Patrina loukoumia
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Patrina loukoumia or loukoumia Patron (Greek Λουκουμια Πατρών) is Turkish Delight (lukum) produced in Patras, Greece.
At the beginning of the 20th century, there was one major producer, the "Aggelopouloi Bros" company. The company closed in the early 1990s.
In 1916, a young man, Vassilios Manoussos (1900–1986) moved to Patras from a nearby village to work for "Aggelopouloi Bros" and learn to make loukoumi. He started producing his own in 1925 and sold it in the streets, or by visiting confectionery shops, door to door. After World War II, he started making chalk, much in need for new schools, but soon moved back to making loukoumia. The family later moved to a small warehouse and then to a bigger one in Pantanassis Street, in the centre of Patras. In the 1950s, a new and larger factory was built in Agyia. The company was named V. Manoussos & Sons (Β. Μανούσος & Υιοί). Later, it started using the trademark Achaiki (Αχαϊκή) 'of Achaia'.
Vassilios Manoussos introduced boukies loukoumia, bite-sized pieces remaining from cutting and packing loukoumi. These cuttings were usually melted into the next loukoumi batch, but now they represent more than 30% of all loukoumi sales. Boukies (μπουκιές) literally means "small bites".
Manoussos also produced Rahat brand loukoumi for the Gloria company.
Patrina Loukoumia come in three colours and flavours: red with rose flavour, white with mastic flavour, and green with bergamot flavour.
Manoussos added other products: koufeta (Dragée), vanilla sweet, gum candies (valda type), and other sugared products (like mnimosinou candies). The company was inherited by Vassilios's sons, and ceased operations in 2000.
