As of: January 31, 2024, 3:42 p.m
By: Julian Baumann
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A bakery chain from the Black Forest has to close due to repeated hygiene deficiencies.
This affects 20 branches and 160 employees.
Titisee-Neustadt - Due to the global economic problems, many companies from Baden-Württemberg filed for bankruptcy last year.
The main causes cited were the long-term consequences of the corona pandemic, the energy crisis resulting from the war in Ukraine, and the significant decline in purchasing power.
These challenges also put a strain on the traditional
Gehri bakery chain
based in
Titisee-Neustadt
(Breisgau-Hochschwarzwald).
But there were also significant hygiene deficiencies.
That's why the chain with a total of 20 branches in Baden-Württemberg opened insolvency proceedings at the end of 2023.
According to a press release from the law firm PLUTA, based in
Ulm
, there had already been several inspections by the Economic Control Service (WKD) at Gehri last year, during which hygiene deficiencies were discovered.
After a new inspection by the Breisgau-Hochschwarzwald district office a few days ago, during which, according to
SWR
, a severe pest infestation was discovered, the WKD ordered the permanent closure.
Another traditional bakery from Baden-Württemberg closed eight branches last year.
The traditional Gehri bakery from the Black Forest had to lay off all 160 employees
At the end of last year, the Gehri bakery chain went bankrupt under self-administration.
In addition to the hygiene deficiencies, the high energy costs and declining purchasing power put a strain on the business, so an investor would have been necessary to save the chain.
However, this hope was dashed by the closure order and the proceedings will continue as normal.
“Resuming production and branches at a later date is not possible for financial reasons,” PLUTA said in a statement.
“Unfortunately, all around 160 employees have to be laid off.”
The Gehri bakery chain from the Black Forest had to close due to poor hygiene and economic problems.
(Symbolic photo) © Jens Kalaene/dpa
Production at the bakery chain, which opened in 1959, has been suspended since Friday (January 26th), which is why the 20 branches between
Lörrach
,
Waldshut
,
Hochschwarzwald
and the
Schwarzwald-Baar district
are closed.
“Business operations must be stopped immediately because the company is making high losses without sales proceeds,” explains PLUTA lawyer Florian Schiller, who was appointed insolvency administrator.
“Unfortunately there is no alternative.” The
SWR
reports that the bakery chain from the Black Forest even had to recall the baked goods that had already been sold.
Managing director on the end of the bakery chain: “I am devastated”
The topic is addressed directly on the website of the Gehri bakery chain, which describes itself as the Hochschwarzwalder Bauernbäckerei.
“Since our grandfather Gustav Gehri founded it in 1959, there have been ups and downs,” it says.
The Corona crisis and the situation “with the hygiene office” had given the company a very difficult time.
“But we owe all our successes, as well as the crises we have overcome, to our employees for their trust, their commitment, their loyalty, and their full conviction in our tradition and quality!”
When he wrote the short passage on the company's homepage, Gehri apparently still had hope that he would be able to overcome this crisis.
Accordingly, managing director Thomas Schuble reacted to the final closure of the traditional business.
“I am devastated,” he told
SWR.
His life's work was destroyed within six months.
The mail order company Klingel from Pforzheim was also unable to save itself from bankruptcy and had to cease operations completely.