Max Brenner () is an Israeli multinational chocolate restaurant and retail brand. The company operates more than 50 locations internationally, the majority (38) of which are in Australia. Other locations include eight in Israel, one in the United States (New York City), as well as in Japan, Singapore, Russia, and China. It specializes in decadent, chocolate-based desserts such as fondue, crepes, milkshakes, waffles, and hot chocolate, many of which it serves in signature utensils. Max Brenner is owned by Yaniv Shtanger and Dudu Vaknin.
Max Brenner chocolates are certified kosher by the Nazareth Illit Rabbinate.
History
1996–2001: An emerging company
The firm was founded in 1996 in Ra'anana, Israel, by Max Fichtman and Oded Brenner () who combined their names. The business began as a small shop selling handmade chocolates.
Working as an apprentice in Paris, Brenner met chocolatier Michel Chaudun and convinced the maestro to take him on. He spent the following six years learning the art of chocolate-making in Paris.
Upon his return to Israel, he opened the first shop, with a workshop in the back, named "Handmade Chocolate by Max Brenner", in Ra’anana. By 1999, Fichtman and Brenner had opened ten chocolate shops.
A chance meeting with an Israeli entrepreneur in 1999 sparked the idea of expanding his business, and the first of the Max Brenner-branded cafes opened in Australia, in Sydney's hip suburb of Paddington, in 2000. This newly opened “Max Brenner Chocolate Bar” was to be the centre of Max's new chocolate culture, combining a chocolate bar and a chocolate shop. This allowed people to enjoy a “holistic” chocolate adventure, experiencing their shopping in the bar section and shopping their experience in the shop section.
2001–2017: The Strauss years
In 2001, the chain became part of the Strauss, Israel's second-largest food and beverage company. In the period from 2002 to 2005, Max Brenner opened locations in Israel, Singapore, and the Philippines, while continuing to open new locations in Australia. In 2006, Max Brenner opened their first chocolate bar in the United States in New York City.
In 2010, a new Max Brenner restaurant and chocolate store opened in the U.S. at Caesars Palace, Las Vegas, followed by another store opening in Boston and Philadelphia during the next year, offering both sweet and savory menu options.
In 2013, the company unveiled a new strategy, under which it started to move away from full-service restaurants and adopted a fast-casual concept named a Chocolate Bar. The first of these opened in Bethesda, Maryland in June 2013, with three more opening in Tokyo, Japan, and Moscow, Russia via franchise agreements. The company opened its second US Chocolate Bar in Paramus, NJ in April 2014. In Australia, Max Brenner had expanded to 37 restaurants across Queensland, New South Wales, Victoria, the Northern Territory, and the Australian Capital Territory.
Since 2017: Independent again
In May 2017, Strauss group sold Max Brenner brand to Israeli franchisees Yaniv Shtanger and Dudu Vaknin for 18 million NIS (US$5 million).
On 1 October 2018, Max Brenner's Australian business went into voluntary administration, citing rising costs and sluggish retail trade. On 8 October 2018, 20 of the 37 Australian Max Brenner locations were permanently closed. In November 2018 the Australian cinema owner and singer Roy Mustaca bought the 17 remaining Australian Max Brenner franchises out of receivership.
Max Brenner Australia is 100% Australian Owned
Max Brenner was introduced to Australia in 2000, with its first Chocolate Bar opening in Paddington, Sydney. For over twenty years, Max Brenner has shared its chocolate and dessert creations with Australian consumers and is renowned for its own-recipe chocolate, Hot Chocolates, Chocolate Fondue for Two, Tutti Frutti Waffles and Decadent Pizza’s as well as iconic crockery such as the Hug Mug.
In 2018, the business went into administration and Max Brenner’s Asia Pacific (APAC) arm was acquired by an Australian owned and operated family business (Vitocco Enterprises). With a newly appointed leadership team, Max Brenner has renewed its focus on building the brand for growth. The company now has strong national & international expansion plans, with its first international Chocolate Bar due to open in Queenstown, New Zealand at the end of 2021.