With Loaf and Soul, Mill Bakers
Interview with Verena Moser, Managing Director of Mühlenbäckerei Rudolf Jung GmbH & Co. KG
For many generations, the mill bakers have lived, milled, and baked in Westerwald: Mühlenbäckerei Rudolf Jung GmbH & Co. KG dates back to the year 1615 and is closely associated with the operation of the mill in Westerburg, where even today the best grains from regional cultivation are ground into flour and baked into delicious products. The specialty of this traditional business has now been doubly awarded: firstly with the Großer Preis des Mittelstandes, and secondly with the Golden Zacharias for the 'Energiebündel', a protein bread of bakery quality.
"For the Grand Prix of the Mittelstand, what was decisive was how interesting our growth as craftsmen and our traditional history are," explains Verena Moser, who along with her brother Martin Jung, manages the family business. "We are particularly pleased with the award, as it was often forgotten recently that craftsmanship is an important economic factor in Germany. Even in official statistics, such as those from the Statistical Office of the States, the category of craftsmanship is often missing next to industry, trade, and services."
That Mühlenbäckerei Rudolf Jung GmbH & Co. KG is a genuine artisan business is demonstrated just by the payroll percentage, which makes up almost 50% of the annual turnover of 24 million EUR net with 520 employees. According to old tradition, flour is still milled in-house, sourdough is manually prepared and allowed to mature slowly. This produces good, wholesome bread that does without the usual industrial additives.
High Quality Standards
The second prize, which Mühlenbäckerei recently received, also honors their high quality standards. "The Golden Zacharias is something like the Oscar of the baking craft," knows the managing director, who grew up with the mill, studied business administration, worked elsewhere and then very consciously decided on the family business. "The award is about the product and its marketing. The Westerwäld ‘Energiebündel’ is a protein bread with unusual baking ingredients, so it meets all the requirements, but is still a real bread of baker quality. The target group is the younger generation, who we definitely need. They eat very selectively and healthily, and our ‘Energiebündel’ fits this lifestyle. In cooperation with an online shop, we have begun to distribute this niche product: We sell the bread not only in our stores but also send it out on customer request via an online shop."
Honest Handicraft
The importance of craftsmanship at the mill bakery is something that the family business is happy to demonstrate locally. "It is important to us that even children learn the manufacturing process of the breads, the entire value chain from field to lunchbox," emphasizes Verena Moser. "We organize many tours for kindergartens and elementary schools in our bakery and mill, but also internships for higher education schools. We want to introduce the craft profession to the younger generation, conveying to them that it is wonderful to create something with their hands. Indeed, perceptions are gradually changing, as craftsmen are rare and their appreciation is increasing. We employ a high percentage of skilled workers and have many bakers who enjoy working with us and value the high proportion of honest craftsmanship."
Remarkably, the mill bakery has a high percentage of female employees, especially in the branch bakeries. Even at the branch management level, the rate is 90%. The female employees often work part-time, which speaks to the flexibility of the business. Even training is available part-time.
Mill as a Trademark
The old water mill remains the trademark of the mill bakery and is inseparably linked to the family business. The 4.20 m high steel water wheel has been turning since 1615 and in the 12th generation, and since 1889, flour has been baked into bread in the mill.
"In the 1970s, my grandfather made the decision that a small artisan mill could not survive on its own, and he secured the existence of the family business by adding a bakery," the managing director reports. "My father was the first master baker to focus on branching out, laying the groundwork for further growth. Today we have branches within an 80 km radius, including beautiful cafes with a great breakfast offering. Since the gastronomic offerings partially collapsed due to the pandemic, we can now provide an alternative. Our branches and cafes are meeting places and communication centers. Even in these times, it is important to treat yourself to something good. We are also focusing on bowls, salads, yogurt concepts, and pizza."
Whether it's traditional bread in tasty variations or modern snacks, the products of the mill bakery remain something very special, made from grain produced specifically for the mill, ground in the old mill, and crafted with loving care.