Bakery Hansen Mürwik: Filing for bankruptcy after 100 years – is there hope?

Bakery Hansen Mürwik: Filing for bankruptcy after 100 years – is there hope?

In an unexpected turn of events, the traditional bakery chain Hansen Mürwik GmbH has filed for bankruptcy. On November 20, 2025, the application to open insolvency proceedings was submitted to the Flensburg District Court. Despite the financial turbulence, there are bright spots for the approximately 145 employees, as wages and salaries are secured by insolvency money until the end of January 2026, as Merkur reports.

Hansen Mürwik, headquartered in Wees near Flensburg, only celebrated its 100th anniversary in the summer of 2024 and was taken over by Hakan Colak for this occasion. The new owner started ambitious modernization measures, which, however, were accompanied by high conversion costs and increased energy and personnel costs. These factors contributed significantly to the company's bankruptcy. The provisional insolvency administrator Dr. Arno Doebert, an experienced restructuring expert, is optimistic and reports an operationally profitable economic situation that offers scope for a viable solution.

Operations continue

Despite the bankruptcy filing, operations in all eleven branches and production in Wees remain unrestricted for the time being. This is a ray of hope at a time when many traditional bakeries in Germany are fighting for survival. The Nissen city bakery in Flensburg is one of the other affected businesses in the region. Customers are increasingly tending to buy cheap bread from discounters, which further increases the pressure on small businesses.

The news about the bankruptcy comes as a shock to the workforce and loyal customers. Many are hoping for a turnaround so that the bakery, which is valued far beyond the region, can not only survive but also emerge stronger from this crisis. The expression “There's something going on” takes on a completely different meaning here, because it's not just about bread and rolls, but about the heritage and tradition of a 100-year-old bakery that is close to the hearts of many families in the region.

A look into the industry

The challenges facing the industry are not new. According to Bild, numerous bakeries have filed for bankruptcy in recent months. The Mecklenburg bakeries with 410 employees as well as the Seidels Klosterbäckerei and the Leifert bakery chain are tragic examples of the change in the industry.

It remains to be seen how the situation will develop for Hansen Mürwik. However, the insolvency administrator gives reasons to hope that the bakery, which remains operationally profitable, can find a viable solution. Maybe there will soon be another reason to be happy for fans of the bakery's fresh rolls and fragrant pretzels, which apparently plays an important role beyond regional borders.