Note: This interview is part of a larger report on the 60th anniversary of Maison Oberweis. You can find the full article in the current print edition of KACHEN-Magazine (No 38. 01/24).
In our interview with Jeff Oberweis, we look back over the past sixty years of Oberweis, hear some great anecdotes of both the company’s highs and lows and learn what it really takes for a family business to be successful.
What are your earliest memories of the family business?
JEFF: The company’s been part of my life since the day I was born: The first Oberweis shop was on the ground floor of our house in Limpertsberg and the rest of the house was given over to the atelier. My father made Bamkuch in the basement and chocolates on the first floor, and his assistants lived on the top floor. Even as children, my brother and I were allowed to help press the marzipan out of their moulds. I remember how the cream for the Danish pastries was kept in the hallway and I’d regularly stick my finger in it for a taste! Of course, you wouldn’t get away with that now, not with today’s health regulations!
Did you always know that you’d follow in your father’s footsteps?
JEFF: Not really. First, I finished school, not with particularly good grades, but good enough. I always knew I wanted to do something with my hands, preferably something crea- tive. Then, on a trip to Paris with my parents on 1 January 1984, we went to a pâtisserie where there was an artistic showstopper made of sugar icing on display. I was so impressed by this magnificent crea- tion that – much to my parents’ surprise – I instantly asked the head pastry chef if I could do an apprenticeship with him. And, fortunately, he said yes! But he warned me it wouldn’t be easy. I remember his exact words: “Yes, my boy, but get ready for a tough slog!”
What do you think is different between your generation, your father’s generation and your nephews’ generation?
JEFF: In my father’s day, it was all about getting off your backside, going out into the world and making the most of everything. After the war was a very bad time for pâtisserie in France, which is why my father went to Switzerland to do his apprenticeship, to learn from the very best there. For my generation, work was primarily about targets and results. Competition was fierce and you really had to fight to prove yourself. Times are changing now, though. But I do think that this stiff market competition has certainly done wonders for advancing our craft. It’s like in Formula 1, where lots of new techniques are developed that are then adopted in the automotive industry. My nephews’ generation will face completely new challenges. In addition to all the rapid technological developments to navi- gate and keep pace with, there’s also a growing awareness of the environment and sustainability to factor in. Add to that the fact that everything seems to be becoming increasingly uncertain, not to mention the threat of global catastrophes and war…
How did you go about bringing the new generation into the business?
JEFF: My brother Tom, my wife Léa and I have drawn up an Oberweis policy to facilitate the integration of our children. First off, everyone has to spend at least three years working outside the family business. This is not just good for their own development, but also brings fresh new perspectives into the company. Everyone then has to follow a 30-week induction course, during which they learn about all the company’s different departments and jobs, from logistics to accounting to production. They then can decide which area they’d like to work in, according to the needs of the company. Of course, our children are free to decide whether they want to join the family business, but every- one is welcome.
What do you wish to pass on to the new generation?
JEFF: Authenticity, creativity, excellence, passion and openness to the world. These are the values that my father and my brother and I have all embraced and that have got us where we are today.
What role has Luxembourg played in shaping Oberweis?
JEFF: Luxembourg’s asset is its multi-culturalism. Here at Oberweis, we’ve benefited greatly from the fact that we have such easy access to our neighbours in France, Germany and Belgium, whose traditions and savoir-faire we’ve been able to pick up and bring together here. As the saying goes, Luxembourg combines German craftsmanship and French creativity, and that’s us down to a tee.
How is Oberweis perceived by Luxembourg’s growing international community?
JEFF: Overall positively, I’d say. What’s really interesting is how someone who’s lived in Luxembourg all their life of course knows that Oberweis is a family business, whereas those who are new to the country see us as the size of company we are today and think we’re a brand. It’s funny, isn’t it? Lots of companies try to establish themselves as a brand, but that was never really our aim at all, it simply just happened.
What has been the biggest challenge in all the years you’ve been involved in the business?
JEFF: The July 2021 floods hit us very hard. The entire basement and part of the production workshop were flooded. I tried to salvage what I could, but ultimately everything was ruined. But everyone pitched in – not just the family, but all our employees too. So although that’s the biggest challenge I’ve faced, it’s also one of my fondest memories from my career, and I’m immensely proud and honoured to work with such committed people.
What’s the most important thing you’ve learnt during the course of your career?
JEFF: I’d say the most important thing is the importance of fostering a good atmosphere within the company, because that’s the only way to guar- antee satisfied customers. If you come to work every day with a smile on your face, you’ll get the same smile back from your customers.
What does Oberweis’s 60th anniversary mean to you personally?
JEFF: For me, it means an exciting year of celebrations with our customers and employees, my parents and the new generation!
Bilder: KACHEN & Oberweis