We won — on June 15, 2026, we were awarded the 2026 Pastry Ethical & Sustainability Award by La Liste in Paris.
This is a special honor for us, as this is the first time this award goes to an Austrian bakery. La Liste is globally recognized as the number one source for rankings of the best restaurants, hotels, bakeries, and pastry shops. In addition to its rankings, La Liste also honors businesses that demonstrate exceptional commitment to sustainability, social responsibility, and a sustainable food culture.
“For me, this award extends far beyond our organic bakery. It reflects the decades-long collaboration with my colleagues and with Austria’s farming families, through which the country’s vibrant baking tradition and agricultural heritage are expressed every day. Without this unique tradition and its living presence, our bread would not exist. True quality can only emerge from a valuable tradition, and for that I am deeply grateful.” — Josef Weghaupt
For us, craftsmanship, agriculture, and tradition are inseparably linked. Since our company was founded, we have been working to preserve traditional baking craftsmanship while also strengthening the diversity of Austrian grain cultivation. After all, good bread begins long before the dough is kneaded — in the fields, with the people who farm them, and with the grain varieties that grow there.
The Ur-Gut Initiative is where we start. Together with 24 small-scale farming families from all over Austria, we are currently preserving, propagating, and cultivating 17 rare, micro-regional grain varieties. Each of these varieties tells its own story and represents a piece of regional identity that was nearly lost.
„Each region once had its own characteristic grain varieties, which in turn shaped unique baking skills and applications. Diversity in grain always goes hand in hand with diversity in craftsmanship, and ultimately with diversity in flavor. That is why it is so important to revitalize, preserve, and strengthen this diversity while directly and fairly supporting Austria’s dedicated farming community.“ — Josef Weghaupt
We see this award above all as recognition of the path we have taken together: our collaboration with farmers, our efforts to preserve heirloom varieties, and our conviction that quality, tradition, and craftsmanship simply go hand in hand.
