Daniel is flushed as he carries large trays of apple strudel granola through the small production hall.
The Leipzig native and former drug user who lived in and out of squats, he finally lucked out when he found a job at granola maker Heyho in Lüneburg three years ago.
It was a rocky road, he says. "I went cold turkey here." But it was worth it. After having felt numb for 20 or 30 years, "Now I'm clean and still having fun."
Boss Timm Duffner, who founded Heyho, a company he says is a granola roastery with a social conscience, is also happy when he looks back at his work with Daniel.
"At the start, it was a big challenge for him to arrive on time," he recalls. Of the company itself, meanwhile, Duffner says, the granola was basically just a means to an end.
"We wanted to create high-quality products that make people proud, and we see that our team identifies with the work in the long term as a result."
Duffner worked in the food industry for years before he decided he wanted to create something meaningful, back in 2016. He also turned down the chance of public money.
Now, he says, the team around him is a diverse bunch. Daniel still doesn't always manage to put on his lab coat and mesh bonnet bang by 8:30 am.
But if he is late, they talk about the reasons why and he can always add on the time at the end.
What counts is how far he has come. "It's incredible how much he's developed, it's fantastic," says Duffner.
Daniel, a former junkie, works 32 hours each week, just like some of his colleagues. Not all have ever had a formal training in this kind of work and their hours are capped at 32, so they don't overexert themselves, as the job is physically demanding.
Besides, there is more to life than the job. "I can open up here and now have friends,’ says Daniel, who sometimes plays his music for everyone in the production hall.
The team, that has a total staff of 26 people, addresses any problems openly.
If people feel frustrated about an issue, or there is a dispute, they make time to stop work and discuss things, say the employees. They hold a round table meeting every fortnight to address any challenging or difficult issues.
Each day, all sit down at one of two long tables for lunch at 12:30 pm. One person cooks and everyone can help themselves to apples and bananas. The mood is like a cooperative. One colleague talks non stop, regaling the others with tales of previous jobs. Some sit quietly, eating their noodles in peace.
"We don't talk about each other, we talk to each other," says Duffner, who later meets a colleague for a one-to-one chat. "Getting together with different people and creating something good takes strength, it's totally exhausting, but fulfilling."
Linda Pulver, who is set to be promoted to management in the summer, enjoys any challenging moments. "It energizes me and is fun, it's not stressful."
Some 30% of the staff used to be excluded from the world of work and suffered from that sense of exclusion. Romano, 52, has worked here for more than four years. He used to be troubled by the stigma of having spent seven years in prison for drug issues. Now, he deeply values his permanent employment contract. "This is the first time in my life that I've worked," he says. He applied for around 50 jobs without success, he recalls, as he wipes granola off the floor.
They have their differences at work as everyone brings different capacities to the job. "We're not all equally strong. Those who are a bit fitter push harder," says Romano.
He has never experienced such an open atmosphere where the main focus is the social interaction. "I would be happy if there were copy cats who gave people like me the chance to prove themselves. We can do something, just not that much," says Romano.
One of the co-founders of the Lüneburg project used to work with homeless people and made contacts there.
Meanwhile Leuphana University in Lüneburg has created four staff positions to research ways to integrate people with multiple barriers to employment, such as prison sentences, addiction or mental illness, in an EU-funded project, "Social-innovative transformation through inclusive working environments." It is due to run for three years.
The aim is to support other companies that want to follow similar paths.
Steffen Farny, one of the managers, says the world of work needs to change given Germany's deepening shortage of skilled labour.
"Many young people want to make a positive contribution to society through their work. They are willing to get more involved to do this," he says.
"There really are some companies that are trying to do things differently in a revolutionary way, and Heyho is one of them." He says he appreciates the fact that the central focus is on people.
The university wrote to 100 companies about the project. Half wrote back saying they were interested in participating. "We are overwhelmed by the response," he says.
The focus is on ensuring the activities in everyday working life are easy to manage. "They give people the feeling that they are making a contribution," he says. He hopes teams can grow together and compensate for one another, rather than working according to classic efficiency criteria.
Heyho plans to recruit more staff this year. The organic granola producer roasts 2 tons of oats by hand every week and wants to expand. Turnover reached $1 million last year for the first time. ‘
"We believe that it is the responsibility of companies to build a bridge," says Duffner, between people who are marginalized on the one hand and labour shortages on the other.
What people suffering from a stigma need is a way back into society, not something they can manage without work, he says.
He got the idea from a bakery in New York that doesn't hire staff based on their qualifications, but seeks to give everyone a chance, regardless of their background and experience on their resume.
Applicants can sign up to a list on site to show their interest, Duffner says. "Maybe Heyho will also have a list like that in the entrance area one day."
