As of: February 13, 2024, 9:45 a.m
By: Katrin Woitsch
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Nobody bakes cakes as well as the grandmas and grandpas of this world.
Two young women turned this knowledge into a business idea: “Kuchentratsch”.
The pensioner bakery was facing bankruptcy a few years ago.
But today business is better than ever.
Munich - Helga Baubitz is always in a particularly good mood on Tuesdays.
Tuesday is cake gossip day.
Every week the 69-year-old gets on the train in the morning and travels from the Allgäu to Munich to uninhibitedly live out her great passion: baking.
Baubitz ties her red apron, puts on her glasses and reads what is on her to-do list today: two chocolate cakes, 24 small vegan chocolate cakes, two blueberry sour cream – her specialty.
Nevertheless, she quickly looks for the recipe in a thick folder.
The quantities are a little different than what she has to deal with in her own kitchen.
“Kuchentratsch” in Munich: Delicious cakes from grandmas and grandpas
While she calmly reads through the recipe, there is a lot of hustle and bustle around her.
Four other baking grandmas and a baking grandpa weigh out butter and flour, count eggs and study recipes.
There is a lot of laughter.
There is no rush in this bakery, but there is a lot of baking experience.
There's Grandpa Michi, for example.
Outside the bakery he is called Michael Rottenanger.
The 68-year-old loves baking - but there is a problem: his wife doesn't like cake.
So the machine fitter applied to Kuchentratsch when he was 63.
Of course he was taken.
Just because of his carrot cake.
“They are legendary,” says Susanne Engstle, spokeswoman for Kuchentratsch.
It's not just her that thinks this, but people from all over Bavaria.
“Some come from as far away as Freising.” Recently, a cake lover from South Tyrol even sat in the café because he had heard about the legendary Munich cakes.
The cakes are now sent by post throughout Germany.
Chocolate cake is Helga Baubitz's specialty.
© Klaus Haag
Given the high demand, there is of course a lot to do.
Around 50 grandmas and grandpas work in the bakery.
Most as bakers, some as delivery drivers, some as dishwashers.
All are employed on a mini-job basis.
For some, baking isn't just fun.
“Munich is expensive, they need to supplement their pension a little.” Others put the money they earn here into their grandchildren’s savings boxes.
They come here once a week for the pure love of baking.
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In the “Kuchentratsch” bakery, cakes are also made to order
Here in the bakery, which the café guests have a clear view of through glass panes, it's like many grandmas and grandpas in the kitchen.
There is a large portion of love in every recipe, infinite peace in every step.
Even if 7.5 kilos of butter have to be mixed with 30 eggs.
That's Grandpa Michi's job today.
He produces 30 kilos of shortcrust pastry for grandmas' cakes.
Upper arm muscles are required.
Of course, the 68-year-old has had it for a long time.
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Crack 30 eggs?
No problem for Michi Rottenanger.
© Klaus Haag
While the mixer kneads the dough, Grandpa Michi has time to chat with delivery Grandpa Norbert.
The 69-year-old was a taxi driver as a student, then spent his life working with software. Today he drives cakes through Munich.
“Anyone who brings cake is welcome everywhere,” he says with a smile as he goes through the list of orders.
There is a birthday cake today.
Norbert Lemster loads seven cakes into the delivery truck.
Then the tour starts.
He has been traveling for Kuchentratsch for five years.
“I haven’t gotten a ticket yet.”
Business students founded a start-up to combat loneliness
Kuchentratsch was founded by two business students in 2014.
It was supposed to be a start-up to combat loneliness among seniors - and it became a huge success story.
The two soon had to look for a larger bakery and combined that with their dream of a Kuchentrasch café.
Just when things could really get going in the new store on Theresienhöhe, the pandemic came.
Grandmas and grandpas were considered a risk group.
“We tried to save ourselves by selling baking mixes,” reports Engstle.
But in July 2022, Kuchentratsch had to file for bankruptcy.
Rescue came after two months: the Höflinger-Müller Group joined as a partner.
Grandpa or Grandma cakes are now sold in many of their branches.
And in the café on Theresienhöhe, a long queue of customers forms again every day at the cake counter.
There is a lot of laughter at work in the Kuchentratsch bakery on Theresienhöhe.
The baking grandmas Sonja, Helga and Hilde have been working here for many years.
© Klaus Haag
Helga Baubitz and the other seniors are happy that their bakery has been saved.
Not only are the tastiest cakes created here - but also friendships.
“And we all learn from each other.” Today her daughter and grandson Alvaro are coming over for a surprise visit.
Of course the three-year-old can test the marble cake.
He laughs happily with a chocolate mouth.
Tastes like home at grandma's.
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