The situation in the bakery trade in Germany has been tense for many years. In 2023, many had to give up or sell their business to competitors. But a number also gives hope.
The number of bakery businesses in Germany fell again in 2023. As of December 31, 2023, there were 9,242 such companies with just over 235,000 employees, as the Central Association of the German Bakery Trade announced on Saturday. The number of companies fell by 3.8 percent compared to the previous year, and the number of employees fell by 1.4 percent. However, the number of sales outlets is still well over 40,000, according to the central association. The long-term comparison shows that a quarter of the companies have closed since 2015. At that time there were still 12,155 bakery businesses.
Meanwhile, the number of master’s examinations completed has increased. “A total of 284 journeymen took the master craftsman examination in 2023, which corresponds to an increase of 7.6 percent,” said the central association. “It is too early to speak of a turnaround, but it makes us proud to see how a large number of young people are continuing their high-quality training and thereby helping to maintain the quality standard in our country,” said Roland Ermer, President of the Central Association. In the bakery trade, the master craftsmanship requirement applies – it is therefore not possible to take over or start a business without a completed master craftsman’s examination. The number of trainees fell by 8 percent.
Source: Stern
