A Long and Tasty Tradition
Founded in the Luxembourgish town of Diekirch in 1913, Fischer is a family-owned coffee shop and bakery chain that keeps its business local, working as much as possible with Luxembourg suppliers. The company aims to give people the pleasure through good food, whether at home with family or out with friends. Carole Muller, the single family member now running Fischer, has been with the company since 2005 and CEO since 2014. She works alongside two cousins who are co-CEOs of Panelux, Fischer’s sister company producing baked goods. With sixty outlets in Luxembourg, ten in France, and eleven vans delivering door-to-door, Fischer’s 350 employees keep thousands of customers fed every day. And in the modern age of the coffee shop as workplace and social hangout, they provide a friendly spot for customers to park themselves and their laptops, whether to work or to relax.
“Fischer is a bakery that wants to be transparent with its customers.” – Carole Muller
Baking for a Better World
As Luxembourg has changed, so has Fischer. The high rate of cross-border commuters and an increase in the French-speaking population means that baguettes have become a more prominent part of the menu. Breads with more cereals are on the rise, as are healthier sandwiches for diet-conscious consumers. There are seasonal changes too, for example tomato and mozzarella sandwiches in summer, raclette in winter. Much of the company’s work is led by its conscience. Where possible, flour, butter, and milk are locally sourced, all the coffee is fair trade, and there are plenty of organic products. Unsold goods go to the Red Cross or other small local associations where possible, and when this can’t be done, they’re sorted into parts that go to Luxembourg farmers to feed the animals and those that go to make biogas, making sure nothing goes to waste.
Changing Bakeries
More changes are coming, as the company adapts to shifting circumstances. They’re currently working on modernising points of sale for a more convenient customer experience; by the end of this year, Fischer bakeries should include around thirty click and collect points. The aesthetic is changing too, the darkly masculine design that was once the Fischer brand being replaced. Taking inspiration from Nordic design, and with the help of a German company, Carole Muller and her team have made something brighter and friendlier. A growing emphasis on transparency fits this clean style and the company’s ethical endeavours. All the baking takes place in the middle of the room, with sandwiches made on the spot where customers can see how their food is prepared. And for the discerning palate, new breads coming in October will offer customers different tastes, a chance to try something new in a stylish, ethically run environment.
