The 2025/2026 graduating class of the Master School for Millers, Bakers, and Confectioners at the Higher Technical Institute for Food Technology in Wels has produced 13 new master craftspeople. Four of them graduated with distinction, and another six with honors. Eleven graduates of the 2025/2026 class completed the Master School for Millers, Bakers, and Confectioners in Wels as dual masters, two of them with distinction and six with honors. In total, nine master bakers and confectioners, two master bakers and millers, one master confectioner, and one master miller successfully completed the program.

Four-time award winner

Baker and confectioner Joanna Widerna , baker and miller Alexander Hamedinger , confectioner Judith Weiß and miller Christopher Sedlmayer are delighted with the awards.

Six times good success

Master bakers and confectioners Elisabeth Mair, Ines Salzner, and Sophie Zauner, as well as master bakers and confectioners Julian Kurz and Bernhard Schwab, successfully completed their examinations. Master baker and miller Christoph Passenbrunner also successfully completed his master craftsman training. The high quality of the 13 project papers, which the graduates of the 2025/2026 master craftsman program implemented primarily in collaboration with their own family businesses, is also noteworthy. The topics ranged from product development for a confectionery vending machine and a comparison of different dough preparation methods for wheat-based pastries, including their advantages and disadvantages, to the baking-technological effects of gluten-free grains and their potential for producing high-quality bread.
The Austrian Bakers & Confectioners Newspaper extends its warmest congratulations to the newly crowned master bakers and confectioners.

The new master bakers with teachers and guild representatives: KV E. Heftberger, BEd., Julian Kurz, Bernhard Schwab, Sophie Zauner, Lukas Palmanshofer, Ines Salzner, Elena Tomandl-Mayrhofer, Charlotte Berger, Elisabeth Mair, Christoph Passenbrunner, Alexander Hamedinger, LIM MMst. Reinhard Honeder & Dir. DI G. Wenger-Oehn. © Hilde Resch
The new master bakers with teachers and guild representatives: KV E. Heftberger, BEd., Julian Kurz, Bernhard Schwab, Sophie Zauner, Lukas Palmanshofer, Ines Salzner, Elena Tomandl-Mayrhofer, Charlotte Berger, Elisabeth Mair, Christoph Passenbrunner, Alexander Hamedinger, LIM MMst. Reinhard Honeder & Dir. DI G. Wenger-Oehn. © Hilde ReschShow more
The new master millers with teachers and guild representatives: KV Erwin Heftberger, BEd., BIM KommR Mst. Leo Jindrak, Alexander Hamedinger, Christopher Sedlmayer, Christoph Passenbrunner, newly defined. LIM MMst. Reinhard Honeder and Dir. DI Gisela Wenger-Oehn. © Hilde Resch
The new master millers with teachers and guild representatives: KV Erwin Heftberger, BEd., BIM KommR Mst. Leo Jindrak, Alexander Hamedinger, Christopher Sedlmayer, Christoph Passenbrunner, newly defined. LIM MMst. Reinhard Honeder and Dir. DI Gisela Wenger-Oehn. © Hilde ReschShow more
The new master confectioners with their teachers and guild representatives: KV Erwin Heftberger, BEd., Bernhard Schwab, Julian Kurz, Sophie Zauner, Lukas Palmanshofer, Ines Salzner, BIM KommR Mst. Leo Jindrak, Elena Tomandl-Mayrhofer, Elisabeth Mair, Judith Weiß, Joanna Widerna, Charlotte Berger & Dir. DI Gisela Wenger-Oehn. © Hilde Resch
The new master confectioners with their teachers and guild representatives: KV Erwin Heftberger, BEd., Bernhard Schwab, Julian Kurz, Sophie Zauner, Lukas Palmanshofer, Ines Salzner, BIM KommR Mst. Leo Jindrak, Elena Tomandl-Mayrhofer, Elisabeth Mair, Judith Weiß, Joanna Widerna, Charlotte Berger & Dir. DI Gisela Wenger-Oehn. © Hilde ReschShow more
The new master bakers with teachers and guild representatives: KV E. Heftberger, BEd., Julian Kurz, Bernhard Schwab, Sophie Zauner, Lukas Palmanshofer, Ines Salzner, Elena Tomandl-Mayrhofer, Charlotte Berger, Elisabeth Mair, Christoph Passenbrunner, Alexander Hamedinger, LIM MMst. Reinhard Honeder & Dir. DI G. Wenger-Oehn. © Hilde ReschThe new master millers with teachers and guild representatives: KV Erwin Heftberger, BEd., BIM KommR Mst. Leo Jindrak, Alexander Hamedinger, Christopher Sedlmayer, Christoph Passenbrunner, newly defined. LIM MMst. Reinhard Honeder and Dir. DI Gisela Wenger-Oehn. © Hilde ReschThe new master confectioners with their teachers and guild representatives: KV Erwin Heftberger, BEd., Bernhard Schwab, Julian Kurz, Sophie Zauner, Lukas Palmanshofer, Ines Salzner, BIM KommR Mst. Leo Jindrak, Elena Tomandl-Mayrhofer, Elisabeth Mair, Judith Weiß, Joanna Widerna, Charlotte Berger & Dir. DI Gisela Wenger-Oehn. © Hilde Resch

Theses with practical relevance and a sense of trends

The topics of the final theses demonstrate how closely the master craftsman training remains aligned with practical business operations and current industry developments. The spectrum ranges from gluten-free products and new sales concepts to modern business planning, dough preparation, milling technology, and raw material processing.

Many of the works address topics that are very specific to bakeries, confectioneries and mills today:
• Gluten-free desserts
• Product development for a confectionery vending machine
• Technology and diversity of the fire material
• Product development of chocolates
• Crossover flavor – development and evaluation of innovative sweet and savory products
• Construction of a new modern bakery and confectionery
• Revitalizing the village with fragrance and craftsmanship – planning a bakery as a local supplier
• Comparison of different dough preparation methods for wheat rolls and their advantages and disadvantages
• Product development of a spelt bakery
• Mechanical injury and its effects
• The baking technology effects of gluten-free grains and their potential for producing high-quality bread
• Conversion of the square plansifter at Anton Kittelmühle GmbH
• Core process and technology in comparison: Oliver Evans' first automatic mill and modern milling facilities.