About us

Gingerbread and candlemaking

Crafts or arts? In any case it’s a craft with soul. The golden age of
gingerbread craft in Croatia was in 18th and 19th century, but
nowadays this craft is barely surviving. Thanks to family tradition
and love for this craft, even today it still exists in Špičko family.
When Vinko Špičko took over business 1937. from famous Koprivnica
craftman Josip Sulimanović, nobody thought that the soul of this craft
will live so long in his family. He died in 1972 and his wife Ljubica,
then inherited the business with help of their son Ivan. Today the
business is lead by Ljubica, her daughter-in-law, who is her youngest
son Vinko’s wife.

Church feasts

It is impossible to imagine a church feast without gingerbread makers.
This event is unthinkable without a glass of mead with ice and
gingerbread cookies, and many colourful licitar. Beside of church
feasts, you can reach all our poducts at our gingerbread and candle
maker’s shop in Koprivnica. We hold a great assortiment of various
candles and various gingerbread products, that are also used as Easter
and Christmas decorations. In our shop you can also have a cold glass
of mead, holding the sentence: “Strenghtens and cleans the heart,
Špičko’s mead”.

Honey

Honey is the main ingredient of all products of gingerbread and
candlemaking craft. There are two ground products made of honey: honey
biscuits (gingerbread cookies) and mead (called: gverc). Gingerbread
cookies are made from first class honey, flour and spices after an old
proceeding.
Besides honey biscuits and mead, there are also other gingerbread
products called „licitar“ – hearts, babes and horses, rosaries…
Mead is made using old technology, also from honey. It is a fully natural drink.

Where are we?

Our gingerbread and candlemaking craft shop is situated in the center
of town of Koprivnica, near the parochial St. Nicholas church, only a
hundred meters away from main town square.

We would be honored if this small review became a stimulation to all
who come to Croatia, to visit our shop in Koprivnica and to sweeten
your stay with our honey biscuits and mead. On that way, You will take
a remembrance to our beautiful region of Podravina in northern
Croatia.