After its founding in 2014, the first Haferkater store opened in Berlin Friedrichsberg, one of the most sustainable neighborhoods in the capital. The idea of founders Leandro Burguete, Anna Schubert, and Levin Siert was to offer a bowl of organic porridge to go, allowing customers to start their day well-nourished with a healthy breakfast. However, offering only breakfast proved to be challenging, as the founder reports. Today, Haferkater locations are spread across Germany, often found in train stations. In addition to various sweet and savory porridges, Haferkater also offers coffee, sandwiches, and salads.
At the time of its founding, porridge was less known and not available as a takeaway product. Instead of grabbing less filling and overly sweet pastries from the bakery, porridge topped with fruits, nuts, and other toppings is meant to be a healthy alternative, explains Leandro Burguete. The staff crush the organic oats delivered daily and cook the porridge in the Scottish style with water and salt. The advantage is that the base is vegan and less sweet.
Despite challenging phases, particularly regarding economic viability, the founders have no doubts about the concept. Unlike other companies, the Haferkater team not only focuses on their sustainability but also on their unsustainability. They write a whole report on this. Leandro Burguete believes it is not enough to only report on how great and sustainable a company is. There are always opportunities for improvement. However, finding the balance between ecological and social sustainability, such as pricing, is not easy. Nevertheless, the founders want to maintain this honesty, as they are convinced that customers will notice it indirectly.
