Despite price increase: customers remain loyal to Pfefferküchlern

Pulsnitz gingerbread has become increasingly expensive over the past two years due to the energy crisis and inflation. In the meantime, drastically increased chocolate costs are the reason why buyers of the traditional product have to dig deeper into their wallets.

The price of cocoa has almost tripled compared to 2023, says Peter Kotzsch, master of the Pulsnitz Pfefferküchler guild. Despite higher prices, he has not yet noticed any decline in business at his own company. "It's going well."

Kotzsch and his colleagues are expecting a rush of visitors eager to buy at the 20th Pulsnitz gingerbread market this weekend (November 1 to 3). Seven of the eight gingerbread bakeries and the local gingerbread factory will be offering their products in the center of the small town. In previous years, it is estimated that a total of around 80,000 people came to the three days of the market.

"We think it's sensational that the event is so well received," says Kotzsch. However, the market, which was first held in 2003, is not a sure-fire success. "We're not resting on our laurels and are certainly promoting it." This year, actor and cabaret artist Tom Pauls is helping out as patron.

Recipe unchanged for centuries

In 1558, Pulsnitz bakers were granted the privilege of making gingerbread. Over the centuries, the composition of the basic dough has remained almost unchanged. Consisting only of flour, honey or artificial honey and leavening agent, it does not require any eggs or fat. The dough is stored in oak barrels for up to six weeks before it is processed further - in each bakery according to a traditional recipe.

"We are proud of our craft," says Kotzsch, who runs the Pfefferküchlerei Löschner, which was founded in 1813. However, saving money by using inferior ingredients is out of the question. "We love good raw materials for good gingerbread," says the guild master. Price increases are therefore unavoidable when production costs rise, for example for the chocolate coating that is used for many items in the range.

Obviously, customers appreciate handcrafted goods, as they remain loyal to family businesses regardless of price increases. "We have full order books, for example due to orders for Christmas presents for companies," says Kotzsch. However, sales are unevenly distributed throughout the year. The Pfefferküchler are in the red until around October, as they have to make advance payments. Only in the last quarter do they actually earn money.

The eight Pfefferküchlereien in Pulsnitz are members of the Saxon Bakers' Guild. The association of craft businesses that specialize exclusively in the gingerbread business and make a living from it is unique in Germany. There is no official survey of the market share of their products. Peter Kotzsch estimates that it is in the low single-digit range. "Pulsnitz gingerbread is not a mass-produced item, but a niche artisan product." It is therefore all too logical that the brand is less well-known in Germany than Nuremberg gingerbread or Aachen Printen, for example.