Pepper confectioners in Pulsnitz prepare for a rush of buyers

The gingerbread bakers in Pulsnitz in eastern Saxony are working overtime again. According to Peter Kotzsch, the master of the guild, the bakeries are currently working flat out to stock up for the 21st gingerbread market this weekend (November 7 to 9). As in previous years, a rush of visitors is expected in the small town east of Dresden. "We want to be well prepared for this," said Kotzsch, who is the owner of Pfefferküchlerei Hermann Löschner. According to him, he and his family have been working for four weeks without a day off.

Seven of the eight Pulsnitz gingerbread bakeries and the local gingerbread factory are represented at the gingerbread market, each with their own stand. According to the organizers, a total of around 80,000 visitors came to the three days of the market in previous years. Many used the market in the city center to stock up on gingerbread, said Kotzsch. The weekend is extremely busy for all colleagues. "The high workload in the run-up is worth it," says the guild master.

Price increase due to higher costs

The craft businesses in Pulsnitz that specialize in gingerbread live exclusively from this business. As a result, sales are very unevenly distributed throughout the year, said Kotzsch. There is usually an increase in sales at Easter, when seasonal items such as decorated gingerbread bunnies are sold over the counter. However, most sales are always made in the fourth quarter.

Due to additional costs, especially for chocolate, Pulsnitz gingerbread has become more expensive again this year. According to Kotzsch, the price of cocoa has tripled since 2023. So far, his business has not seen a drop in sales. "It's going well," says the master craftsman. "We are extremely grateful to our customers for remaining loyal to us in difficult economic times." It's no different for his guild colleagues. They can all make a living from the business.

Long history of gingerbread

At the latest since the coronavirus era, all gingerbread bakeries have set up their own online store. Kotzsch put the proportion of annual turnover that his company generates through this sales channel at 10 to 15 percent. The family business sends goods to customers throughout Germany as well as to Austria, Italy, Switzerland and even Sweden. Parcels are also regularly sent to the USA. However, since import regulations have tightened, this has become extremely difficult and is therefore simply no longer possible.

In 1558, Pulsnitz bakers were granted the privilege of producing gingerbread. The business founded in 1813, which Peter Kotzsch runs with eight employees, is the oldest of the gingerbread bakeries in the town today. The eight family businesses belong to the state association of the Saxon bakery trade as their own guild. The association of craft businesses that exclusively bake gingerbread all year round is unique in Germany.