Machwitz Kaffee

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W. Machwitz GmbH
IndustryFood processing
Founded1883; 139 years ago (1883) in Danzig, the Kingdom of Prussia[1]
Founder
HeadquartersAm Marstall 18-24, 30159 Hannover, Germany (since 1919)[2]
Key people
 (founder),[1]
Walter Koch (1911–1998, bought the company in 1948),[1]
Jörg Walter Koch (b. circ. 1949, W. Koch's son),[1]
Maximilian Koch ( March 18, 1981, J. Koch's son)[1]
ProductsPackaged foods, roasted coffee, chocolates, tea, sweets, colonial goods,[3] beverages[4]
Total equity€912,420 [3] (2021)
Number of employees
fewer than 25
Websitewww.machwitz-kaffee.de

Machwitz Kaffee is a German family owned coffee brand and a coffee roasting company in Hanover, Germany.[1] Founded in Gdansk in 1883 as a consumer goods store. In 1919, the headquarter moved to Georgstrasse, Hanover as a specialty coffee shop.[1] Walter Koch (1911–1998) bought the company in 1948[1] as a family business.

Controversies[]

[]

The logo of the Machwitz Kaffee has been criticized as racist and degrading in the modern society, which recognizes of the use of euphemism regarding the history of European colonial African slave trade and African slaves is deeply unjust, insensitive and painful to people who suffered under it and to those who are the descendants of those who suffered under it.[5] The company owner J. Koch has continued time and again to crudely defend the company logo by citing "upholding the company tradition"[6][7] and dismissed the criticism. A tradition that traces back to the German colonial era, a time in which German companies profited ruthlessly through particularly violent and brutal use of slavery in Africa.[5] The defense of keeping "tradition" over the criticism of antiquated Black minstrel characters in European company logos and advertisements has long been cited by other European companies as well, such as the logo of the Italian coffee company Lucaffé.[8]

In 2017, an online petition started by a Hanover local alliance aiming to raise awareness of disenfranchised immigrants and people of color,[9] decolonize Hannover, demanded that the company to change its insensitive colonial era ethnically stereotyping and prejudiced logo, which attracted over 1650 signatures.[7]

W. Machwitz GmbH logo (upper left) on display on Dall Asta Massimo Eiscafé's store sign on Georgsplatz in Hanover, Germany

References[]

  1. ^ a b c d e f g h ""Herr Machwitz": Kaffeekenner mit Diplom". (in German). 30 July 2016. Retrieved 2021-05-24.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  2. ^ "Impressum". Machwitz Kaffee (in German). Retrieved 2021-07-16.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  3. ^ a b "W. Machwitz GmbH, Hannover". Cyclex (in German). 13 June 2021. Retrieved 2021-07-16.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  4. ^ "W Machwitz GmbH". Bloomberg. Retrieved 2021-11-03.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  5. ^ a b "Germany's colonial past catches up with it". Deutsche Welle. Retrieved 2021-11-03.
  6. ^ "Ist das Logo der Machwitz-Rösterei rassistisch?". HAZ – Hannoversche Allgemeine (in German). Retrieved 2021-05-24.
  7. ^ a b Link, Christian (2018-02-20). "Online-Petition gegen Firmenlogo: Kaffee mit einer Prise Rassismus". Die Tageszeitung (in German). ISSN 0931-9085. Retrieved 2021-05-24.
  8. ^ "Rassismus in der Espressotasse". Süddeutsche Zeitung (in German). Retrieved 2021-11-03.
  9. ^ "Decolonize Hannover". clinchfestival (in German). Retrieved 2021-11-03.


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