Looking back on 40 years of PFALZGRAF: What were the secret ingredients that transformed a small coffee shop into one of the key players in the market? Our story begins in the 1960s. In an idyllic village in the Black Forest, Roland and Marlene Brünz ran a coffee shop with its own bakery. Café Brünz quickly became a popular destination known for its cozy and sociable atmosphere. In their bakery, timeless classics were crafted with skill and passion: Sachertorte, Almond Bienenstich, and of course, the Black Forest Gateaux – the signature product.
What started as a cozy coffee shop with a tradition of craftsmanship became the Pfalzgraf Konditorei GmbH in 1985. Dirk Brünz, who became part of the company in the late 80th, focussed on the professional out-of-home-market. This decision proved to be a game-changer, paving the way for decades of sustained growth.
Within the decades, PFALZGRAF became a market leader in the European foodservice area with more than 200 employees and a daily production output of round about 30,000 cakes and gateaux. In 2023, Tim Brünz joined the management and now leads the company alongside his father, Dirk Brünz. Many of the classic products such as the Almond Bienenstich are still part of the range. And every single cake is still 100 % made in the Black Forest. With new creations and a wide variety, PFALZGRAF now exports to over 40 countries and the production facilities continue to grow: With 6,000 square meters of new production space, PFALZGRAF will produce more cakes and gateaux than ever before, starting in 2025.
Looking back, it’s clear: The passion for crafting perfect cakes and gateaux has always been in our DNA. That’s why we’ll keep doing what we’ve been doing for nearly 60 years – baking with passion. For us, this isn’t just a marketing slogan; it’s part of who we are and what drives us, ever since the founding of Café Brünz. We want to delight and inspire people, creating little moments of happiness with our cakes and gateaux.
