333 YEARS LAMBERTZ
2021
The history of Lambertz is impressive, exciting and rich - Lambertz manages to make the leap from a small bakery in Aachen to one of the oldest confectionery manufacturers in Germany. In 2021, the traditional and family-owned company celebrated its 333rd anniversary. Thanks to an innovative spirit, hard work, drive and good marketing ideas, further notable successes and milestones follow.
2020
The production of the Lambertz FineArt Calendar 2020 takes the team to South Africa. Shootings for the 2020 FineArt calendar begin as early as spring 2019 with photographer Sven Creutzmann, who photographs actors such as Florence Kasumba and Hardy Krüger Jr. under the motto "African Moods." Just before that, another impressive location is the backdrop for the "PURE" calendar at the end of 2018: Under the direction of photographer James Nader and producer Marco Cormann, special motifs with stars such as NENA and Rúrik Gíslason are created, highlighting Iceland's threatened landscape.
2019
The year 2019 starts with another success: in the course of the International Sweets and Biscuits Fair, Lambertz sole owner Dr. Hermann Bühlbecker is honored with the ISM Award. The world's leading trade fair for confectionery and snacks takes place every year in Cologne, creates impulses and presents innovations in the world of confectionery. In the following year, the group of companies exhibits at the trade fair for the 50th time in a row and has been a permanent fixture since it was founded in 1971. With the cancellation of the ISM in 2021, the company is designing its first online "showroom," a digital trade fair stand that offers space for numerous interaction options, such as expert discussions with the internal sales team or augmented reality functions, among other things, with which innovations can be integrated into the surrounding reality of the viewer and viewed in a 360-degree radius.
2018
666 million Euro annual turnover
Award as "German Superbrand 2018/2019 (Superbrands Germany)
2017
654.5 million Euro annual turnover
Partner of the Fairtrade Cocoa Programme 2017
Award as "German Superbrand 2017/2018 (Superbrands Germany)
2016
651 million Euro annual turnover
2015
620 million Euro annual turnover
Acquisition of the Nuremberg gingerbread and long-life bakery products factory ifri Schuhmann GmbH & Co. KG (1938), the Wendler Nougat GmbH & Co. KG (1906) in Nuremberg and DOK Süsswaren (Hits for Kids)
Second entry in the "Lexicon of German world market leaders" (Publishing house Deutsche Standards Editionen)
2014
585 million Euro annual turnover
Majority interest in Dr. Quendt GmbH & Co. KG (1991)
Entry in the " Lexicon of German world market leaders " (Publishing house Deutsche Standards Editionen)
2013
In 2013, events are coming thick and fast: Lambertz celebrates - e.g. with a blogger event - its 325th birthday and is honored for the third time by the Federal Ministry of Food, Agriculture and Consumer Protection with the golden Bundesehrenpreis. The increasing internationality of the brand puts Lambertz in the top group and in first place in WirtschaftsWoche's ranking of the oldest German companies with, in their segment, a leading position on the world market - Lambertz's ambition and drive pay off.
2012
- Acquisition of Sadex Zuckerwarenfabrik GmbH in Winnenden by Top Sweets GmbH
- Investment in Top Sweets GmbH from Nordkirchen
- Award as "German Superbrand 2012" (Superbrands Germany)
- Second award as "Brand of the Century" (Publishing house Deutsche Standards Editionen)
- "Global market leader for autumn and Christmas cookies" (State of North Rhine-Westphalia)
2011
Entry in the volume "100 reputable German Companies" (Publishing house Deutsche Standards Editionen)
2010
- 536.3 million euros annual turnover
- Entry in the "Lexicon of German global market leaders" (Publishing house Deutsche Standards Editionen)
2009
When does a company become an iconic brand? Lambertz is listed in the compendium "German Standards - Brands of the Century" and can be celebrated at the German Business Forum in Frankfurt. The illustrated book covers over 200 German brands that have had a lasting impact on the German economy, including Hipp, Persil and Siemens.
2007
Lambertz moves with the times. With the expansion into the USA and the founding of Henry Lambertz Inc., Lambertz achieves an international breakthrough and American citizens are able to enjoy "Cookies made in Germany". The brand is still a big hit in American supermarket chains and is also prominently marketed there every year on the sales channel QVC.
2006
Entry in the volume "The best of Germany - 250 reasons to love our country" (Publishing house Deutsche Standards Editionen)
2005
436 million Euro annual turnover
2004
The name gives it away: As a traditional and family-owned company, Lambertz is based on values such as reliability, trust and humanity. In 2004, Lambertz is honored for this: based on the Global Family Business Index of the University of St. Gallen, the network for German entrepreneurs "Impulse" lists Lambertz as one of the largest German family businesses. In 2013, the business journal Wirtschaftsblatt confirms this distinction.
2004
Breathtaking, seductive, fascinating: the Lambertz FineArt calendar is all of these things. With the production of the exclusive calendar, Lambertz sets a new milestone in 2004, and the calendar still has a place of honor on selected walls. With photographer Wilhelm Leisten, work begins on the strictly limited calendar, which is only given to friends and partners of the company. The shoots take the teams of talented photographers and beautiful models all over the world: Africa, Europe or America offer the most beautiful locations for photographing impressive motifs and setting Lambertz products in a unique light.
2001
Acquisition of the marzipan and chocolate goods factory Otto Scharschmidt GmbH in Alzenau by Otten GmbH & Co. KG
2000
DM 625 million annual turnover
1999
Shortly before the start of the new millennium, the expansion of the Lambertz Group to its current size is almost complete: In 1999, Lambertz takes over the traditional brands Wilhelm Kinkartz GmbH & Co. KG (1872) including the production facility in Würselen and the Vereinigte Nürnberger Lebkuchen- und Schokoladenfabrik Haeberlein-Metzger AG, which was founded as early as 1598.
After taking over the gingerbread factory Max Weiss GmbH, however, Prof. Hermann Bühlbecker initially received an offer from the head of Südzucker: "He asked: 'Do you want to become Germany's gingerbread king? Let's throw the two together. You have Weiss and Lambertz, and we have Kinkartz, Schöller and Haeberlein-Metzger.
We'll stay in the background, and you can pay back Weiss and have no more debts.'" But the Lambertz sole owner once again proves his fighting spirit and declines, a decision that soon pays off, as Südzucker makes contact again in 1999. "After that, we had many years of competition, and then shortly before the year 2000, he called me again: 'Do you want to sell us your business?' and when I declined again he said: 'But we are willing to sell our shares to you, our companies.' And so we actually took over Kinkartz, Haeberlein Metzger and what was left of Schöller-Lebkuchen in 2000. This made us the market leader for gingerbread in Germany, the world market leader, so to speak," reports Prof. Bühlbecker.
1998
The Lambertz "Monday Night" - a party that invited guests will not soon forget. What was once conceived as a customer event for business and trade partners of the International Confectionery Fair quickly establishes itself as the "sweetest party of the year" in Cologne. Every year since 1998, Dr. Hermann Bühlbecker has invited well-known personalities from politics, the media, business, and show business to marvel together at breathtaking designs and costumes made of fine fabrics, creative Lambertz packaging, and products and to enjoy the diversity of Lambertz as well as to network.
1998
Lambertz goes international! By expanding the production facility to Katowice, Poland, Dr. Bühlbecker achieves a breakthrough onto the European market. At the same time, Henry Lambertz GmbH & Co. KG is awarded the "Goldener Zückerhut" (Golden Sugar Loaf) in Frankfurt am Main, which honors outstanding achievements in the food industry.
1994
One acquisition of which Prof. Hermann Bühlbecker is particularly proud is that of the gingerbread factory Max Weiss GmbH from Neu-Ulm, which also included Wolff Lebkuchen, in 1994: "I personally assured the Weiss family that their tradition would continue to be maintained and honored as usual in the Lambertz Group. We always had friendly contact, even though we were competitors, so at that time Mr. Weiss preferred to sell to me rather than to a large corporation. That is what distinguishes my company from others - with us, a brand is not simply absorbed. Cultivating tradition is not only our guiding principle, but is lived out in all aspects at Lambertz. That's why I'm proud that the Weiss family has entrusted their company to me."
Although Prof. Bühlbecker had to take out a large loan for this investment, he has nevertheless never regretted it: "After I had just restructured Lambertz over many years, I took another risk with Weiss and went into debt over many years. So basically, we grew through acquisition and innovation. Buying Weiss Lebkuchen, even though we didn't actually have sufficient capital, I consider today to be one of my best decisions."
Max Weiss Lebkuchenfabrik Neu-Ulm GmbH has been producing traditional goods as the market leader in the field of autumn and Christmas cookies since 1925.
1988 - 1994
Through acquisitions and investments in other traditional German bakeries, Lambertz continues its own success story and over the years becomes the world market leader in autumn and Christmas cookies. The foundations for this are laid, among other things, by the investment in Feinbäckerei Otten GmbH & Co. KG from Erkelenz, which will become part of the Lambertz Group in 2018, and the acquisition of Heemann Lebkuchen- und Süßwaren-Spezialitäten GmbH from Ladbergen in 1989. Since achieving the majority shareholding in the Dresden-based wholesale bakery Dr. Quendt in 2014, the Lambertz Group's product portfolio covers the market segments of all-year-round cookies, fresh baked goods, cakes, organic cookies, chocolates and nougat, as well as the three classic German designations of origin Aachener Printen, Nürnberger Lebkuchen and Dresdner Stollen.
In acquiring the companies, Lambertz sole owner Prof. Hermann Bühlbecker's primary concern was to protect tradition and quality for the customers, but also out of respect for the history of the individual companies and their founding families.
1984
The “Spezialitäten-Haus“ was founded in 1984 by Günter Schulteis in Aachen. Initially, only three products were shipped directly from the master's good bakery. Due to the high demand, the assortment has been steadily expanded over the past 30 years and today consists of over 300 different delicacies - including the finest Aachen Printen and Nuremberg gingerbread, dominoes, cinnamon stars, speculaas, pastry specialties, marzipan, stollen, Baumkuchen, tarts, cakes, Belgian pralines, honey specialties, savory pastries, liqueurs, and savory delicacies. Seasonal products for Christmas and Easter are also offered.
The specialty house focuses on individual packaging, which serve as ideal gifts for friends and families and are delivered to any location, anywhere in the world.
Meanwhile, customers can also shop for the traditional treats from Aachen from the comfort of their own homes with just a few clicks, because Spezialitäten-Haus G. Schultheis GmbH stepped into the World Wide Web some years ago. The Lambertz online store is still a great success today. Especially in the run-up to Christmas, Lambertz fans and gingerbread lovers can find their favorite products here, as well as one or two exclusive gift boxes for that very special cookie and Printen treat.
1978 - today
Word of the incomparable taste of Lambertz products spreads among state representatives. The assortment of the family-owned and traditional company becomes a welcome gift for German politicians on special occasions, and various heads of state enjoy the delicacies. For the 25th anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall in 2014, Dr. Hermann Bühlbecker presented the former President of the Soviet Union Mikhail Gorbachev with a special edition tin from Lambertz showing the Brandenburg Gate. Former US President Bill Clinton is also one of Bühlbecker's contacts and enjoys specialties from Lambertz on various occasions.
1978
Welcome, Hermann Bühlbecker! The business graduate's entry turns out to be a turning point and a lucky coincidence for Lambertz. In 1978, Hermann Bühlbecker took over overall management of the family business from his mother Rosemarie, her aunt Paula, née Geller, and her husband Karl F. Kittelberger and drove the brand development forward.
The new managing director has an eye for innovation: with a new corporate design for the packaging and an expansion of the product range, he is getting the ailing company back on the road to success.
At the beginning of the 1990s, he increased the company's sales twenty-fold and decided to expand. Bühlbecker has received several awards for his diverse social commitment and his achievements as an entrepreneur, e.g. B. 2014 with the Clinton Global Award for 10 years of support of the Clinton Global Initiative: “Turning Ideas into Action”, 2018 with the NRW Order of Merit or the ISM Award 2019.
1963
After considerable destruction during World War II, production is rebuilt in the early 1960s. The plant is reopened with around 300 employees in Borchersstrasse in the Laurensberg district of Aachen. The headquarters of the group of companies are still located there today.
1938
The juicy counterpart to the crispy Printe: With the production of the ”Saftprinte” in 1938, Lambertz expanded its product range and kept up with the times. To this day, the confectionery is a popular pastry at the coffee table during the cold season.
1872 - today
The excellent reputation of Lambertz's good bakery spreads rapidly, even among aristocrats. As early as 1872, the company is awarded the title of "purveyor to the court" after Prussian, Dutch and Belgian royal families are supplied with Lambertz products. To this day, Lambertz maintains close contacts with royal families, politicians and celebrities, such as with Sarah Ferguson, Duchess of York, who in 2018 chose Lambertz products, including the "12 Delicacies" pastry selection, for the wedding of her daughter Princess Eugenie.
1872
Lambertz demonstrated its inventive spirit as early as the 19th century. In 1872, the company began producing chocolate printe, the first German cookie with a chocolate coating. To this day, the initial innovation is an extremely popular confection that accompanies young and old through the fall/winter season.
Schokoladenprinte
By chance, Henry Lambertz's daughter comes up with the idea of dipping the traditional herb Printe in a chocolate bucket ... the Schokoladenprinte is born.
1871
Foundation of the steam chocolate factory Henry Lambertz, the first machine production of Printen.
1860
Master baker and confectioner Henry Lambertz takes over the bakery in the "Haus zur Sonne" at Markt 7 in Aachen. The range of various sweets of all kinds enjoys great popularity in Aachen and beyond the city limits and increasingly attracts customers who can't get enough of "Lambertz's Printe".
1831
The "Lambertz'sche Printe": A box office hit then as now. The crispy pastry, which gains its incomparable aroma from noble spices such as cloves, cardamom and coriander, takes its name from the 19th century. The name is derived from the English "print" and the Dutch "prent" and is reminiscent of the method of production, or more precisely, the use of artistically carved as well as printed wooden models. Since the year 1820 the Aachener Printen are considered as original and unique and the term ”Printe” is protected.
1688
"Cultivate tradition, live innovation" - a motto that the traditional and family-owned company Lambertz has always lived by and promoted since its foundation in 1688. Founded as a small bakery in Aachen's Sonnenstraße, Lambertz has always shown fighting spirit and developed from a regional supplier of various confectionery products to an international baked goods group and world market leader of various all-season baked goods. The company now has a turnover of 666 million euros and is one of the oldest industrial companies in Germany.
