Our Story
Edelweiss Imports roots began in the 1960’s as a German butcher shop in NW Calgary. The business changed over the years with a few different proprietors and services until 1982 when the current family bought the business. Herbert & Renate Schuster (now 97 & 92 years old) had a dream to create an authentic delicatessen and cafe. In 1994, their children, Stan and Marianne Kundert bought the business and expanded it to offer imported gifts and houseware.
By early 2000 Edelweiss Village was dreamed up and built. By this time there were regular trips to trade fairs across Germany to find the right giftware, crafts and cuisine to offer at Edelweiss Village. The business grew and added an online store which now ships European groceries, housewares and giftware across Canada.
Today, the Edelweiss team is moving to the next generation of Kundert children. Melissa & Ben Hoogendoorn and Nadine & Nathan De Bruyn lead a large team of staff at Edelweiss Village and in Edelrweiss Warehouse, our import/wholesale warehouse.
Edelweiss Village has undergone several renovations over the years and today it houses a cafe (Kaffeestube), a pastry bakery (freshly baked and decorated torts & authentic pastries), a bread bakery (German bread, buns and pretzel which arrive frozen and are baked daily in our bakery), open kitchen (servicing the cafe and takeout counter with Schnitzel, Spaetzle and more…), an extensive meat and imported cheese counter, a candy bar (Dutch dropjes, Scandinavian gummies and German sweets) and a gift store.
You will find Blackforest Cuckoo clocks, German nutcracker, Polish pottery, German linens and so much more in the gift boutique. The fourth generation of family is working and playing in business. Edelweiss Village has become a destination for visitors from across Canada. Come and visit us at Edelweiss Village, a European shopping experience.
Global Reach Confections has serviced Edelweiss Imports since the 1990’s. Their team has supplied our customers with quality Dutch specialties, from sweet & salty dropjes, to chewy stroopwafel, to spicey sambal oelek and everything in between. There has been a regular flow of goods from their warehouse to Edelweiss store shelves. We appreciate the great services, and we know we can count on Global Reach Confections to deliver.
