The Neubrandenburg district court opened insolvency proceedings over the assets of Unser Heimatbäcker GmbH – Lila Bäcker, on January 1, after failed negotiations with investors regarding an overall solution for the bakery with 232 branches and 1,600 employees. Insolvency administrator Christian Graf Brockdorff continues to operate 160 branches in which other investors are interested. Approximately one-third of the employees will be laid off. The employees received insolvency money until the end of December.

Insolvency administrator Brockdorff, together with the Lila Bäcker management, informed employees about the situation at staff meetings and presented the list of active branches in the federal states of Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania, Brandenburg, Berlin and Schleswig-Holstein. The layoffs primarily affect Unser Heimatbäcker GmbH, which produces bread and rolls in Pasewalk as well as the branches and cafés, and Unser Heimatbäcker Logistik GmbH, which is responsible for supplying the branch network. There are no plans for layoffs at Unser Heimatbäcker Holding GmbH and Mäkelbörger KuchenManufaktur GmbH, which produces cakes and pastries in Neubrandenburg.

“An overall solution failed to be found due to difficult market conditions due to increased energy and raw material prices, which also affect other bakeries. Customers have to save and are holding back. From January 1, the increased minimum wage and the increased VAT in cafés will also cause additional costs. But our negotiations with investors also show that there is interest in maintaining well-running branches and most parts of the business as well as the employees. We have committed employees and our partners and suppliers continue to support us. That is why I am confident in the future negotiations with the insolvency administrator to find a satisfactory solution,” explained Viola Kaluza, CEO of Unser Heimatbäcker Holding GmbH.

Photo: Lila Bäcker (archive)