The reasons for the financial problems are the hot summer and the consequences of a major fire in 2015. Sales in the shops in Siegburg, Bonn, Bad Honnef and Cologne are continuing for the moment.

The district court has appointed tax consultant Thomas Steger from Sankt Augustin, who managed the first insolvency proceedings, as the provisional insolvency administrator. After the previous insolvency, the former company secretary Stefan Geiger took over the company in 2009. As managing director, Geiger modernised production, which moved to the industrial area in Siegburg, and had all of the shops refurbished or renovated.

Steger told the General-Anzeiger: “We are keeping all options open. Of course, a new investor is also welcome.” The Fassbender confectioner, which has been on the Siegburg market square since 1910, does its main business in the weeks around Christmas and Easter. The summer is traditionally a time of low sales, although Fassbender does then also offer high quality ice-cream specialities and light fruit tarts. However, the unusually hot days in recent weeks have caused sales to slump by up to 50 per cent in some cases.

Together with the costs the company incurred after a major fire in 2015, it has now become insolvent. The fire broke out in the spring in the central production and packing hall in Siegburg. It was triggered by a defective freezer. According to Steger, the insurance only covered part of the costs, leaving Fassbender with a six-figure Euro amount.

The 135 employees, including temporary staff and trainees, have already been informed of the insolvency at a staff meeting. Their wages and salaries are secured through the Employment Agency’s insolvency fund.

There have been changes to the branches since 2008. Production was moved from Markt 12 in Siegburg to the industrial area, where the Fassbender to go business was also opened. In 2012, the Café Bottler in the Vivatsgasse in the Bonn pedestrian zone directly on Sterntor was added. In Siegburg, the Literaturcafé in the public library has been a Fassbender shop since 2014.

The café in Cologne’s Mittelstraße is the most important location after the head office in Siegburg. Fassbender also runs Café Jansen in Obermarspforte in the cathedral city. The first outlet in Bonn was the shop in Sternstraße, which was opened in 1995. In March 2008, Fassbender took over Café Jansen in Bad Honnef.

Most of the Fassbender products, such as the truffle pralines, almond brittle caracas and nougat, are produced in house. The confectionary has also been sent all over the world for more than 40 years, including via an online shop.

Original text: Ulla Thiede. Translation: kc