The traditional Swiss company
The current traditional Swiss company was founded by Elisabeth Wegeli in 1928. She learned the special art of baking wafer rolls from her neighbour, and repeatedly produced new creations from «Granny Wegeli's Hüppen Parlour».
In 1938, the first praline fillings were introduced. Business was quite slow during the war years, as rationing prevented a sufficient supply of raw materials. Following the death of the founder in 1952, her daughter, Berty Wegeli, took over the business. With great commitment and tenacity, she managed to lay the solid foundations of the present company and established an excellent reputation throughout the Lake Constance region. Her nephew, Walter Brauchli, became her right hand man. After the company take-over in 1959, he gradually introduced mechanised production techniques.
Premium quality
Urs Brauchli joined the company in 1977, thereby guaranteeing continuity of management by the same family. 1978 saw the beginning of cornet wafer production for the Swiss ice cream industry. In spring 2000, the strategic decision to expand production had already been taken. Using the latest top-level, high-tech equipment, the company generated the capacity to produce custom-made, semi-finished «premium fillings» for industrial customers.
In 2005, the Seecafe, with its factory shop, was opened right on the lake (next to the factory).
In 2008, the company passed into the «younger» hands of the next generation. Dieter Bachmann, from Thurgau, took over as the primary shareholder of Gottlieber Spezialitäten AG and thereby ensured that this jewel of the Seerhein would continue to be an owner-operated and independent company. The Seecafe was slightly renovated and received the addition of a larger factory shop. Major investments were made in production beginning in 2009, and in 2012 a new flagship store was opened in the centre of Winterthur under the name Gottlieber Sweets & Coffee. Just one year later, in 2013, the first foreign Gottlieber Sweets & Coffee opened its doors in Guangzhou, China. More recently, on 1 May 2015, the opening of the Gottlieber Boutique Hotel Die Krone and Restaurant marked the beginning of an entirely new adventure. The Seecafe was also slightly renovated an refurbished.
Lovingly made Gottlieber wafer rolls are baked and rolled individually and hand packed, just as they always used to be, according to a unique traditional recipe. These artisanal origins are also reflected in the fillings created and produced in-house (some of which have been awarded gold medals). The fillings are made of a combination of finest Swiss chocolate and melt-in-the-mouth gourmet creams.