Jörn Beckmann campaigned for his industry and contributed to the fact that bakery-cafés can also benefit from federal aid. (Christian Kosak)
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Bremen-North. Nowadays, many bakeries no longer see themselves only as specialist shops, but also as cafés. Accordingly, like other catering establishments, they also suffer from the economic consequences of the lockdown. Nevertheless, they should initially not be able to benefit from state aid for restaurateurs. But Jörn Beckmann, owner of the north Bremen bakery of the same name, did not want to accept that and fought for his branch – with success.
“At first it was the case that bakeries were exempt from financial aid for restaurants,” says Jörn Beckmann. “That caused a great outcry within our industry.” The Central Association of the German Bakers’ Trade then asked its members to contact the members of the Bundestag from their own constituency. “It was about promoting our cause on a political level, so that we are already facing problems comparable to those of other restaurants,” says the master baker and confectioner.
So he got in touch with Elisabeth Motschmann (CDU) and Uwe Schmidt (SPD) without further ado. Just one day later, he was able to meet the member of the Bundestag to tell her about the situation in the bakeries. “Ms. Motschmann wanted to put these findings on the right desks in Berlin,” she promised the North Bremen resident.
Jörn Beckmann suspects that many of his colleagues followed the central association’s call. “This meant that we could claim the same aid for November and December as the restaurants,” he says. “That was a resounding success and helped us a lot.”
Uwe Schmidt also got in touch with him and wanted to set up a virtual round table to discuss the topic. “But by then the drop was already sucked, and the decision had already been made that bakeries could also benefit from the help,” says Beckmann.
He runs a total of five shops in the north of Bremen and in the Osterholz district, three of which are bakery-cafés. Because he is currently not allowed to offer catering there, he has to contend with a drop in sales of more than 30 percent. “Normally our cafés are full in the morning with breakfast guests and in the afternoon guests come to drink coffee. And of course these guests are now missing, ”says Beckmann. On an average day, he would sell a good 1000 cups of hot drinks, which would cost around 2.50 euros on average. “You can see what a loss of sales that means for us,” he says.
But not only the sales from the sale of hot drinks are missing. There are also products that are prepared in the cafés, such as breakfasts and sandwiches. “But there is also a lack of companies. We have many guests who, for example, celebrate their birthdays with us, ”says Beckmann. In addition, many of his café guests would also take something to take home with them. As a result, for example, he sells less bread during the lockdown than at normal times. “The customers at the counter are still there. But the guests from the café, 50 of whom take a loaf of bread every day, are not coming at the moment, ”he explains.
In addition to the income from the café business, he is also missing orders from major customers. “Our biggest customer is the University of Bremen, where we supply six large kitchens,” says Beckmann. But because the canteens are currently closed due to the pandemic, no baked goods are currently needed there. Despite the difficult situation, he was able to keep all jobs in his company, emphasizes Beckmann, who is on the board of the Bremen bakers’ guild.
Jörn Beckmann did not have to wait long for help from the federal government. “The advance payments for November and December came very quickly, about a week after the application,” he says. “The rest of the November aid payment came in mid-January. Now the second payment of the December aid is still pending. “
The money will help him get through the crisis. For the time after that, he quickly expects guests to return to his cafés. “When the corona crisis is over, we will have another run on the cafes. That is the little luxury that people allow themselves in everyday life, ”says Beckmann. “That is why we will be able to return to the original sales figures relatively quickly.”
Down to business
Down to business
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