World-famous visited at home
Whether pastries, drinks or perfume: a wide variety of goods for eating, drinking and savouring are at home in North Rhine-Westphalia and are known all over the world. During factory tours, in museums, shops and outlet centres, there are tastings - and anecdotes from the company's history.
Brandt rusks have been shipped from Hagen to many countries since 1912. The history of the biscuit, for which the orange-coloured packet with the smiling child's face has become a distinctive feature, can be explored in the Hagen Rusk Museum. In addition to the factory outlet and a modern bistro, the listed "Haus Stennert" also houses the Brandt Museum. In ten rooms, you can experience the history and present of biscuits up close - even for the little ones: they are guided through the exhibition by Zwack, the rusk man. Stops include the founder's room, rusk production with a steaming oven and a walk-in Brandt brand rusk box.
To the rusk museum
Right where the Stollwerck factory once made pralines and chocolates, visitors can now learn the secrets of sweets. The Chocolate Museum on the Rhine in Cologne, which has been run by Lindt & Sprüngli since 2006 and is one of the most visited museums in Germany, provides an insight into the past and present of chocolate production - and offers tastings. Guests can taste the sweet treat at the chocolate fountain and in chocolate courses.
Aachener Printen are served on coffee tables all over the world in the run-up to Christmas, but in the imperial city itself they are eaten all year round. Whether hard, soft, with herbs, chocolate or nuts: Only those that have been produced in Aachen and some neighbouring towns since 1820 are considered original Aachen Printen. The group tour "Sweet Aachen" offers background knowledge and tastings of these and other local specialities.
Enjoyment in Aachen | Printen tour
A good cup of tea is served in Düsseldorf: On a tour of the Teekanne brand headquarters, there are also interesting things to see, such as the world's largest porcelain teapot or the first fully automatic machine for producing the double-chamber bag. New teas can then be purchased at the factory outlet to take home.
About Teekanne
Things get spicy in Düsseldorf's old town: a small shop sells all the specialities of Düsseldorf Löwensenf, whose history dates back to 1903. In addition to classics such as extra-hot, medium-hot and sweet mustard, there are also specialities such as Altbier or mulled wine mustard or even mustard chocolates on the shelves for those who like to experiment.
Zum Senfladen
Germany's pudding capital is located in the Teutoburg Forest: the Dr Oetker food company in Bielefeld has specialised in sweet desserts for 130 years. A guided tour takes you through the entire Dr. Oetker world, including the pudding wonder, bistro and shop.
To the Dr. Oetker world
Essences of bergamot, orange and cedar form the basis for one of the world's most famous fragrances: Eau de Cologne. In the oldest perfume factory in the world, visitors can follow the beginnings of cologne and explore over 300 years of perfume history. The headquarters of the family-run company Farina in Cologne's old town is home to the Fragrance Museum, which can be visited on a guided tour.
To the Fragrance Museum
Around 100 years later, another cologne production facility was set up in Cologne's Glockengasse. The 4711 House also offers visitors the opportunity to discover the world of fragrances, for example at a fragrance seminar where customised colognes are created under expert guidance.
To 4711
Computers are the stars in Paderborn: with 6,000 square metres of exhibition space, the Heinz Nixdorf MuseumsForum (HNF) in Paderborn surpasses all other museums dedicated to information technology: According to the Guinness Book of Records, it is the largest computer museum in the world. The first ideas for a computer museum go back to the important German computer pioneer Heinz Nixdorf, who founded his company in a cellar in 1952. In addition to the company's history, the HNF focuses on the 5,000-year history of information technology. However, current developments such as artificial intelligence and robotics can also be found, for example in the form of industrial robot Beppo, who does his duty as a street sweeper in the museum and interacts with visitors.
Solingen has made a name for itself as the "city of blades". To this day, it is considered the centre of the German cutlery industry. So it is only logical that the town is home to a really sharp museum: the German Blade Museum. The internationally significant collection displays weapons, cutting implements from all eras and cultures as well as the largest cutlery collection in the world. Knives and scissors from Zwilling and other traditional companies, for example, are well-known and popular all over the world.
To the Solingen factory outlet | To the Zwilling outlet
Münster is the home of little Princess Lillifee and Felix the travelling rabbit, who make children in all countries dream. Housed in an old fire station and a disused granary, the authors and illustrators of the Coppenrath publishing house are constantly creating new, colourful worlds around their heroes. At the Münster Planetarium in the Natural History Museum, Hase Felix tells of his experiences in a moon rocket on certain dates.
Shopping for trendy branded goods at low prices and strolling through the tranquil half-timbered houses is the combination that makes the City Outlet Bad Münstereifel so popular. The outlet has repeatedly won awards for its successful integration into the historic town centre of the Eifel town: 50 shops, which are located in half-timbered buildings in the pedestrian zone that have been renovated in keeping with their listed status, offer last year's and sample collections from fashion and lifestyle brands at discounts of 30 to 70 percent.
To the City Outlet
With its outlet centre, Ochtrup in the Münsterland region is tying in with the town's history: For around 200 years, the town was a stronghold of textile production. Until 1966, the headquarters of the textile company Gebrüder Laurenz was located where today over 100 designer and lifestyle brands can be purchased at low prices. The architecture of the shopping centre with its gabled fronts and red brick is based on the historical architecture of the Münsterland region, with original listed buildings in between.
Zum Desinger Outlet
Even if you don't have a whole day to spare, you can buy world-famous goods from North Rhine-Westphalia at the factory and take them home as souvenirs. Fruit gums and liquorice fresh off the production line are available at HARIBO factory outlets and shops, including of course in Bonn, the birthplace and hometown of the legendary Gold Bears. In addition to the complete range and fan merchandise, visitors also get an overview of the success story of the family business, which was founded in 1920 by the trained candy maker Hans Riegel and is made up of the initials HAns RIegel Bonn.
To the Haribo factory outlet
Things are also colourful and sweet on the Lower Rhine: The Katjes factory outlet in Emmerich offers fruit gums and liquorice. The sweets have been produced there since 1950, and the black liquorice kittens are particularly popular.
About Katjes
Marzipan and jam have made the Zentis company, which has been producing in Aachen since 1893, famous. Classics such as Aachener Pflümli and Nusspli, as well as limited edition taster products, are available at the factory outlet in the imperial city.
To Zentis
Things have been heating up at the Ritzenhoff headquarters for over 100 years: the family business in Sauerland, which has developed from a manufactory into one of the most renowned high-tech glassworks in Germany, produces the finest crystal glasses at 1,500 degrees Celsius. Drinking vessels and other products such as decorations and crockery are available in the Ritzenhoff outlet in Marsberg.
To the Ritzenhoff outlet
Insider tips & excursion ideas
Fancy some mail? Then subscribe here to our every two months newsletter with information on special travel offers, selected short tips for short trips and other insider tips for travelling in North Rhine-Westphalia.
