Bahlsen GmbH & Co. KG is a German food company based in Hanover. It was founded in July 1889 by Hermann Bahlsen (1859–1919) as the "Hannoversche Cakesfabrik H. Bahlsen".
Bahlsen produces a range of biscuits and cakes. Its best-known product is the Leibniz-Keks (butter biscuit), introduced in 1891. It also makes products such as chocolate-dipped Pick Up! snack bars. Bahlsen operates five production facilities in Europe and exports products to about 55 countries. It also does private-label production and remains funded by private capital.[1][2][3]
History
editOrigin and economic success
editIn 1889, the Hannoversche Cakesfabrik (Hanover Cake Factory) was founded by taking over Fabrikgeschäft engl. Cakes und Biscuits (factory business. Cakes and Biscuits), which had ten employees at the time.[4] In 1891, the Leibniz biscuit was invented and by 1894 it was also produced in the USA. In 1893, Bahlsen received a gold medal for its products at the food exhibition in Brussels, and in the same year it was awarded a gold medal for its biscuits at the World's Columbian Exposition in Chicago.[5][6]
In 1899, the company had 300 employees, and in 1905 the first assembly line production took place in Europe. In 1911, an administration building on Podbielskistrasse was build. In 1912, the company was renamed H. Bahlsens Keksfabrik. In 1914, Bahlsen employed around 1,700 people.[5][7][8]
In 1911 Hermann Bahlsen changed the English word „cakes“ into „Keks“. Some years later, the new term is officially approved and incorporated in the German Duden (dictionary).[9]
In 1916 and 1917, Bahlsen had plans developed for a test-tube city called TET-Stadt in Hanover, which was never realized. It was to be both a home and a workplace for the employees of the Bahlsen works.[6][10]
On 6 November 1919, Hermann Bahlsen died and Hans Bahlsen took over the company.[11]
During National Socialism in Germany (Until 1945)
editThe time of the German Reich was accompanied by economic success for Bahlsen. In particular, the Express tin can introduced in 1933, which contained a pound of biscuits for one Reichsmark, became a bestseller.[12] In 1935, Bahlsen launched the saltstick, which had only been available in the USA until then.[13] In 1935, the company planned to print a photo of Adolf Hitler on promotional postcards, to be paired with TET biscuit packs “for our propaganda purposes” (as a form of advertising). The Interior Ministry withdrew the cards because it would commercialize Hitler.[14]
As a result of the shortage of raw materials due to the Second World War, the product range was reduced to eleven items. When Bahlsen was declared a "war-critical company" and thus an armaments company, it produced emergency rations for German soldiers and produced crispbread and rusks.[15]
In 1904 Bahlsen introduced the new dust and moisture-resistant TET packaging onto the market. The TET sign, featuring an oval with a snake and three dots deriving from an ancient Egypt hieroglyphic meaning ‘everlasting’, is originally pronounced as “dschet”, but simplified to “TET”. The TET-packaging is the first packaging made of paper-board with the ability to keep the biscuit enduringly fresh. The following year Bahlsen introduces Europe's first assembly line, eight years before Henry Ford adopts it in the automotive industry. In 1911 Hermann Bahlsen changed the English word „cakes“ into „Keks“. Some years later, the new term is officially approved and incorporated in the German Duden (dictionary).[9]
From the end of May 1940 until the end of the Second World War, over 700 forced labourers from various European countries, most of them women from Poland and Ukraine, came to the factory in Hanover.[16] The majority of the labourers were women from Nazi occupied Ukraine.[17][18] The company executives at the time, Hans Bahlsen, Werner Bahlsen and Klaus Bahlsen, were all members of the NSDAP.[19] While the Bahlsen brothers were not top representatives of the NSDAP (Nazi party), they were in regular contact with NSDAP officials. After the end of the Nazi dictatorship, the company quickly received a production permit as an indispensable food producer and regained its role and importance. By the end of the war nearly 60% of the factory and almost all distribution warehouses are destroyed.[9] In 2019 Bahlsen assigned historian Professor Dr. Manfred Grieger to examine an independent review of the company's history. [9]
German politician Ernst Albrecht (1930–2014) was member of the management board[20] of Bahlsen in the 1970s and the press gave him the nickname "Cookie Monster".
In 1999 the company is split off into the “sweet” (Bahlsen) and “snack” (Lorenz) segments and the Von Nordeck Group. [9]
In February 2013, a gilded bronze sign in the form of a biscuit that hung outside the corporate headquarters in Hanover was stolen overnight. A ransom demand was received asking for donations of cookies to a local children's hospital and a donation to a local animal shelter. The sign was returned when Bahlsen donated to 52 social institutions.[21][22]
From 1999 to 2018, Werner Michael Bahlsen was the sole shareholder and at the same time managing director.[23] Today he is the chairman of the board of directors.[24]
Key personnel
editManagement board:
See also
editReferences
edit- ^ businessweek.com: "Company Overview of Bahlsen GmbH & Co. KG", consulted Oct 2014
- ^ referenceforbusiness.com: "Bahlsen GmbH & Co. KG - Company Profile, Information, Business Description, History, Background Information on Bahlsen GmbH & Co. KG", consulted Oct 2014]
- ^ hoovers.com: "Bahlsen GmbH & Co. KG - History", consulted Oct 2014
- ^ "Leibniz Keks - Nur echt mit 52 Zähnen sagt Bahlsen". Hannover entdecken ... (in German). 2019-02-13. Retrieved 2025-03-14.
- ^ a b Kaleta, Philip (2020-01-26). "Die Konflikte und Skandale des Keks-Imperiums Bahlsen". Business Insider (in German). Retrieved 2025-03-14.
- ^ a b "History". www.thebahlsenfamily.com. Retrieved 2025-03-14.
- ^ NDR. "Auf den Keks gegangen: Wie Fabrikant Bahlsen sich sein Plätzchen in der Süßwarenbranche sicherte". www.ndr.de (in German). Retrieved 2025-03-14.
- ^ "Bahlsen: Wie drei Generationen der Keksdynastie die Marke prägten". Hannoversche Allgemeine Zeitung (in German). 2018-04-24. Retrieved 2025-03-14.
- ^ a b c d e "History". www.thebahlsenfamily.com. Retrieved 2024-05-22.
- ^ "Nach 82 Jahren: Die wundersame Rückkehr der TET-Göttin". Hannover City News (in German). 2018-06-06. Retrieved 2025-03-14.
- ^ "Fotos: Bahlsen: Chronik in Bildern". RP ONLINE (in German). 2005-04-25. Retrieved 2025-03-14.
- ^ "Die Express-Dose". neue verpackung (in German). Retrieved 2025-03-14.
- ^ "Hermann Bahlsen: Neues Gebäck und neues Wort: Keks - WELT". DIE WELT (in German). Retrieved 2025-03-14.
- ^ Benne, Simon (2025-03-12). "Zwangsarbeit in Hannover: So profitierte Bahlsen vom NS-Regime". www.haz.de (in German). Retrieved 2025-03-14.
- ^ Bohr, Felix; Dahlkamp, Jürgen; Schmitt, Jörg (2019-05-17). "(S+) Die Bahlsens und die SS: Dunkle Familiengeschichte". Der Spiegel (in German). ISSN 2195-1349. Retrieved 2025-03-14.
- ^ "Bahlsen during National Socialism 1933 to 1945". www.thebahlsenfamily.com. Retrieved 2024-05-22.
- ^ "Choco Leibniz biscuit heiress apologises over Nazi-era labour comments". BBC News. 15 May 2019. Retrieved 16 May 2019.
- ^ Huggler, Justin (14 May 2019). "Choco Leibniz biscuit heiress defends family's Nazi-era slave labour". The Telegraph.
- ^ Felix Bohr, Jürgen Dahlkamp, Jörg Schmitt (17 May 2019), "The Bahlsens and the SS", Der Spiegel, 13 December
{{citation}}
: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link) - ^ "Ernst Albrecht". Archived from the original on 7 June 2011. Retrieved 1 June 2010.
- ^ NDR. "Vor zehn Jahren: Krümelmonster klaut goldenen Bahlsen-Keks". www.ndr.de (in German). Retrieved 2024-05-22.
- ^ "Cookie Monster's 'golden biscuit' found hanging from horse". The Telegraph. February 5, 2013.
- ^ magazin, manager (25 April 2018). "Bahlsen: Werner M. Bahlsen übergibt Führung an Manager-Team". www.manager-magazin.de (in German). Retrieved 2022-09-09.
- ^ "Impressum". www.thebahlsenfamily.com (in German). Retrieved 2022-09-09.
External links
edit- Official website
- Documents and clippings about Bahlsen in the 20th Century Press Archives of the ZBW