Max Weiss Lebkuchenfabrik Werksverkauf

What Max Weiss Lebkuchenfabrik Werksverkauf does

Max Weiss Lebkuchenfabrik Werksverkauf is a factory outlet (Werksverkauf) operation based in Neu-Ulm, Germany, operating as the direct-to-consumer retail channel for the Max Weiss brand of Original Nürnberger Lebkuchen. The outlet is part of the broader Lambertz Group (Aachener Printen- und Schokoladenfabrik Henry Lambertz GmbH & Co. KG), a 336-year-old (founded 1688) family-owned confectionery conglomerate controlled by Prof. Hermann Bühlbecker as sole proprietor. The parent group operates 7-8 production facilities across Germany and Poland with peak seasonal headcount reaching approximately 4,000 employees.

The Max Weiss brand produces traditional German gingerbread (Lebkuchen) under the protected geographical indication framework for Original Nürnberger Lebkuchen, which restricts production to the Nuremberg region and mandates specific compositional standards. Production technology combines traditional recipes (including the patented Saftprinte from 1938) with modern packaging automation. All facilities carry IFS 6 Higher Level food safety certification, RSPO segregated palm oil certification, and Fairtrade cocoa sourcing (since 2017). The Werksverkauf specifically enables direct consumer purchase of branded products at outlet pricing, complementing the group's broader distribution through major German retailers (REWE, EDEKA, Kaufland) and international channels including Lambertz USA (Walmart, Sam's Club, BJ's, QVC) and Lambertz Polonia.

The Lambertz Group reported revenue of €666M in FY2017/2018 (1.8% growth), €654.5M in FY2016/2017, and €637M in FY2019/2020, reflecting a mature, stable revenue base heavily weighted toward Q4 seasonal demand. The group's marketing model avoids traditional paid advertising, instead relying on proprietary events (Lambertz Monday Night during ISM Cologne), content marketing (proprietary podcast launched 2021), CHIO Aachen equestrian sponsorship, and PR-driven brand building. The Werksverkauf operates within this broader context as a low-headcount (5 employees per firmographics) direct-to-consumer touchpoint, distinct in scale from the multi-entity corporate structure of the parent group.

Name

Max Weiss Lebkuchenfabrik Werksverkauf

Legal name

Aachener Printen- und Schokoladenfabrik Henry Lambertz GmbH & Co. KG

Website

https://weiss-lebkuchen.de

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Seasonal Confectionery and Baked Goods

NAICS

Bread and Bakery Product Manufacturing (31181), Sugar and Confectionery Product Manufacturing (3113), Commercial Bakeries (311812)

SIC

Bakery Products (2050), Cookies & Crackers (2052)

akta.pro primary industry

Premium/Artisanal Bakery Wholesale (AFAIAFAG)

akta.pro secondary industries

Specialty & Gourmet Foods Wholesale Distribution (CRAOAAAI), Organic Bakery & Confectionery Wholesale (AFAIAJAG)

Keywords

• Seasonal baked goods
• Traditional lebkuchen
• Gingerbread production
• Christmas confections
• Factory outlet sales

Headquarters

HQ city

Aachen

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Supply Chain, Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Baked Goods Sales: Sale of seasonal (autumn/Christmas) and year-round baked goods through retail partners, online shop, and factory outlets. Revenue streams include: Aachener Printen, Nürnberger Lebkuchen, Dominosteine, Dresdner Stollen, biscuits, cookies, and specialty items. Products sold in decorated tin cans, boxes, and various packaging formats.

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Max Weiss Lebkuchenfabrik Werksverkauf is a factory outlet (Werksverkauf) operating as part of the Lambertz Group, one of Germany's oldest confectionery companies founded in 1688. The outlet sells traditional German seasonal baked goods including Original Nürnberger Lebkuchen (Nuremberg gingerbread), Elisen-Lebkuchen, and Lebkuchenherzen directly to consumers, alongside the broader Lambertz Group portfolio of Aachener Printen, Dresdner Stollen, and Dominosteine distributed via eight production facilities to over 30 countries.

Product overview

Max Weiss Lebkuchenfabrik Werksverkauf operates as part of the Lambertz Group, one of Germany's oldest confectionery companies founded in 1688. The group offers a diversified portfolio of seasonal and year-round baked goods through multiple acquired brands: Lambertz (core brand, Aachener Printen), Henry Lambertz (premium selections), Kinkartz (Printen and Dominosteine), Dr. Quendt (Dresdner Christstollen), Haeberlein-Metzger (Nürnberger Lebkuchen), Weiss (Elisen and Lebkuchenherzen), and Max Weiss (Original Nürnberger Lebkuchen). Products include traditional gingerbread (Printen), dominosteine, seasonal Christmas items, organic/biograde baked goods, and specialty gift items sold through factory outlets and online shop.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Weiss: Brand specializing in Elisen lebkuchen and Nuremberg-style gingerbread products
• Henry Lambertz
• Kinkartz
• Dr. Quendt
• Haeberlein-Metzger

Products and services

• Dominosteine Layered confectionery featuring gingerbread, jelly, and marzipan covered with milk, white, or dark chocolate, machine-cut for uniformity. A core seasonal product of the Lambertz brand.
• Aachener Printen Traditional hard gingerbread cookies from Aachen with Protected Geographical Indication, produced with only sugar, honey, flour and spices without fat. Made exclusively at the Aachen production facility.
• Dresdner Christstollen Premium Dresden Christmas stollen produced exclusively by the Dr. Quendt brand at the Dresden production facility, with protected geographical designation as Original Dresdner Stollen.
• Original Nürnberger Lebkuchen Original Nuremberg gingerbread including Elisen-Lebkuchen and fine Nürnberger Oblaten-Lebkuchen, produced with protected geographical designation at the Haeberlein-Metzger and Weiss production facilities.
• Lebkuchenherzen and Decorative Lebkuchen Decorative gingerbread hearts, Herzen-Sterne-Brezeln, and Elisen boxes offered under the Weiss brand in various packaging formats, including traditional tinplate (Weißblech) containers.
• Bio Organic Grain Cookies (Bio 3-Korn Ähren and Bio Buchweizen Ähren) Organic year-round cookie products made from spelt, buckwheat, and other grains, manufactured at EU-certified organic facilities under the Lambertz bio product line.
• Lebkuchen Osterhasen Bastelset
• Factory Outlet Direct Sales (Werksverkauf) Physical factory outlet stores providing direct-to-consumer purchase of the full Lambertz Group product portfolio at outlet pricing, serving individual consumers and visitors.

Quantifiable outcome

• Revenue growth from 16 million DM (1978) to €656 million (2021)
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers6 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core and flagship.

• Dr. Quendt GmbH & Co. KGcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerDresdner company fully acquired by Lambertz, market leader for Dresdner Stollen. Premium Christstollen brand produced exclusively under Dr. Quendt name. Revenue €24.1 million (2017/2018) with 6.2% growth.
• Haeberlein-MetzgercoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNürnberger Lebkuchen- und Schokoladenfabrik Haeberlein-Metzger. Part of Lambertz portfolio for Original Nürnberger Lebkuchen with protected geographical designation.
• Kinkartz KGcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerBrand within Lambertz Group portfolio, specializing in printed cookies and seasonal baked goods.
• Max Weiss GmbH & Co.coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPart of Lambertz Group portfolio for Original Nürnberger Lebkuchen. Referenced as part of the group's heritage brand acquisitions.
• Fairtrade Cocoa ProgramcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSince 2017, all branded products (Lambertz, Henry Lambertz, Kinkartz, Weiss/Weisella, Haeberlein-Metzger, Quendt) use exclusively Fairtrade-certified cocoa. Also applies to private label products for major retailers.
• RSPO (Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLambertz was among first in industry to become RSPO member. Uses highest 'Segregated' standard ensuring 100% sustainable palm oil without mixing. Bio products use 'Identity Preserved' standard enabling full traceability to plantation.
• Consumer Goods Forum (CGF)flagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerGlobal industry organization providing platform for dialogue among retailers and manufacturers. Prof. Bühlbecker chairs International Evening at annual CGF Global Summit. 18th consecutive year hosting event with 100+ CEOs from 70+ countries.
• CHIO Aachen / Aachen-Laurensberger Rennverein (ALRV)flagshipGTM or Marketing PartnerWorld's largest equestrian tournament with 350,000 spectators. Lambertz sponsors Lambertz Nations Prize for Dressage and co-organizes Media Night with 1,000 guests. Prof. Bühlbecker serves on advisory board.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Mondelez International: Global packaged confectionery major (Oreo, Toblerone, Milka). Competes broadly with Lambertz across cookies and seasonal bakery categories through multinational retailer relationships.
• Ferrero: Global confectionery incumbent (Nutella, Kinder, Ferrero Rocher) with broad seasonal product portfolio and deep international retailer relationships. Competes with Lambertz for the same seasonal gifting shelf in European and US retail.
• Storck: Major German family-owned confectionery group (Werther's Original, Toffifee, merci). Competes with Lambertz in German and international confectionery aisles as a broader incumbent with significantly larger brand portfolio.
• Lindt & Sprüngli: Swiss premium chocolate and seasonal confectionery company with strong Christmas/holiday product portfolio. Comparable premium positioning and heritage-brand marketing strategy targeting gifting occasions.
• Zentis: German family-owned confectionery and fruit-preparation producer with strong seasonal/Christmas marzipan and chocolate lines. Adjacent competitor in seasonal gifting category with overlap in retail customers.
• Cémoi: European chocolate manufacturer with private-label and branded seasonal ranges. Comparable supplier role to European retailers and overlap in seasonal confectionery categories with Lambertz.

Direct peers

• Bahlsen: German family-owned biscuit and baked-goods manufacturer producing seasonal (Christmas) and year-round cookies. Bahlsen competes directly with Lambertz in German retail gifting aisles and exports internationally under its own brand portfolio.
• Griesson - de Beukelaer: German cookie and baked-goods manufacturer with strong private-label and branded presence (Leibniz, Tiki) in European retailers. Comparable scale and channel mix to Lambertz, competing for the same retail shelf space in Germany and international markets.
• Manner: Austrian wafer and confectionery manufacturer with iconic seasonal products (Manner Schnitten) and heritage brand positioning. Comparable heritage-brand-to-retail-channel model with regional/European geographic overlap with Lambertz.
• Coppenrath & Wiese: Germany's leading frozen baked-goods and cake manufacturer, with strong seasonal (Stollen, Christmas) lines. Closely comparable business model combining regional heritage recipes with national retail distribution.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/Lambertz_Gruppe
• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/LambertzGruppe
• Facebookfacebook.com/Lambertz.Gruppe
• Instagraminstagram.com/lambertz_gruppe
• Pinterestpinterest.com/lambertzgruppe
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/max-weiss-lebkuchenfabrik-werksverkauf

Compliance4 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 records

Subsidiaries7 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 Max Weiss Lebkuchenfabrik Werksverkauf