The Pfund Molkerei Dairy In Dresden: The First Producer Of Condensed Milk In Germany
The Pfund Molkerei Dairy in Dresden is located at Bautzner Straße 79 in the Äußere Neustadt area.
This dairy is known for its incredible hand-painted tiles made by Villeroy & Boch, which cover the walls and give the shop a unique, elegant look.
In 1997, it was officially named the “Most Beautiful Dairy Shop in the World” by the Guinness Book of Records.
Today, visitors can come to this historical shop to buy local products like cheese, wine, and even skincare items.
The Start Of A Great Idea
The story of Pfund Molkerei began in 1879 when Paul Gustav Leander Pfund, a farmer from Reinholdshain, moved to Dresden with a simple but important goal: to provide the city with fresh, clean milk.
At that time, milk was often sold contaminated or watered down. Paul wanted to change that.
He started a small dairy with his wife Mathilde and six cows at a place called Waldgasse, where people could come and watch the milking process to see how the milk was prepared.
In 1880, Paul’s brother Friedrich, who was an actor, joined him to help run the business.
Together, they called it **Dresdner Molkerei Gebrüder Pfund.
Although Friedrich passed away in 1883, Paul kept the business going and it quickly grew.
Growing Bigger And Better
The Pfund dairy was an instant success.
In the beginning, they sold about 150 liters of milk each day, but by the 1930s, they were processing and selling 60,000 liters daily.
Paul was always looking for new ways to improve. He brought in a scientist, Walther Hesse, to introduce the process of pasteurization, which made the milk safer to drink.
He also started producing condensed milk, making it the first dairy in Germany to do so.
This allowed Pfund Molkerei to sell its products not only in Germany but also abroad.
The dairy didn’t just sell milk.
They offered products like yogurt, cream cheese, kefir, baby food, milk soap, and even lemonade made from whey.
Over the years, they expanded their business by adding new equipment and moving to larger locations.
By 1895, the dairy was processing 40,000 liters of milk every day.
The Most Beautiful Dairy Shop In The World
In 1891, the company moved to its well-known location at Bautzner Straße 79.
The store’s interior was entirely covered in neo-Renaissance tiles—247.9 square meters of hand-painted works of art designed by Villeroy & Boch in collaboration with Dresden artists.
These tiles, designed by Villeroy & Boch and local artists, featured detailed pictures that made the shop look like a work of art.
Despite the bombings of World War II, the shop survived and remained in operation.
During the GDR (East Germany) period, the shop was taken over by the state in 1972, and while it stayed open, production stopped in 1979.
After Germany was reunited, the shop was restored and reopened in 1995.
A Place to Visit Today
Today, Pfund Molkerei is a popular tourist attraction in Dresden.
Visitors come to admire the incredible neo-Renaissance tiles and enjoy cheese tastings, fresh buttermilk, and other local dairy products.
The shop sells a variety of cheeses and other regional products.
Next to the main dairy shop, there’s also a specialty shop called Pfunds Spezialitätenladen, where you can find even more local items and enjoy a snack.
The Pfund family’s story is also captured in a book called ‘At Pfunds the Milk Was Whiter’, written by Paul Friedrich Pfund, the founder’s great-grandson, which shares many interesting stories about the dairy’s history.
