Shock for coffee lovers: close two 44 sqm cafes in Hamburg!

Shock for coffee lovers: close two 44 sqm cafes in Hamburg!

The culinary landscape of Hamburg has suffered a bitter setback in the past few days. The two popular "44 sqm" cafes in Ottensen and Mitte Altona close their doors. Miroslav Ilic, the owner, announced the closure of the café on Susanne von-Paczensky-Straße in April. The last coffee in Ottensen will then close from July 1st. For many regular guests, these are sad news that have already caused dismay on social media. "It is a decision that is not easy for me," says Ilic.

Why this step? Ilic says that in the future he wants to focus more on catering, which offers him more flexibility and efficiency in his everyday life. Think Big! His caterings are designed for events with up to 200 guests, from job meetings to wedding celebrations. And don't worry, the existing concept in Ottensen will continue under a new operator, even if the name will change.

challenges of gastronomy

The closure of the cafés is further proof that the catering industry in Germany is faced with enormous challenges. Many entrepreneurs have already sued for closures, lack of staff and rising prices. According to Foodnotify.com , the gastronomy has suffered greatly in recent years, not least because of the continuing inflation and war in Ukraine. A look back at 2022 shows that the industry experienced an upswing of 12.5 % with the employees, but the numbers have dropped by 11.8 % compared to 2019.

The bwum stands could hardly be more difficult: from January 1, 2024, VAT will be increased to food and drinks from 7 % to 19 %, with the exception of out-of-home sales. A catastrophe for many gastronomes: inside, which faces the question of whether they can pass on the price increase to consumers: inside. Foodnotify.com reports that digitization can help in this context-for example by using robots.

economic situation and the future outlook

The entire catering market has changed a lot in recent years, as an analysis by g-gastro.de Sales in gastronomy, for example, is 12.6 % lower in September 2023 than four years ago. Only the restaurants, restaurants and cafés were able to assert themselves relatively well with a decline of 4.1 %. A real up and down!

Despite these challenges, there are also opportunities in the air. Gastronomy has the potential to redefine trends such as the demand for regional products or the increase in healthy nutritional options. In fact, 78 % of the guests stated that they would like to visit restaurants with regional products. In addition, 80 % of restaurateurs are already relying on energy -saving technologies to reduce costs and at the same time to operate sustainably.

The gastronomy is on the crossroads, and the coming months could be decisive for how this industry is developing. While the "44 sqm" cafés were part of local culture in Hamburg for many, the situation also shows that changes are necessary to survive in the long term. The mixed feelings that go hand in hand with these closures will surely be discussed for a long time.