Lieken

What Lieken does

Lieken GmbH is a German industrial bakery (Großbäckerei) and one of the country's leading manufacturers of bread and baked goods, operating eight production sites across Germany plus a dedicated cold-storage and distribution hub in Egelsbach. Founded in 1922 in Achim near Bremen by Fritz Lieken, the company employs approximately 2,000 people and runs continuous multi-shift (3- and 4-shift) production at sites including Bietigheim-Bissingen, Sandersdorf-Brehna, Crailsheim, Essen, Garrel (administrative HQ), Lüdersdorf, Lünen, and Lutherstadt Wittenberg — the last described as the most modern large-scale bakery in Europe. It is a wholly owned subsidiary of the Czech-headquartered Agrofert Group, a diversified European conglomerate.

The commercial core is a portfolio of consumer food brands distributed through German food retail (Lebensmitteleinzelhandel / LEH): GOLDEN TOAST (the market leader in the German toast segment with 99% aided brand awareness and "Marke des Jahrhunderts" status), LIEKEN URKORN (the "Pionier des Vollkornbrotes" whole-grain pioneer line including Fit & Vital, CHIAktiv, and the 100% Vollkornmehle Anno Dazumal range), and the Lieken Bake-Off sub-brand. An embedded field-sales force of regional managers (Bezirksleiter) manages LEH accounts, drives listings, shelf share and promotional execution; a B2B Lieken Handelsportal and gated image database serve trade partners. Product innovation is supported by the affiliated WiBaGe R&D entity, and recent strategic emphasis has been on converting the URKORN range to 100% whole-grain flours, launching frozen bake-off SKUs, and — in 2025 — becoming the first German large-scale bakery to obtain SBTi-validated climate targets.

Lieken generates revenue primarily through branded consumer packaged goods sold into German food retail under tariff-based employment structures defined by the German Bread and Baked Goods Industry collective agreement. Revenue mechanics are one-time-purchase branded grocery sales (no subscription or recurring-revenue model), with consumer pull generated via brand websites, social media, in-store promotional giveaways and seasonal campaigns. Pricing is set by retail partners; field sales is the primary commercial lever. Customer concentration is structurally high due to the dependency on the small set of large German food-retail chains that constitute the LEH channel.

Name

Lieken

Legal name

Lieken GmbH

Website

https://lieken.de

Company type

Private

Founded year

1922

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1,001–5,000 employees

Short description

Lieken is a German industrial bakery and subsidiary of the Agrofert Group that manufactures and distributes branded bread and baked goods — led by market-leading GOLDEN TOAST (99% awareness) and whole-grain pioneer LIEKEN URKORN — across eight production sites in Germany, selling primarily through the German food-retail (LEH) channel via an embedded field-sales force.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Industrial Bakery / Packaged Baked Goods

NAICS

Bread and Bakery Product Manufacturing (31181), Frozen Specialty Food Manufacturing (311412)

SIC

Bakery Products (2050)

akta.pro primary industry

Frozen Bakery Products Manufacturing (AFAKAAAF)

akta.pro secondary industries

Frozen & Par-Baked Bakery Production (THAFAFAK), Bakery & Desserts Distribution (CRAOABAE), Frozen Bakery & Dough Products Wholesale (AFAIAHAD)

Keywords

• Industrial bakery
• Toast bread
• Whole-grain bread
• Bake-off products
• German food retail

Headquarters

HQ city

Wittenberg

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices10 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Supply Chain, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Branded consumer packaged goods (B2C retail): Primary revenue stream from sales of branded baked goods (GOLDEN TOAST toast bread, LIEKEN URKORN whole-grain breads, Lieken Bake-Off products) through German food retail (LEH) channels. Products are sold as finished packaged goods (one-time purchase model) with brand-led marketing, in-store promotions, sampling and seasonal campaigns driving consumer demand.
2. B2B field sales / distribution to retail: Revenue derived from sales force activities (Bezirksleiter) covering LEH accounts, securing listings, shelf space and promotional support, plus logistics via the Egelsbach cold-storage/distribution facility serving distribution across Germany and beyond.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion4 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels14 records

Core offering

Lieken is a German industrial bakery (Großbäckerei) that manufactures and distributes branded bread, toast, and baked goods across eight German production sites plus a cold-storage distribution hub at Egelsbach, selling its products under flagship consumer brands GOLDEN TOAST (toast market leader, including Körnerharmonie whole-grain, Toasties, Sandwiches, Back Mich bake-off rolls and limited seasonal specials), LIEKEN URKORN (whole-grain pioneer with Fit & Vital, CHIAktiv, Dinkel and Anno Dazumal lines) and the Lieken Bake-Off sub-brand, with distribution primarily through German food retail (LEH). It also operates B2B partner services (Lieken Handelsportal and Lieken Bilddatenbank) that supply retail trade partners with product imagery, poster and insertion templates.

Product overview

Lieken's offering is a portfolio of consumer food brands rather than a single unified software product. It is an industrial bakery (Großbäckerei) operating eight German production sites that manufactures and distributes bread and baked goods under its two flagship consumer brands — GOLDEN TOAST (the toast-bread market leader, including Körnerharmonie whole-grain variants, Toasties, Sandwiches, Back Mich Aufbackbrötchen, and limited seasonal specials) and LIEKEN URKORN (the Vollkorn whole-grain pioneer brand, including the Fit & Vital line, CHIAktiv, Dinkelvarieties, and the Anno Dazumal 100%-Vollkorn range) — together with the Lieken Bake-Off bake-off sub-brand and the separate WiBaGe line. Layered on top of these consumer brands are B2B partner services: the Lieken Handelsportal (a trade portal with packshots, poster and insertion templates) and the gated Lieken Bilddatenbank (image database) for retail partners. The two consumer brands are the commercial core; Lieken Bake-Off and WiBaGe extend the range; the Handelsportal and Bilddatenbank serve trade customers and complement the consumer portfolio.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• GOLDEN TOAST: Market-leading toast brand in Germany, counting "Marke des Jahrhunderts" status; includes toasts, sandwiches, toasties, burger rolls and bake-off rolls under the umbrella of Lieken.
• LIEKEN URKORN
• Lieken Bake-Off

Products and services

• GOLDEN TOAST Lieken's flagship toast-bread consumer brand and market leader in the German toast segment ('Toastbrot-Klassiker', 'Marke des Jahrhunderts'). Range spans classic toast, Sandwiches, Toasties, Ciabatta, Croissants, Burger- und Aufbackbrötchen, the Körnerharmonie whole-grain line (with sunflower/linseed seeds, oat and rye flakes), the Back Mich frozen bake-off rolls, and limited seasonal sandwich specials. Sold via German food retail (LEH).
• LIEKEN URKORN Lieken's pioneering whole-grain bread consumer brand ('Pionier des Vollkornbrotes') and 'Inbegriff für Vollkornbrot' in Germany. Range includes the Fit & Vital line (Weizen, Vitaminbrot with vitamin A, Dinkel-Vollkorn, Müslibrot, CHIAktiv variant with chia), spelt-based Lieblingsbrot and Backstube specialties, and the Anno Dazumal line made entirely from 100% whole-grain flours. Sold via German food retail (LEH).
• Lieken Bake-Off Lieken's bake-off product line (Aufbackprodukte) covering bake-at-home rolls and frozen bake-off baked goods sold under the Lieken umbrella via German food retail.
• WiBaGe
• Lieken Handelsportal
• Lieken Bilddatenbank

Quantifiable outcome

• Stiftung Warentest test winner for GOLDEN TOAST Butter and Vollkorntoast toast test; Geschmackssieger for GOLDEN TOAST Körnerharmonie Toast
• +3 more outcomes

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

AI capability3 records

Feature6 records

Partnerships

16 partnerships are on record, tiered flagship, core and minor.

• Agrofert GroupflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerAgrofert Group logo is shown in the Lieken website footer, indicating Agrofert as parent group of the Lieken Group. Agrofert is referenced in Lieken's privacy policy as the 'Muttergesellschaft' (parent company) for group-wide steering, controlling and reporting purposes.
• WiBaGecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerWiBaGe (wibage.de) is the Lieken-affiliated research & development entity linked from Lieken's main navigation, supporting recipe and product development for the Lieken Group brands.
• HEC Harald Eul Consulting GmbHcoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerHEC Harald Eul Consulting GmbH serves as Lieken's external Data Protection Officer and operates the independent ombuds office / whistleblower reporting office (Meldestelle) on behalf of Lieken-Gruppe in compliance with the Hinweisgeberschutzgesetz (HinSchG); reachable via telephone 04474/891 130 and dedicated portals (lieken.vispato.com / logi-k.vispato.com).
• KENWOODminorGTM or Marketing PartnerKENWOOD kitchen appliances were used as prizes in the 2013 GOLDEN TOAST 'Toastgesichter' Facebook campaign (Küchenmaschine Chef Titanium, Stabmixer-Set, kMix Frühstücksset with toaster and kettle, and a coffee machine as well as kMix Frühstückssets for voters).
• Russell HobbsminorGTM or Marketing PartnerRussell Hobbs Desire kitchen machines were offered as prizes in the 2014 LIEKEN URKORN 'Fit & Vital durchstarten' Meisterschaft campaign.
• Nintendo (Wii Fit U)minorGTM or Marketing PartnerWii Fit U package (Wii U console, Balance Board, Wii Fit U software and Fit Meter) was offered as a prize in the 2014 LIEKEN URKORN 'Fit & Vital durchstarten' Meisterschaft campaign.
• mydaysminorGTM or Marketing Partnermydays voucher worth EUR 100 was offered as a prize in the 2014 LIEKEN URKORN 'Fit & Vital durchstarten' Meisterschaft campaign.
• koziolminorGTM or Marketing Partnerkoziol breakfast boards in the 'Fit & Vital' design were offered as a free gift with purchase (multi-pack promotion) during the 2014 LIEKEN URKORN 'Fit & Vital durchstarten' campaign at supermarket retail.
• PhilipsminorGTM or Marketing PartnerPhilips Wake-up Lights were offered as weekly prizes in the 'DEIN TOASTSELFIE' Sonderaktion within GOLDEN TOAST's 365 Tage Sonnenschein 2015 annual campaign.
• MoulinexminorGTM or Marketing PartnerMoulinex Subito Toasters were co-branded prizes in the GOLDEN TOAST '365 Tage Sonnenschein' 2015 'Sonnige Auszeit' Körnerharmonie campaign.
• SteltonminorGTM or Marketing PartnerStelton bread bags were co-branded prizes in the GOLDEN TOAST '365 Tage Sonnenschein' 2015 'Sonnige Auszeit' Körnerharmonie campaign.
• Weber GrillminorGTM or Marketing PartnerWeber Grills (Performer Original GBS, One Touch Original) were offered as grand prizes in the GOLDEN TOAST 2014 'Schwarz-Rot-GOLDEN TOAST Geschmacks-WM' and Grillduell 2015 campaigns.
• TUIminorGTM or Marketing PartnerTUI voucher worth EUR 2,500 for a trip to Texas was the main prize of the GOLDEN TOAST Grillduell 2015 campaign.
• LinkedIn (LinkedIn Ireland Unlimited Company)minorGTM or Marketing PartnerLieken maintains a public LinkedIn company page for corporate / employer branding; data transfers under EU Standard Contractual Clauses.
• Xing (New Work SE)minorGTM or Marketing PartnerLieken maintains a Xing company page (Lieken-Gruppe) primarily for HR / employer branding.
• REKORD-INSTITUT für DEUTSCHLANDminorGTM or Marketing PartnerOfficial partner that certified the Stuttgart win of the 2015 LIEKEN URKORN Fit & Vital Städtebattle and granted an entry in the German book of records.

Scale indicators9 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Harry-Brot: Germany's other major industrial large-scale bakery, with comparable production footprint and direct overlap in the German bread and toast segment. Operates as Lieken's closest head-to-head competitor for retail shelf space.
• Mestemacher: German industrial baker specializing in whole-grain breads (Vollkornbrot), directly comparable to Lieken's LIEKEN URKORN line. Targets the same health-conscious German consumer with similar retail distribution.
• Kamps: German retail bakery chain and backer-manufacturer combining in-store retail with industrial-scale production. Operates a similar dual model of own-brand baked goods sold through German food retail.

Broad incumbents

• Barilla Group: Italy-based global food group with a substantial bakery and bread business (Pan di Stelle, Mulino Bianco) operating across European retail. Comparable as a large-scale European baked-goods branded manufacturer competing for similar retailer shelf space.
• Bahlsen: Established German biscuit and baked-goods manufacturer with strong national brand awareness in retail. Comparable as a German branded packaged bakery manufacturer selling through the same LEH channels.
• Aryzta: Swiss-listed bakery solutions group supplying par-baked, frozen, and finished baked goods across Europe. Comparable in industrial bakery manufacturing and foodservice/retail distribution scale.
• Dr. Oetker: Major German family-owned food manufacturer with a frozen and ambient bakery portfolio (including Ristorante pizza and frozen baked goods). Comparable as a large German branded packaged-food player in the same retail channels.

Emerging players

• Vandemoortele: Belgian family-owned bakery group focused on par-baked and frozen baked goods across European retail and foodservice. Comparable in industrial bakery manufacturing and frozen/par-baked product portfolio overlap with Lieken Bake-Off.
• Délifrance: French bakery manufacturer supplying par-baked breads, viennoiserie and bakery solutions to European retail and foodservice. Overlaps with Lieken on par-baked and bake-off product categories.

Regional players

• Schäfer's: German retail bakery chain with in-store baking operations and branded packaged products sold through German food retail. Comparable in German bread retail model and brand-portfolio structure.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/LiekenUrkorn
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/lieken-gmbh

Compliance4 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Subsidiaries3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Lieken