A Business Creating Some Buzz
I grew up surrounded by flour and the smell of fresh bread at Heidinger – the family bakery I now run in Frankfurt, Germany. We’ve been doing this since the 1800s, so there’s a lot of tradition in our walls – but we’re not afraid to evolve.
Today, we bake and deliver more than 30,000 items every single day – mostly to hospitals, schools, care homes, hotels and canteens. Places that can’t shut down just because it’s a weekend or a public holiday. That means our delivery schedule doesn’t take a break either – 365 days a year, our drivers are on the road before sunrise.
“We’ve been doing this since the 1800s, so there’s a lot of tradition in our walls.”Stefan Walther, fourth-generation baker and the managing director of Heidinger Bakery.
We’ve been delivering across Frankfurt for years — but now, we’re doing it differently. Choosing Ford for our first electric van made sense. We knew our routes, we knew the distances — and once we put the E-Transit 1 to the test, its driving range proved more than enough. It moves well through city traffic and fits straight into our daily routine. In low-emission zones, it keeps us moving without the hassle of restricted routes.
We’d been thinking about switching to electric for a while. What convinced us was the combination of practicality, sustainability, and long-term savings.
There’s something satisfying about watching the E-Transit leave each morning fully loaded with fresh rolls, then return quietly at the end of the day. We’re now planning to install solar panels on the bakery roof so we can also charge using our own electricity.
The E-Transit isn’t just good for business. It aligns with our values. Since 1998, we’ve been donating leftover goods to Frankfurter Tafel to make sure nothing goes to waste. When we chose to electrify, we wanted to be just as thoughtful – not only about where our bread goes, but how it gets there.
“The E-Transit isn’t just good for business. It aligns with our values.”Stefan Walther, fourth-generation baker and the managing director of Heidinger Bakery.
Eventually, I want to replace all but two of our vehicles with electric ones. The technology is ready. And so are we.
Stefan Walther is a fourth-generation baker and the managing director of Heidinger Bakery, Germany.
1 Up to 317 km driving range based on full charge of E-Transit standard range and up to 402 km driving range based on full charge of E-Transit with enhanced range option. Estimatedrange using Worldwide Harmonised Light Vehicle Test Procedure (WLTP). Figures shown are for comparability purposes and should only be compared with other vehicles tested to the same technical procedures. The actual range may vary due to various factors (e.g. weather conditions, driving style, route profile, vehicle condition, age and condition of the lithium-ion battery).
