80 years of GEFU

Eslohe in Sauerland – this is where GEFU’s story began 80 years ago. Today, the company is recognised as one of the most successful and well-known manufacturers of high-quality kitchen tools in Germany. While the brand name may bring back memories of the Funke brothers who founded GEFU in 1943, a lot has changed over the past eight decades. The man largely responsible for this is Rudolf Schillheim – sole proprietor of the company.

“He is a visionary, a doer, who needs to implement every idea, ideally right now, today and in a hurry,” say GEFU’s employees about their boss.

This has always been the case, remembers Schillheim. And it is why, after finishing school, he went down the solution-focused, manual path and at the age of 15 started an apprenticeship as a toolmaker in nearby firm GEFU Küchenboss GmbH & Co. KG.

GEFU had specialised in grating, potato peelers and, of course, the classic Food Mill FLOTTE LOTTE®. But the young Rudolf Schillheim saw more opportunities and, importantly, a demand for innovative kitchen tools to make cooking easier.

“Cooking is a passion, cooking