Bread & Butter 'forced' to file for bankruptcy

Karl-Heinz Müller, founder of Bread & Butter, has been 'forced' to take the next step to secure the future of the Berlin-based trade fair and has filed for bankruptcy.

Once Bread & Butter officially cancelled its upcoming January edition in Berlin, Müller found the trade fair stuck in a financial conundrum. Over the past few weeks, industry insiders have been speculating that the event's cancellation was linked to its struggling finances.

In a letter previously sent out to friends, B&B's founder revealed his plans to continue the trade fair and host the January edition on the streets of Berlin as a 'street guerrilla fair.' However, in order to do so, Müller said he need additional funding, as all the money previously handed over by exhibitors has been spent.

Now that the trade fair management of Bread & Butter GmbH & Co.KG has filed for insolvency and attorney Christian Graf Brockdorff has been appointed as preliminary receiver, Müller has come forward and asked for more support for his alternative concept for Bread & Butter.

“Many will understand how painful taking this step was for me. But due to legal obligations, I had no other choice,” said Müller in a press release. “After the cancellation of our January event, we received an unexpected wave of encouragement and support."

Bread & Butter to take to the streets for January 2015

"Therefore we are working on an alternative concept for January 2015 already: 'Bread & Butter - Back to the Street,' for those who are willing to dare taking the next step with us and who can still react on such short notice.”

Bread & Butter noted that the operative business of its 14.oz stores, which belongs to the trade fair's company, will continue as will the operation of its webshop. Brockdorff added: “At B&B, I have met a highly motivated team of specialists who have expressed their strong will to continue the company’s activities.”

“This is why my team and I will offer our greatest possible support to this Berlin flagship company, in order to secure the financial recovery and the continuation of the business. This includes the execution of the event in January 2015!”