Bakery Glocker: Village centre redevelopment and securing local supply through baking culture
About this good practice
Gomadingen, a rural village in the Neckar-Alb region with 1,256 residents (2021), improved residents' quality of life and contributed to climate change mitigation by transforming its old mill barn into the Albkorn Bakery headquarters. Centrally located, the bakery provides easy access to fresh bread and groceries, reducing car travel and emissions.
The project created a new town square, a social hub, and the village's only grocery outlet. It generated jobs and offers training courses, particularly benefiting younger residents by building skills in baking and sustainable food production. The bakery sources grain from 23 local farmers practicing eco-friendly agriculture. Ingredients like milk and eggs are sustainably produced within 50 kilometers, lowering transport emissions and supporting regional agriculture.
As a founding member of the "Albkorn" organization, the bakery champions sustainability and regionality while preserving traditional farming. Collaborations with the Luz grain mill and Failenschmid butcher's shop strengthen the rural economy. The mill barn's renovation included flood protection and historical preservation, blending tradition and innovation.
The show bakery fosters community engagement, educating residents on baking and regional traditions. This project demonstrates how sustainable practices, accessibility, and local partnerships can revitalize rural areas and promote resilience.
Resources needed
Support of LEADER and the Rural Development Programme (ELR): 300,000 Euro.
Projectvolume: 2.5 million Euro.
Albkorn – Bakery Glocker as the project promoter, providing both the location and supplies.
The monument preservation office and the district office of Reutlingen
Evidence of success
The Albkorn Bakery project has earned significant accolades, including recognition by the Baden-Württemberg Chamber of Architects, and ranks among Germany's top ten bakeries. With its new site in the revitalized mill barn, the bakery created 90–100 jobs, solidifying its role as a local economic driver. These achievements showcase its success in blending sustainability, community revitalization, and tradition while addressing depopulation and promoting environmentally conscious practices.
Potential for learning or transfer
The Glocker Bakery in Gomadingen revitalized its village by transforming an old mill into a café, bakery, shop, and outdoor seating area, creating a vibrant social hub. This private initiative, supported by public funding, reorganized the central area into a dynamic village square and accelerated the renovation of a nearby mill. The project fosters local agriculture, supports generational renewal, and counters rural depopulation by maintaining essential services.
Its success lies in a transferable model that other regions can adopt by leveraging public-private partnerships to revitalize historic buildings, create community spaces, and promote sustainable farming. By addressing structural and social needs, rural areas can retain residents, encourage young families to stay, and provide essential local services. This model reduces travel needs for groceries, fosters economic stability, and builds social cohesion, offering a practical blueprint for village revitalization.
Further information
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