1898
The story of Gmeiner begins. In 1898, Otto Gmeiner’s uncle opens his first bakery in Oberkirch. With craftsmanship, passion and a commitment to the highest quality, he lays the foundation for a family story that continues to this day.
1936
In 1936, Otto and Wilhelmine Gmeiner take over the bakery and continue the family tradition together. When Otto Gmeiner is drafted into military service in 1940, Wilhelmine takes sole responsibility for the business. With remarkable strength and determination, she leads the bakery through the difficult war years. In doing so, she preserves not only the company but also its most valuable asset: the inherited recipes. Hidden under her apron at all times, she carries the handwritten recipe notes with her in case a fire destroys everything else. In 1944, Wilhelmine loses her husband Otto in the war. Despite this tragic loss, she keeps the business alive and lays an essential foundation for the continuity of the Gmeiner family and its craftsmanship.
1963
In 1963, Hansjörg Gmeiner, a trained master baker and pastry chef, joins the family business and supports his mother Wilhelmine in running the company. With his craftsmanship and professional expertise, he carries the family tradition into the next generation and continues Gmeiner’s story together with his mother.
1967
In 1967, Hansjörg and Marianne Gmeiner take over the family business and set an important milestone in Gmeiner’s history. With the new café building on Hauptstraße in Oberkirch, a new centre of the company is created. At the same time, a new era begins: the original bakery evolves into a pastry shop with café. With craftsmanship, fresh ideas and great passion, Hansjörg and Marianne lay the foundation for Gmeiner’s further development as a confectionery and coffeehouse business.
1977
In 1977, Gmeiner opens a new retail shop in Langestraße in Offenburg. With this first location outside Oberkirch, a new chapter in the company’s history begins. The expansion brings Gmeiner specialities to another city and creates the foundation for further growth of the family business.
1997
In 1997, Volker Gmeiner joins the family business and continues the tradition in the fourth generation. He brings extensive professional and international experience: after completing his training and master qualification, he studies business administration and gains valuable experience in renowned establishments in Germany and abroad – including Harrods in London, Oberlaa in Vienna and Maison Pillon in Toulouse. With his craftsmanship, business knowledge and international perspective, Volker Gmeiner sets new impulses and connects the family’s rich artisanal tradition with modern ideas and a clear outlook beyond Germany’s borders.
1998
In 1998, Volker Gmeiner becomes the youngest member admitted to the renowned Relais Desserts association. Admission to this exclusive circle of international top pastry chefs and chocolatiers is a special recognition of his craftsmanship, passion and high quality standards. At the same time, it marks an important step for Gmeiner on the international stage. Tradition meets world-class excellence – and Gmeiner becomes part of an extraordinary community of the world’s best pastry chefs and chocolatiers.
2003
In 2003, Gmeiner takes over the traditional Café König in Baden-Baden. This opens another chapter in the history of the family business. Long known far beyond Baden-Baden, the café has always been a city institution, representing classic coffeehouse character, finest pastry art and special moments of enjoyment. With this takeover, Gmeiner unites two traditional names and continues Café König’s story with great respect for its heritage and for Gmeiner’s own commitment to highest quality.
2005
In 2005, Volker and Christine Gmeiner jointly take over the management of the family business. With this step, responsibility officially passes to the fourth generation. Together, they continue Gmeiner’s long tradition and steadily develop the company with new ideas, entrepreneurial foresight and great passion for the craft. Tradition and innovation become defining pillars of the next generation.
2007
In 2007, Gmeiner moves into a new and significantly larger production facility. With the additional space, the family business creates the conditions for further growth and expansion of artisanal production. The new location offers more room for pastry chefs and chocolatiers, optimised workflows and further development of Gmeiner specialities – without losing sight of traditional values and craftsmanship.
2010 / 2011
In 2010, Gmeiner opens a branch in Freiburg, followed by Stuttgart in 2011. With these two new locations, the family business grows beyond its home region and brings handmade confectionery specialities to two major cities in southwest Germany. In Freiburg, Gmeiner has combined finest confectionery with coffeehouse culture since 2010. In Stuttgart, Gmeiner has been located in the historic market hall since 2011 – a special place for enjoyment and culinary variety. With these new locations, Gmeiner continues its path of expansion and combines traditional craftsmanship with a modern, urban standard.
2015
In 2015, Gmeiner opens a location in the listed Frankfurt central station, directly in front of platform 7. This places Gmeiner at one of Germany's most important transport hubs, accompanying travellers with fine specialities and sweet gifts to go. In 2018, a branch follows in Konstanz on Lake Constance. In the heart of the historic old town, another destination is created for fine chocolate creations, macarons, pastries and special sweet gifts.
2020
In 2020, Gmeiner opens a new location in Wiesbaden and brings its handmade confectionery specialities to the Hessian state capital. This further expands Gmeiner’s presence beyond southwest Germany and combines the family business’s artisanal tradition with a new urban environment. In 2020, Gmeiner takes over Confiserie Rumpelmayer in Baden-Baden, leading another traditional city institution into the future. The combination of two renowned names creates a special place for finest confectionery and selected Gmeiner specialities.
2023
2023 is a significant year in Gmeiner’s history: the factory outlet in Appenweier moves to a central location, becoming even easier to reach for customers from the region. At the same time, Gmeiner marks a major milestone by opening its first branch in the heart of Munich. On Schrammerstraße, between Marienplatz and Maximilianstraße, Gmeiner craftsmanship moves into one of Bavaria’s most important and exclusive locations. The Munich location opens a new chapter for the family business.
2026
In 2026, Gmeiner opens a new branch in Rottach-Egern at Lake Tegernsee. With this new location, traditional craftsmanship enters one of Bavaria’s most beautiful and exclusive regions. Amid the idyllic Tegernsee landscape, Gmeiner combines finest confectionery with the region’s unique lifestyle. The new branch represents the combination of tradition, quality and modern enjoyment and marks another important step in the development of the family business.