Wolfenbüttel is a small town in northern Germany that has made a name for itself with two world-famous brands: one is the legendary Jägermeister, which started out as a medicinal elixir, and the other is MKN Maschinenfabrik, the pride of the commercial kitchen equipment industry, founded by Kurt Neubauer in 1946.

Today, MKN is considered one of the most successful German family businesses. The company is now in its third generation of management, with a turnover of €120 million and 500 dedicated employees. However, this does not mean that they are resting on their laurels: billboards depicting young students at bus stops around the city advertise the future: “Discover the power of blue – study and build your career at MKN.”

A new era: the MKN Campus and Cooking Lounge

The reason for our visit was the new MKN Campus, which was handed over at the beginning of 2025. The Cooking Lounge created here no longer evokes the strict German industrial milieu, but exudes a real university campus atmosphere: fresh, youthful, and vibrant design replaces the austere industrial style.

Apart from the modern building, however, what impressed us most was that MKN has invested nearly €50 million over the past ten years – all from its own resources. During the factory tour, it was emphasized that although the company will be 80 years old next year, every aspect of their production has remained in Wolfenbüttel. They are not relocating to another city or country because they take responsibility for the local community and the development of the town.

Meetings with old and new acquaintances

It was a pleasure to meet professionals with whom we have been working for a long time: Edmond Finkenauer, head of the export department, who has been with MKN for 29 years and built up the company’s export business with his own hands, which now accounts for 60% of total sales; Stefan, the demonstration chef, whom we have hosted several times in Hungary, and Johannes, his young colleague, who continues the momentum of the demonstrations with his fresh approach and energy.

Innovation in tradition: the new Optima series

MKN not only maintains its leading position, but also invests heavily in research and development. As a result, at the beginning of 2025, they unveiled the completely revamped Optima series, which was preceded by five years of development work.

What stands out at first glance:

• a tilted front panel and large digital display that not only shows the temperature, but also alerts you with light and sound signals when the time is up;
• automatically lifts the basket out of the fryer;
• displays the core temperature;
• offers all the functions that were previously only available in multifunctional machines – but now even a simple induction cooker or grill oven can become smart.

Competition and uniqueness

When asked who they consider their main competitors, they respectfully listed: Rational and Convotherm in the field of combi steamers, and Elro, Palux, Terma, Ambach, and Lohberger in the field of cooking ranges and blocks. However, as they put it, only MKN offers such a complete portfolio: classic cooking islands, in-house manufactured pots, standard and multifunctional pressure pans (now in their third generation), and energy-efficient combi steamers.

In Hungary and around the world

On the domestic market, MKN equipment is in the higher price range, which is why we mostly see it in German car factories, five-star hotels, and central production kitchens, as we have been able to supply them for such projects so far.

However, anyone who has visited a foreign kitchen, hotel, or ocean liner has surely encountered the MKN logo. The brand has been made famous worldwide mainly by German, Austrian, and Swiss chefs, who demand the quality and reliability they are accustomed to at home.

The history of MKN is a good example of how traditions can be preserved while boldly embracing innovation. The “blue power” conveys not only technology, but also a mindset: a belief in quality, people, and the future.