As a result, the first milk stalls were built on the beach as early as 1907, but they looked completely different than they do today. This is how the story began with simple, small shacks in which everything revolved around milk. Accordingly, in addition to milk from cans, guests here primarily received the traditional Borkum dish “Thick Milk”, made from buttermilk, normal milk and natural yoghurt, before the range was expanded to include water and beer in the following years.
UNDISPUTED TRADITION
Nowadays, the milk stalls, which are now located in large catering containers, are located on the north and south beaches and offer a huge selection of different drinks and food, so that beach visitors are well looked after from morning to evening. Milk stalls are part of Borkum like sand is part of the sea - and there is hardly a guest or islander who has not “stopped” here to have a leisurely coffee, satisfy a midday hunger or drink one (or two) sundowner beers. They have developed into a real Borkum tradition that no one would want to miss!
RECOGNIZE DEVELOPMENT POTENTIAL
As part of the future project “Bor-kum 2030” – which aims to make the island the place with the highest holiday and quality of life on the North Sea coast – various steps are currently being discussed and analyzed. Above all, it is about preserving what has been tried and tested and recognizing potential for development. The beach is of course also an important topic, as it ultimately represents the island's largest asset and - not least in competition with other holiday destinations - has to impress with appropriate stay, activity and gastronomy concepts. “Part of the mission of our future project “Borkum 2030” is that the regional and cultural origins of our island can be recognized in every development. When it comes to the catering concept in particular, we don't want to design it in a purely activist way. When it comes to our overall future viability, we also have to make sure that the milk stalls' traditional roots are appropriately showcased," explains Göran Sell, Managing Director of Borkumer Wirtschaftsbetriebe (WBB).
HAND IN HAND WITH THE MILK STUDENT OPERATORS
It is very important for businesses to work closely with existing milk stall operators. Not only do they have a lot of experience, but they also maintain contact with guests over the years - which makes them the familiar faces that holidaymakers want and expect. Accordingly, Göran Sell hopes to get as many milk stall operators on board as possible in order to work with them to develop a strategy for the gastronomic offer on the beach as well as a future-oriented update of the milk stall concept. “An African proverb goes: 'If you want to go quickly, go alone! If you want to go far, go together!'” Sell reflects. “This can also be easily related to the conceptual development of the milk stalls: We, businesses and milk stall operators, have a decades-long partnership on the beach. And we have an attractive, long road ahead of us. It’s best we go through it together and hand in hand!”
Specifically, he is initially thinking of three dimensions that need to be reconsidered or developed: the architectural quality, the quality of the offering and the quality of service. “And I’m not just talking about good or bad, but above all about equally good but different qualities,” he continues. “That means: We may soon have, for example, a milk stall operator who feels more committed to the origins of the milk stalls than at present and – in keeping with the here and now – offers unusual dairy products that make you want more. It can be traditional, modern and attractive at the same time!”
It is of great importance to businesses to emphasize that this is not about eliminating something good - but rather about teasing out and renewing the tradition of milk stalls. And this in cooperation with the current operators – and as part of a joint idea development.
AMBITIOUS ROADMAP According to the ambitious plan of those responsible, a corresponding new concept should largely be in place by the end of March 2018. Although this period is relatively short, it also gives the milk stall operators planning security, as the lease agreements for the respective parking spaces of the eight milk stalls on the north and south beaches all expired at the end of 2019.
Accordingly, those involved did not waste any time, so that on July 7th they got an overview with professional support and contacted all current operators. In addition, an initial discussion took place between the management of the business enterprises and all milk stall operators, in which the planned joint approach was discussed.