of the world grew up with.
Elite chocolate is made with the Israeli/European formulation. If you've grown up eating Elite and then spent time in the United States, biting into a Mekupelet from KosherTop is the flavor equivalent of coming home.
For American-born kosher consumers trying Elite for the first time: think of it as a gateway to what chocolate tastes like when made for texture and flavor rather than shelf life.
Buy Authentic Elite Chocolate in the USA — Shipped Direct from Israel
KosherTop ships Elite products directly from Israel, which means you're getting the same freshness Israelis enjoy — not chocolate that's been sitting in a warehouse for months.
🍫 Elite Mini Chocolate Snack Mix — Pesek Zman, Kif Kef & Mekupelet Minis
The ultimate Elite sampler. Minis of all three classics in one bag — perfect for trying all three before committing to full bars, or for sharing at a Shabbat table where people can't agree on favorites. Shop Elite Mini Chocolate Snack Mix →
🍫 Elite Mini Ta'ami Chocolate Bars — Family Size (357g)
Ta'ami minis in a family-size bag — the nougat-caramel-rice crispies bar in bite-size form. Dangerous to have in the house, in the best possible way. Shop Elite Ta'ami Mini Bars →
🍫 Elite Splendid Bites — Chocolate, Peanuts & Caramel (105g)
For those who want the peanut-caramel-chocolate combination in a bonbon format. Think of these as Kif Kef's sophisticated cousin — the same flavor DNA, packaged for gifting or elegant serving. Shop Elite Splendid Bites →
☕ Elite Coffee Festive Pack
Because Elite isn't only chocolate — the brand's Israeli coffee products are equally iconic. This festive pack makes an excellent Hanukkah or Shabbat gift. Shop Elite Coffee Festive Pack →
Browse All Elite Products at KosherTop →
Elite Chocolate Is Kosher — What You Need to Know
All Elite chocolate products sold at KosherTop are kosher certified under Israeli kosher supervision. Key points for observant consumers:
- Parve vs. Dairy: Some Elite products are dairy (חלבי) — they contain milk chocolate with actual dairy. Check the individual product label. Dairy Elite chocolate cannot be eaten with meat meals.
- Kosher Certification: Elite products in Israel are certified by the Israeli Chief Rabbinate or Badatz, depending on the product line. KosherTop stocks products that meet strict kosher standards.
- Shmita and Production: Israeli chocolate production is subject to Israeli food regulations including Shmita (sabbatical year) considerations on ingredient sourcing.
When in doubt, the product pages on KosherTop.com list the specific kosher certification for each item.
How to Give an Elite Chocolate Tasting
Hosting Shabbat, Hanukkah, or just a dinner where you want to introduce friends to Israeli flavors? An Elite chocolate tasting is a guaranteed conversation starter.
What to serve:
- Start with Mekupelet — break off pieces and let everyone notice the flaky layers
- Move to Pesek Zman — the wafer crunch versus the creaminess
- Finish with Ta'ami — the multi-texture experience as the conclusion
What to pair it with:
- Elite Turkish coffee or instant coffee (hot)
- A glass of Israeli wine or grape juice
- A wedge of Israeli white cheese (but remember: dairy on dairy only, never after meat)
The conversation starter: Ask your guests whether they think the Pesek Zman filling change from chocolate to hazelnut cream was an improvement or a betrayal. You'll have a lively table for the rest of the evening.
For Israeli Expats: The Taste That Brings You Back
There's a specific kind of homesickness that food triggers that no other sensory memory quite matches.
For Israelis living in the United States — in New York, Los Angeles, Miami, Chicago — Elite chocolate is one of the clearest direct lines back. The specific ratio of chocolate to wafer in a Pesek Zman. The way a Mekupelet crumbles exactly the same way it always has. The sugar-peanut-caramel combination of a Kif Kef that no American brand has bothered to replicate.
These aren't just snacks. They're memory objects.
KosherTop ships them to your door, fresh from Israel. So you don't have to wait for a trip to visit family, or ask your mother to pack them in her suitcase.
Order Elite Chocolate at KosherTop →
Why Buy Elite Chocolate at KosherTop?
- Ships direct from Israel — maximum freshness, authentic products
- Full kosher certification — all products meet strict kosher standards
- Wide Elite selection — minis, family sizes, festive packs, and more
- Fast US delivery — arrives at your door without airport suitcase smuggling
- Israeli-owned business — we understand what authentic tastes like
KosherTop is an Israeli kosher food store based in Hod Hasharon, Israel, shipping authentic Israeli products directly to customers across the United States.
