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Tradition meets enjoyment: Wuppertal bakery produces speculoos crane!
Find out everything about the traditional bakery Hösterey in Wuppertal, which has been baking speculoos and selling it internationally for 235 years.
Tradition meets enjoyment: Wuppertal bakery produces speculoos crane!
Rüdiger Hösterey's bakery in Wuppertal-Elberfeld is already busy early in the morning. The master baker has been busy baking hundreds of bags of speculoos since five o'clock. “We always start production in August so that we can fulfill orders on time,” he says with a satisfied smile. This summer is tough: A customer has ordered over 4,000 bags, which Hösterey and his team want to bring from his bakery to the happy buyers.
The Hösterey bakery can look back on a proud history of 235 years - it is now run by the 9th generation. Originally founded in Solingen-Unterburg, the Höstereys perfected their craft in Wuppertal-Elberfeld. Particularly popular is the burger pretzel, a recipe that has been passed down from generation to generation and still remains a secret.
Tradition and international delivery
Rüdiger and his wife Sabine, supported by two employees, process around 25 kilograms of dough every day and pack around 550 bags. Around 45,000 bags of speculaas are expected to be produced by shortly before Christmas. “By then we will be transforming a total of nine tons of dough into the three flavors of butter, almond and spice,” adds the master baker. The bakery also operates internationally: its speculoos is valued and sold from China to America.
What many may not know: Spekulatius has its roots in Belgium and the Netherlands, where the pastry can be found all year round. Christmas cookies are particularly popular in Germany and the Federal Statistical Office notes that around 81,000 tons of them are produced every year, a quarter of which are exported.
Passing on the legacy
Another big issue in the bakery is succession. Rüdiger Hösterey is already planning to place his life's work in the hands of a successor. Luca Erdelmann, 25 years old, learned the trade at Hösterey after his training and is ready to take over the bakery. “It’s important to continue the craft with love and tradition,” says the aspiring baker with a certain amount of pride.
The Hösterey bakery feels committed to tradition, but at the same time it also dares to look into the future. The season for speculoos in supermarkets begins in September - a time when orders will increase and people are looking forward to the festive treats again.
This is how the Hösterey’s connect this given information. While the team has to cope with inadequate resources and high demand week after week, it is clear that in Wuppertal they not only bake, but also work with heart and passion.