The Future of Baking is Responsible
Interview with Volker Schmidt-Sköries, Managing Director
While many bakeries struggle with rising costs and staffing shortages, biokaiser GmbH continues to grow – steadily, purposefully, and with heart. Founded nearly 50 years ago in Wiesbaden, the organic bakery has evolved into a thriving business that puts people before profits. In this interview, founder and managing director Volker Schmidt-Sköries explains how values-based leadership, social responsibility, and economic success can go hand in hand – and why he believes business can, and should, make the world a better place.
European Business: biokaiser is celebrating 50 years next year – an impressive milestone in a challenging industry. How did it all begin, and how has the company evolved since then?
Volker Schmidt-Sköries: I co-founded biokaiser back in the 1970s, at a time when organic food was still very much a fringe idea. We were part of the alternative movement, driven by social and ecological ideals rather than economic gain. From a small backyard bakery in Wiesbaden, we’ve grown into one of the city’s largest bakeries, producing organic baked goods worth over EUR 100,000 per day and employing around 350 people. Our growth, especially since 2000, has been steady – even through turbulent times.
European Business: Many bakeries are currently facing existential challenges. Yet your business seems to thrive. What sets you apart?
Volker Schmidt-Sköries: Unlike many others in the industry, we’ve remained profitable – and I believe it’s largely due to our different economic model. We are certified under the common good economy and cap our profit margins at 5%. Any additional earnings are shared with employees or invested in social and cultural initiatives – for example, building homes in India. Moreover, our company ownership structure ensures this is binding: 59% of shares are held by non-profit foundations. Our prices remain fair, our quality is exceptional, and our customers value this consistency and honesty.
European Business: You’ve emphasized the human and social side of business. How do you embed those values in your daily operations?
Volker Schmidt-Sköries: We focus a lot on employee wellbeing and culture. Managers receive regular coaching, and staff can access therapy sessions during working hours. Everyone gets paid mindfulness time, and our internal minimum wage has been EUR 14.39 for over two decades. Our apprentices learn not only the trade, but also grow wheat on their own field and receive communication training through theatre educators. It’s about nurturing people, not just productivity. For us, business isn’t just about selling bread – it’s about fostering dignity, participation, and humanity at every level.
European Business: With such a strong ethical foundation, how do you maintain competitiveness in a market shaped by price pressure and consolidation?
Volker Schmidt-Sköries: We don’t play the usual price game. Our growth is based on trust, quality, and long-term relationships. We actively diversify our sales channels and ensure that each one is profitable on a full-cost basis – that gives us independence and stability. We don’t rely on one major buyer. Instead, we invest in complexity and true partnership. Our economic success comes from integrity. And to pass on this approach, we’ve launched an academy in cooperation with TH Mittelhessen, where students are trained in value-based leadership and even run their own bakery concept as part of the curriculum.
European Business: What is your message to policymakers – and what kind of support would help socially responsible companies like yours?
Volker Schmidt-Sköries: My wish is for politics to move beyond short-term narratives and embrace reality with courage and responsibility. Sustainability should not be a temporary trend but a structural priority. I’m not interested in party politics – I care about ethical leadership. We all, including entrepreneurs, have a responsibility to ensure that our grandchildren still have a future. That requires long-term thinking, not quarterly results.
European Business: Looking ahead, what are your plans for biokaiser in the next few years?
Volker Schmidt-Sköries: My goal is to ensure that the values we’ve built this company on remain strong – even when I’m no longer here. I want the next generation to carry this spirit forward. For our 50th anniversary, we’re even creating children’s books – little Pixi-style stories about how our signature products came to life. biokaiser stands for more than bread. We want to inspire a different kind of economy – human, fair, and future-proof. Bread is our craft but impact is our purpose.We want to make the world a little better along the way.