(Photo: GRAEF) Fourth generation joins executive management

Lifestyle 01.04.2026

Franziska Graef and Johanna Graef-Krengel appointed Managing Directors in February 2026

(Arnsberg, April 2026) The German family business GRAEF, based in the Sauerland region, has reached another major milestone in its corporate history: As the fourth generation of the family to lead the long-established brand, Franziska Graef and Johanna Graef-Krengel have joined the company’s executive management. Together with Hermann Graef and Andreas Schmidt, the leadership team is setting the course for a strong and sustainable future. As part of the generational transition, Franziska Graef will take responsibility for Consumer Sales, Marketing and Product Management, drawing on her extensive experience to further sharpen the company’s market and brand strategy. Johanna Graef-Krengel, who has also been with the company for more than ten years, will oversee Commercial Administration, including Financial Accounting, IT and Controlling.

GRAEF has stood for outstanding product quality, innovation and sustainable leadership for more than 100 years – values that will continue to guide the company through this generational shift. Franziska Graef and Johanna Graef-Krengel are committed to building on this legacy, bringing in new perspectives and fresh momentum. At the same time, the company’s guiding principles remain firmly in place: creating a brand experience that engages the senses, developing products that support a sustainable lifestyle at every stage of life, and delivering genuine quality rooted in expertise and craftsmanship. "For us, being a family business means taking responsibility across generations,” says Franziska Graef. “We carry this tradition forward with great respect while continuing to evolve it. Our goal is to combine what has proven its value with new ideas and position GRAEF for a strong and sustainable future."

Specialist in slicing technology with over 100 years of tradition
With a history spanning more than a century, GRAEF has established a distinctive position in the market for premium slicing technology. The core expertise of this top-tier brand lies in slicers – a segment in which GRAEF has been setting benchmarks for years and steadily strengthening its market-leading position through its high degree of specialization, deep know-how and innovation-driven approach. The company’s success is built on a clear focus, a strong commitment to specialist retail partners and products that stand for the highest quality, “Handmade in Germany.”

Franziska Graef and Johanna Graef-Krengel are available for interviews upon request. Further information about GRAEF can be found at www.graef.de and on the company’s social media channels.

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Florian Hirt

+49 611 39539-10

f.hirt[at]dps-news.de

Svenja Brendahl

+49 611 39539-16

s.brendahl[at]dps-news.de

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About Gebr. GRAEF GmbH & Co. KG

Founded in 1920 and headquartered in Arnsberg, Germany, Gebr. GRAEF GmbH & Co. KG is one of the leading manufacturers of slicing machines for both household and commercial use. The brand claim of the family-owned company, now managed by the fourth generation, "For today. For tomorrow. For you.", reflects its corporate philosophy while serving as a defining message for the future. Backed by decades of expertise, technological know-how, and a genuine passion for innovation, GRAEF stands for products that combine outstanding quality with exceptional design. The company's vision is to become the most loved provider of food slicing technology and kitchen appliances, inspiring, delighting, and supporting consumers in their everyday kitchen routines with thoughtfully designed products.

For more than 100 years, GRAEF has been defined by a spirit of innovation, enthusiastic customers, and an uncompromising commitment to quality. The family business is the market leader in food slicers and continues to set benchmarks in this product category through its decades of specialist expertise. In addition to food slicers, GRAEF offers a broad portfolio of premium kitchen appliances. In 2024, the company restructured its product portfolio into five distinct product worlds, each reflecting one of GRAEF's core areas of expertise: the CuttingWorld featuring the company's core competency in food slicers and other cutting helpers such as kitchen knifes, knife sharpeners or blenders, the CoffeeWorld with premium espresso machines and high-end coffee grinders, the BakingWorld centered around the kitchen machine MYestro as flagship product, the HelpersWorld including dehydrators, kettles, toasters, and other everyday kitchen appliances and the ProWorld offering cutting solutions for commercial and professional applications.

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Family-owned company GRAEF: fourth generation joins executive management

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