Foundation of the bakery
Julius Trockels founds a bakery in Osthofenstrasse in Soest. With his famous Milch-Eiserkuchen, a traditional wafer pastry, he becomes known as a ‘master baker’ in the Soester Börde region.
Generation change and expansion
Julius Trockels hands the bakery over to his son Wilhelm, who also has a knack for fine confectionery. His specialty is plum cake.
Destruction in World War II
During World War II, the Trockels’ family home and shop were completely destroyed. Wilhelm’s son, Günter, who is to follow in his parents’ footsteps, begins his apprenticeship as a baker in Hamm.
Restart and mobile sales strategy
Günter Trockels returns to Soest as a young master baker and starts selling bread from his bicycle. Soon, he will need a motor tricycle to consistently supply the growing customer base on time. In its heyday, Trockels supplies 80 grocery stores, kiosks, bakeries and families.
Production expansion
Günter Trockels expands his product assortment with pound cake and Milch-Eiserkuchen based on his grandfather Julius’ recipe, which he makes himself. Trockels now employs 50 people and supplies all of North Rhine-Westphalia and parts of northern Germany.
Rebuilding the family business
Günter and Ursula, his wife of two years, can move back to Osthofenstrasse. They are personally building a new shop with adjoining living spaces on the property, which was destroyed in 1944. The children are born here: Hans-Günter (1958), Thomas (1961), Uwe (1963) and Karin (1969).
Start of industrial production
An automatic wafer roll device is purchased, a first step towards growth, but, in terms of quality, Günter Trockels remains old-fashioned: he firmly rejects the new trend of using water instead of expensive milk in production.
Construction of a modern production hall
Due to the constant assortment expansion, the company has to be restructured: Günter Trockels ventures to take the step to building a modern commercial hall equipped with the latest technologies on Coesterweg in Soest. He continues to personally handle of the distribution of their products.
Internationalisation
As early as 1975, Günter Trockels ventured abroad and was soon supplying Italy, France and the Netherlands. In 1979, the name KuchenMeister was invented and established worldwide.
Pioneering work in East Germany
KuchenMeister is the first company in the industry to start production in East Germany before the monetary union on 1 July 1990! In just eight days, the plant for sheet cake production in Soest will be dismantled and rebuilt in Berlin.
Transition to the 4th generation
The three brothers take over the company: Hans-Günter becomes the Operational Managing Director, Thomas is responsible for the Finance & Controlling division as an authorised signatory, and Uwe is responsible for purchasing the raw materials, Product Development and Quality Assurance.
Market leader through product innovation
Brilliantly delicious: Hans-Günter Trockels refines the popular croissants with a nut nougat filling. With this idea, KuchenMeister rises to the market leader in this segment. KuchenMeister is also selected from over 30 applicants for the production of special cake bars with a luscious filling. The necessary production plant is planned, built and operating in just three months.
Strategic expansion
With the takeover of the Lady Cake feine Kuchen GmbH production facilities in Duingen and Mettingen, the company has added seven more production facilities. KuchenMeister continues its expansion and takes over several production facilities under the Kamps AG company.
125th anniversary of the company
The 125th anniversary of the company will be celebrated over three days, with many guests and customers from Germany and abroad.
Sustainability as a corporate strategy
KuchenMeister was one of the first food production companies to receive the Sustainable Food Management Certificate in 2012. The Centre for Sustainable Corporate Management at the University of Witten/Herdecke (ZNU) has developed a sustainability standard for the food industry in close cooperation with TÜV Rheinland. Among other things, the company and product level, climate and energy, resource use, animal welfare, and a variety of other processing levels are taken into account. KuchenMeister is one of the pilot companies for the certifiable ZNU Sustainability Standard.
Logistics modernisation
In 2014, KuchenMeister builds a new logistics centre, as the existing storage capacities are no longer sufficient. The new logistics centre is not built on a greenfield site, but on an industrial wasteland. Ecological criteria play an important role in the construction. An area of 10,000 m² will contain 12,400 shelf spaces and 1,100 floor spaces. 48 warehouse workers and 10 administrative workers are employed.
Focus on sustainability
KuchenMeister is setting the first milestones towards creating climate-neutral locations: LNG and CNG gases are purchased. The car fleet is only supplemented by e-cars and e-hybrid cars, establishing the first climate balance. Thus, we are a pioneer among many companies and industries in sustainability.
Expansion of production
The new production hall on the logistics centre site in Soest is inaugurated and sets new standards for sustainable construction: increased roof thermal insulation, ISO-rock concrete walls, triple-glazed windows, heat recovery systems, combined heat and power plants, ventilation systems with 100% fresh air, energy from photovoltaic systems, recycling of 21,000 tons of bricks, and energy-saving LED lighting are just a few of the many climate-friendly elements.
Corporate merger
The subsidiary Audrey Cake GmbH based in Thüle/Salzkotten merges with KuchenMeister GmbH.
The Thüle site will become a permanent establishment of KuchenMeister GmbH as a result of the merger.
Markus Biermann will take over as Managing Director of KuchenMeister GmbH on 4 November 2025. With his extensive experience in the bakery industry, together with Thomas and Justin Trockels, he ensures the combination of tradition and innovation – a trademark of the family business since its foundation.
What sets us apart
With passion, pride, innovative technology and the courage to tackle things directly, we produce high-quality baked goods that create special moments in everyday lives.
As Germany’s leading manufacturer of baked goods, we set new standards and are therefore the first choice for high-quality baked goods.
Innovation
We love new products! Innovation is our driving force, and we are looking for creative minds who can help shape our future with fresh ideas and the courage to make changes. We encourage curiosity, experimentation and further development. Daring to question conventions and break new ground, we create innovations that not only have a lasting impact on the industry, but also help to further consolidate our position as an industry leader.
Team spirit
Success is teamwork with us! We rely on open, supportive cooperation in which everyone is involved. At KuchenMeister, you can expect an inspiring working environment, targeted team development and genuine cooperation – so we can grow together, master challenges and celebrate success. We are a strong team that achieves its goals with passion and a cohesive team spirit!
Respect
Respectful cooperation is a matter of course for us. We incorporate a culture of appreciation, fairness and openness where everyone feels valued and heard. Diversity is our strength, and we are committed to creating a working environment where everyone thrives. At KuchenMeister, you are more than just an employee – you are a valued member of our team!
Family business
For over 140 years, KuchenMeister has stood for quality, craftsmanship and genuine enjoyment. As a fourth-generation family business, we combine tradition with innovation – and fifth-generation members of the owner family are already part of our team.
Our roots are in Soest, but our baked goods inspire people far beyond the region. With a lot of passion and a clear view for the future, we continue to run our company generation after generation – always with the aim of offering our customers the finest sweet specialties.
For us, tradition does not mean stagnation, but the perfect mixture of experience, responsibility and new ideas.
Sustainable enjoyment
Responsibility with heart
Enjoyment and responsibility go hand in hand at KuchenMeister. We know that our sweet baked goods bring joy – while, at the same time, we are committed to promoting a conscious and balanced lifestyle. With our donation and sponsorship concept, we support sports clubs, educational institutions and young talent in our region. In this, we contribute to balancing exercise and enjoyment and to shaping a healthy future for the next generation. For us, sustainable enjoyment means more than good taste – it means responsibility for people and the community.