Märkisches Landbrot

Single foundation solution for steward ownership

Executive Summary

The Berlin tradition bakery Märkisches Landbrot has been committed to the common good, sustainability, stakeholder involvement, and, above all, the production of good bread since its early years.

Joachim Weckmann took over the company at a young age and began shaping his succession at the shareholder and management level in 2020, at the age of 67. It was important to him to entrust the company to stewards who would continue the values and development of Märkisches Landbrot in a sustainable manner.

Through a deliberate and guided process, involving the future successors, Joachim Weckmann decided to implement steward ownership through a single foundation structure. This allows Märkisches Landbrot to act autonomously in the long term, and employees and customers can rest assured that the company will be led based on its core values. Simultaneously, opting for a nonprofit foundation as the shareholder presents the opportunity to allocate a portion of the company's profits towards charitable endeavors. As part of the succession solution through steward ownership, it was also possible to help organise Joachim Weckmann's pension provision in this structure without placing an excessive burden on the company.

Steward ownership implemented through the single foundation model secure core elements of the company structure while allowing room for further development of the business.