How do you begin to tell a story that spans over two centuries? The best place to start is where it all began: in Staufen im Breisgau, a German town in Baden-Württemberg.

Sixtus Schladerer, son of Sixtus Balthasar, moved to the picturesque little town in 1844. Here, he married the daughter of Kreuz, a local landlord, and went on to run his tavern – later to be known as “Kreuz-Post” – whose history can still be seen in the post horn of the Schladerer coat of arms. It was here that he produced his exquisite fruit brandies which made a name for themselves far beyond his tavern regulars.

In 1876, Sixtus’ son Hermann Schladerer took over at the helm of the renowned tavern, which had its own farm, wine and distillery. At the same time, he cultivated and refined the art of distilling fruit, making his “Chriesiwässerli” a firm favorite among tavern guests.

However, it was the next generation that would go on to firmly link the name Schladerer with fruit brandy. From 1919 onwards, Hermann’s son Alfred took charge of the family business and devoted himself entirely to expanding its distillery. A trained restaurateur with experience working in France and England, the “marketing pioneer” knew how to bring his products to a wider audience. Not least through one particular formative development …

The famous Schladerer square bottle was designed by Alfred Schladerer – and has its own place in history. Setting the standard for all Black Forest fruit brandies, it has left its mark on the entire industry to this day. As a symbol of passion, it stands for unspoiled nature, premium fruit, peerless craftsmanship and the very highest quality. This is because the square bottle not only contains the spirit of superior fruit but also the spirit of a family that has devoted itself to creating popular fruit brandy specialties.

Following Alfred Schladerer’s untimely death in 1956, his wife Greta accepted the inheritance and helped the brand to attain international recognition. As the true driving force behind the company, the distillery had much to thank her for over the years. We honor her memory to this day with her namesake GRETCHEN Dry Gin.

In 1980, Greta’s adoptive son Nicolaus Schladerer-Ulmann took over as the company as primary managing director. With charisma, dedication and a sure feel for quality, from the product to marketing, he succeeded in establishing the reputation and success of the brand.

Today, Philipp Schladerer represents the sixth generation of the family. Managing director since 2010, the son of Nicolaus Schladerer-Ulmann was of course instilled with a love of local nature and a passion for the art of distilling fruit. His approach is to retain traditional values while meeting modern needs – this allows the company to keep pace with the times while working towards a successful and sustainable future.