Well-being and Sustainability

We value regionality, quality and seasonality

In the last 1.5 years, we have increasingly focused on our immediate surroundings in all areas of life. The topic of nutrition, food quality and the question of where our daily food comes from and how it was produced have become even more of a focus.

Sustainability

In the process of focusing on these topics, we discovered that there is an abundance of passionate and dedicated farmers and producers in the Lower Rhine region, who create excellent sustainable products. In extensive personal meetings, we experienced their stories, passion and motivation, which immediately captivated us. We now source many high quality, local and seasonal products from these partnerships. Handling these on a daily basis has increased our joy and appreciation for food even beyond our usual levels.

 

We are now driven to explore our regional farms in search of the best potatoes, the tastiest milk or the freshest eggs. We are incredibly proud to know our farmers personally, to learn about their animals and plants and to become a part of this community.

EarthCheck promise

"EarthCheck is the world’s leading scientific benchmarking, certification and advisory group for travel and tourism. Since 1987, they have helped businesses, communities and governments to deliver clean, safe, prosperous and healthy destinations for travellers to visit, live, work and play in. They understand the value of big ideas and the importance of clear communication. They know that what can be good for the planet is also good for business."

(Source: www.earthcheck.org)

We are proud to be part of the EarthCheck programme and have reached Silver Status thus far with the aim to reach Gold Level in the near future.

 

Earth Check - Environmental Protection
Earth Check - Sea Protection
Earth Check - Environmental Protection

Our commitment to sustainability

Philipp Ferber
Executive Chef

"Appreciation is defined as appreciating the value of a product. We share this conviction with our exclusive regional partners and also convey this through our cooperation on site. We particularly value transparency and traceable origins, suitable and species-specific conditions, excellent feed, quality over quantity, and respectful handling and processing of produce!"

Let yourself be inspired

Good for the planet
Good for you

Gut Diepensiepen in Düsseldorf
Gut Diepensiepen in Düsseldorf
The Family of the Owner of Gut Diepensiepen Farm, Düsseldorf
The Breidenbacher Hof Düsseldorf Chefs Visiting Gut Diepensiepen Farm
Madeira Potato Harvest at Gut Diepensiepen in Düsseldorf
Harvesting in Gut Diepensiepen Farm in Düsseldorf

Gut Diepensiepen - Ratingen

The Breidenbacher Hof has been working for many years with local farmer Christian Benninghoven, the owner of Gut Diepensiepen. Together, we grow our own organic Wellant apples and Madeira potatoes. With the expertise of the beekeeper Silvester Spiegel, we even produce our own honey in the orchards of the farm. Our most recent collaborative project is the Breidenbacher Chicken Community. The chickens of the breeds Rhodeländer, Marans and Bovans live in small wooden coops of up to eight birds and enjoy the freedom to run between the many apple trees of Gut Diepensiepen. Happy eggs from happy chickens.


Additionally, we get our sustainably grown asparagus and strawberries from his brother Jürgen Benninghoven's farm garden in the Schwarzbachtal. All products including the Breidenbacher Hof products can be purchased at Jürgen Benninghoven's farm shop.

Holtumer Landhof - Duisburg

The Holtumer Landhof is being operated since 2011 in fourth generation by Marie Bernadette and Robert Greilich.

Their dream was that the Holtumer farm produces food for the regional market again. They realized this dream with their breeding of Hereford cattle, with their primary focus on highest quality and natural and sustainable production methods.

Hereford cattle is an original, very robust breed - not comparable to modern fast-growing, genetically improved cattle. The meat of the slow-growing animals is therefore particularly tasty and tender.

The cooperation with the Holtumer Landhof is very important to us, because only the support of our regional products leads to the sustainable conversation of these valuable traditions.

Tinthof - Voerde

The Tinthof was first mentioned in 1336 and has been owned by the Hülsermann family since 1816. Today , the Demeter-certified farm of Heike and Christian Hülsermann relies on "suckler cow husbandry", which requires the calves to remain with their mother. At "normal" dairy farms, cows are separated from their calves immediately after birth. At Tinthof, however, cow and calf stay together - naturally.

The daily grazing in the fields allows the "Black Pied" dairy cows to reduce stress and the fresh air promotes animal health, all contributing to the amazing quality of the delicious dairy products.

The cow ladies Flauschi and Hirondell produce their milk exclusively for their calves and the Breidenbacher Hof. Additionally, the farm own dairy that converts the amazing milk into yogurt, quark, greek yogurt and cream cheese.

Biogärtnerei Johannes Thees - Willich

Christiane and Johannes Thees have been running their Bioland herb garden in the Lower Rhine region since July 2002. They started with 1,000 square meters of open land and 40 square meters of foil tunnels. It quickly became apparent that this area was not sufficient to meet the demand for organic herbs. Little by little, the fields and cultivation areas were expanded to meet the demand. Today the family business cultivates an area of 2 hectares with 1,600 square meters of foil tunnels and greenhouse areas of 1,800 square meters.

The selection currently includes over 60 different potted herbs, about 40 different varieties of cut herbs, more than 100 varieties of vegetables, including 40 varieties of lettuce and 20 varieties of tomatoes.

The wild herbs and vintage varieties are an enhancement for every kitchen - and ideal for our own at the Breidenbacher Hof.

Bioland Geflügelhof Bodden - Goch

Founded in 1963, the poultry farm of Andrea and Jens Bodden apply the sustainable principle of dual-purpose chickens. This means that the breed of chickens raised at their farm is suitable for egg production (hens) and meat production (roosters). Under the term "Bruderhahn", the brothers of the hens enjoy a, for chicken, very long and happy life - 18 weeks - 4 weeks being the norm in regular industrial production.

At the Breidenbacher Hof, we support this approach to animal welfare with full conviction and therefore only process the "Bruderhahn" for any of our dishes.

Bauernmarkt Schwarzbachtal

Jürgen Benninghoven, owner of Bauernmarkt Schwarzbachtal since 2005, puts his entire focus and passion on growing his own food. He is convinced that the regional products are the highest good of the Lower Rhine region and these have to be promoted. He displays the natural diversity of this region through an ever-expanding portfolio of home-grown products such as asparagus, strawberries, raspberries, blackberries, apples, pears, flowers and fire trees at winter time.

The Breidenbacher Hof and the Bauernmarkt are connected by a long-standing cooperation and some exciting joint projects. For example, we are currently producing our own gin in cooperation with ReGINerate and products from Jürgen Benninghoven.

Bäckerei Frank Hoffmann - Flingern

Our varied breakfast pastries as well as the "Himmel & Ähd Brot" (Heaven & Earth Bread) come from our local bakery Bäckerei Hoffmann. In third generation, Frank Hoffmann and his family lives and breathes the traditional and original bakery trade. The 5-ingredient principle allows all doughs to rise without the use of artifical raising agents, flavors and acidifiers. Additionally, the bread gets its pure original taste and digestibility through a very long dough maturation (at least 24 hours).

Naturfleischerei Wefers - Krefeld

The Naturfleischerei Wefers from Krefeld distinguishes itself by its traditional butchery and its in-house butchering of whole animals from the Lower Rhine region. In order to offer the highest animal welfare, daily contact and exchange with the farmers is maintained. Only original and robust livestock breeds are selected in order to guarantee a perfect and sustainable cycle.  Stefan Molls, who has been with the company since his apprenticeship in 1993, is in charge of the direction of this remarkable butchery.

Naturfleischerei Wefers processes the Hereford cattle from Holtumer Landhof as well as the chickens from Geflügelhof Bodden for the Breidenbacher Hof.

Hunter Bernd Bolten - Boppard

Bernd Bolten is a hunter in third generation and grew up with a traditional and sustainable understanding of hunting. He sustainably manages the game and its diverse habitat near the town of Boppard in the Hunsrück as well as close to Bad Betrich in the southern area of the Vulkaneifel. Red deer, roe deer and wild boar are at home along the steep slopes of the Rhine and the old Eifel forests.

 

The animals can move around freely and decide for themselves what food they eat. The interval hunt offers game and forest the necessary rest. A precise identification of the game, as well as the maternity protection of the female animals have top priority.

Original Beans

Since 2021, we have been a proud partner and buyer of Original Beans chocolate. The Amsterdam-based company is on a mission to give the world a taste for conversation, believing that using the rarest cocoa varieties in the world is an effective way to change today's culture of chocolate consumption, food and luxury.

Since 2008, the Bean Team has been scouring the world's most remote rainforests. They experience the most exciting adventures, work with indigenous people, cross raging rivers, and are sometimes even cut off from the outside world for several weeks at once, in search of the rarest and most flavorful cocoa beans in the world.

Becoming an Original Beans cocoa farmer is like moving from a temporary employment contract to a long-term job with double the income. Cocoa becomes a source of security and pride, rather than exploitation.

Each one of original cocoa beans tells its own story. We invite you to immerse yourself into the world of chocolate and let it melt in your mouth.

Supporting local people

Our beverage suppliers

Weingut Münzberg - Palatinate

Jakob Keßler, the great-grandfather of Gunter Keßler, already recognized the value of the terrior and acquired one of the vineyards on the Münzberg at the end of the previous century. Gunter Keßler's father, Lothar Keßler, who was responsible for the next development of the winery, made an extremely fortunate decision in 1974 and moved the family estate, including the residential house and farm buildings, to the Münzberg. There, today's Münzberg winery is located in the midst of the beautiful vineyards. This is how the family unites life, culture and work; this is what shapes their philosophy and their respect for nature every day.

The art of winemaker lies solely in preservation of the exquisite qualities of the grape. The Münzberg winery directs the transformation of grapes into wine as gently as possible. Any intervention can affect the natural harmony of the wine, which is why the family has for years refrained from applying unnatural processes in their vineyard or cellar.

Since 2020, the Keßler family has been consistently working according to the organic guidelines and has since been in the conversion to certified organic winemaker. Starting with the 2023 wines, the winery will be allowed to denote and market this information on its banner and its wine label.

The Breidenbacher Hof operates its own parcel of land on the Münzberg, from which something very special will emerge in the spring of 2022.

Schönfeld – Die Teegärtner - Palatinate

„The Palatinate soils and mild climate are ideal for growing excellent herbal tea," Christian Weiß, a trained landscape gardner, is raving about the location of his tea garden. Together with his spouse, he founded the start-up "Schönfeld - Die Teegärtner" in his adopted home in the Palatinate. Since 2016, it has been producing 100% regionally cultivated herbal teas.

Jessica and Christian Weiß run their small start-up company with such passion, dedication, courage, creativity and leadership that as an observer, you are immediately drawn into their spell.

The Breidenbacher Hof creates its own shooting herbal tea blend in collaboration with this extraordinary couple.

Re-GIN-erate - Krefeld

Martin Kern and Mortimer von Maltzahn have been the team behind ReGINerate since 2015.

The local heroes from Krefeld work according to their guiding principle "ReGINerate - we celebrate the resurrection of gin and the revival of gin & tonic".

Their daily work is based on highest quality with an extensive attention to detail. They always start from scratch with any new product and explore new combinations to ultimately create the perfect harmony. Only high quality ingredients and regionally grown wheat are utilized in their products, to ensure that even the foundation sets new standards and guarantees quality.

Currently, the Breidenbacher Hof and ReGINerate are developing 3 gins based on their own produce.

Cheers ReGINerate