Wholesale lokum and nougat in bulk

Lokum and nougat are two confections that share the Mediterranean basin: one, a tender scented paste born in oriental kitchens; the other, a blend of honey, dried fruit and egg whites, that has become a French speciality. For the fine-food retailer filling a display, the pastry chef composing a festive box or the caterer laying out a petit-four buffet, these ready-to-sell products are bought wholesale, in packagings designed for turnover.

Nougat, a confection of Mediterranean tradition

Nougat travels between Turkey, Spain and Italy, each region lending its own recipes. In France it has taken root for several centuries, becoming an emblematic speciality: Nougat de Montélimar, whose reputation rests on a code of practice and good conduct, and which holds a protected geographical indication (PGI). The European register of geographical indications (eAmbrosia) lists this type of protected product.

The recipe for white nougat rests on whipped egg whites, roasted almonds and pistachios, bound by a syrup of honey, sugar and glucose cooked to high temperature. Depending on the quantity of almonds and the texture, a distinction is drawn between tender nougat — soft, melting — and hard nougat, firmer and crunchier. The quality of a nougat shows in the freshness of the dried fruit, the balance between honey and sugar, and the consistency, neither too sticky nor too hard.

Lokum, nougatine, baklava: the rest of the assortment

Beyond nougat, the range covers several confectionery families. Lokum, a confection of Turkish origin, is a tender paste of sugar and starch, scented with rose, lemon or mint, sometimes filled with dried fruit or pistachios, dusted with icing sugar. Its supple, perfumed texture makes it an original tasting piece, a surprise at the end of a meal.

Nougatine, prized by pastry chefs, is made of caramelised sugar into which dried fruit — almonds, walnuts, sesame seeds — is folded. Broken into shards or moulded as decoration, it adds crunch to desserts and savoury bites. Baklava, oriental pastries of thin sheets of pastry filled with cashews or pistachios and soaked in a scented syrup, round out the oriental offer, much in demand during the holidays.

Balls — coated peanuts, candied oranges, chocolate chestnuts — and caramelised sesame dried fruit further broaden the palette for festive assortments.

Origins and packaging

Sourcing distinguishes French-origin confectionery, made locally under the Meyva brand, from oriental specialities. The table below shows the catalogue's main packagings.

These packagings let you match stock to real turnover: the tray for piecemeal selling, the bucket for steady bulk turnover, the box for seasonal pushes and gifts.

Storage and confectionery quality

Nougat, lokum and baklava are sugar-rich confections that keep for weeks to months when sheltered from moisture and heat. Their chief enemy is water: nougat absorbs moisture and softens, lokum sticks and loses its shape, nougatine loses its crunch. Storage is therefore in closed packaging, cool and dry.

We select our batches for the consistency of their texture and flavour, and we pass on the traceability information professionals need: origin, batch and best-before date accompany every order. A confection whose taste changes little from batch to batch guarantees a steady display and builds customer loyalty.

The dried fruit in the recipe — almonds, pistachios, cashews — is sensitive to oxidation: a nougat whose almonds have turned rancid loses all its value. Planning orders against the best-before date prevents shortages in peak periods — year-end holidays, Ramadan, oriental festivals — as well as surpluses in slow ones.

Ordering wholesale: what Palimex provides

Our lokum and nougat range is aimed at professionals: fine-food shops, bakeries, chocolatiers, caterers and catering outlets. To prepare an efficient order, several points are worth anticipating.

• The assortment by clientele: French nougats for turnover, oriental specialities for differentiation, festive pieces for the holidays.
• The packaging by trade: trays for retail resale, buckets for bulk and petit fours, boxes for gifts.
• French-origin references (Meyva) for a clientele attuned to traceability and local making.
• Turnover: match volume to real throughput to limit dormant stock and preserve the freshness of the dried fruit.
• Seasonality: anticipate demand peaks — year-end holidays, oriental festivals — to avoid running short.

Find our full range of confectionery, lokum, nougat and pastry ingredients in our bulk pastry catalogue, designed for catering buyers who want a single contact for their sourcing.