The reconstruction of Lemberger's factory in Frýdek-Místek will cost Marlenka up to three billion

Frýdek-Místek – The reconstruction of the former Lemberger textile factory complex in Frýdek-Místek will cost between 2.5 and three billion crowns. The historic complex was purchased last year at auction by Marlenka international, which produces honey cakes in the city. The company intends to use the complex to expand its production, but also to build a museum and restore the historical park there. Gevorg Avetisjan, the owner of Marlenka, said this to ČTK today.

"Our current premises are no longer sufficient, so we will expand the production of balls and cakes, which are not our dominant products, but we already lack capacity for them. We would like to start production there by the end of 2027, but we are struggling a bit with bureaucracy. Obtaining certain permits takes a year,” Avetisjan said.

According to him, projects are currently being processed intensively. "We haven’t quantified it precisely yet, but overall it will cost 2.5 to three billion crowns. The first phase, a large hall with four lines in the historic building, will cost at least 1.5 billion crowns. Of that, half a billion will go just to the reconstruction of the historic building. It is a total ruin,” said the owner of Marlenka.

He wants to restore the building to its original state before insensitive interventions from the socialist era, so modern partitions and plasters will be removed from the historic building. A chimney built in the 1970s will also be demolished. Avetisjan mentioned that he originally wanted to turn it into an observation tower, but according to experts, the chimney is in a deplorable state.

But the complex will not only have production spaces. "It will probably have the largest cultural center in Frýdek-Místek. In one historic building, there will be offices only on the upper floor, while downstairs there will be an interactive museum. The exhibition will start with the Lemberger period and continue to the present day and the history of Marlenka. There will be a beautiful large store for our products. There will also be a stylish café with some small food and Armenian specialties," Avetisjan said.

His company is also planning to restore the historic park from the Lemberger era, where people will be able to sit and relax. The park will feature a fountain and a cake statue. Marlenka purchased the complex from Slezan Holding, with the condition of preserving the historical buildings and handling them carefully.

Marlenka international generated revenues of 708.8 million crowns from the sale of its own products and services in 2022, and its operations ended with a net profit of 78.2 million crowns. It produces around ten million products annually. The company has over 350 employees. Avetisjan expects that after the expansion of production, their number will grow again.

The cake producing company Marlenka has been on the market since 2003 and manufactures products based on an ancient Armenian family recipe. Its owner Avetisjan is originally from Armenia and has lived in the Czech Republic since 1995. He has already been named the Entrepreneur of the Year in the Moravian-Silesian region, and Marlenka has also received the Company of the Year title in the Moravian-Silesian region. President Miloš Zeman awarded Avetisjan with the Medal of Merit, 1st Class, two years ago.