One of the most important roles a trade show can hope to fulfill is to provide the platform where ideas spark.
While bakers get inspiration for new creations from new trends, their unique experiences and their customers, at iba they can share their experiences. The show’s owner, the German Baker’s Confederation, shared with bbi their perspective on the German baking industry and how bakers can share know-how and inspire bakeries worldwide, at iba and every day.
The German Baker’s Confederation (Zentralverband des Deutschen Bäckerhandwerks) is the owner of iba. It represents the interests of over 9,200 bakeries, which have around 240,000 employees between them. With a total turnover of EUR 17.55 billion, the German baking industry is one of the influential economic sectors in Germany. Roland Ermer, President of the German Baker’s Confederation, shared the organization’s views.
Catalina Mihu: Artisan bakery is a top priority at iba. What are the main priorities of artisan bakers in Germany today?
Roland Ermer: Germany is known worldwide for its bread culture, and artisan bakers are proud of this. With over 3,000 bread specialties, our businesses are not only basic suppliers in the regions, but also provide high-quality products – some with recipes that have existed for generations, often paired with a great deal of creativity and a joy of experimenting. These valuable assets must be preserved, and the German Baker’s Confederation stands up for it every day. Core issues currently include the omnipresent shortage of skilled labor, securing an affordable energy supply and a significant reduction of bureaucracy, which paralyzes many businesses.
Mihu: How do German artisan bakers tackle ongoing challenges?
Ermer: Entrepreneurs in Germany are fighters – they stand up for their company and their employees and always try to find new solutions, even in difficult situations. The guilds, together with their regional associations, are in intensive dialogue with politicians, just as we are as the German Bakers Confederation. This requires perseverance, good public relations work and constant, respectful insistence. We hope that the new government in Germany, starting in March, will once again raise awareness of SMEs as a reliable pillar of our economy. Our companies create jobs, secure prosperity in the regions and also ensure social interaction in their shops and cafés. Only together as an association organization can we be perceived as a strong voice to stand up for our interests.
Mihu: How should the legislation improve the support for Germany’s artisan bakeries?
Ermer: First and foremost, we are convinced that the Working Time Act must be adjusted, as it represents a competitive disadvantage for our businesses: On Sundays and public holidays, for example, we are only allowed to produce for three hours – this is far too little for a proper range of goods and therefore a clear advantage for industrial manufacturers. However, security of supply is also important: we are dependent on grain that is suitable for baking – the tightening of the fertilizer ordinance would pose a threat to supply. To this end, we are calling on politicians to provide planning and investment security for energy sources, deregulate bureaucratic tasks and reform tax and social law.
Mihu: And how does the German Baker’s Confederation work to convey the industry’s point of view – regarding the support it requires? Please highlight the lobby activities.
Ermer: We are in close dialogue with the specialist departments and the relevant ministries. The offices of the Member of Parliament are familiar with our points of view thanks to our claims papers and personal discussions, and we never get tired of fighting for the interests of our companies. This also includes appropriate public relations work in social media, press statements and many examples in practice.
Mihu: How does the German Baker’s Confederation collaborate with similar organizations in Europe? Please share details about recent/current activities, for a Europe-wide outlook of current projects.
Ermer: With CEBP, the European umbrella organization for bakers and confectioners (Confédération Européenne des Organisations Nationales de la Boulangerie et de las Patisserie CEBP), we have a strong organization so that we can bundle all interests in Europe and represent them clearly in Brussels. This includes the Europe-wide reduction in bureaucracy as well as the ‘Act on Corporate Due Diligence Obligations in Supply Chains’ (‚Lieferkettensorgfaltspflichtgesetz‘ in Germany) and corporate sustainability reporting.
