Success Story: Summer Party with Highland Games 

Initial Situation

Ankerkraut was founded in Hamburg in 2013 and has grown from a showcase start-up into a successful grown-up company – a “rock star of the food scene” with around 200 employees and a strong brand attitude: honest, authentic, and Hanseatic. With a product range of around 500 items, including spices, blends, BBQ rubs, sweets, and gift ideas – free from artificial flavour enhancers, but full of naturalness, sustainability, and iconic design – Ankerkraut is now present online, in retail, and in its own stores.

As the company grew and became divided into different areas such as office, stores, production, and shipping – partly remote, partly physically demanding – it became increasingly important to strengthen team spirit and exchange across departmental boundaries. At the same time, day-to-day experience showed that traditional Christmas parties fall right in the middle of peak season and often do not fit the workforce well, either organisationally or in terms of timing.

Linda Vollmert from Ankerkraut GmbH, herself experienced in gastronomy and event planning, initially organised events herself with great dedication – but soon realised how much effort was involved and that the organising team could hardly take part in the celebration on the day of the event. What was needed was therefore a professional partner who could reliably manage large groups, bring employees together in an accessible way, and organise the summer party with enough support that the hosts could once again enjoy celebrating alongside everyone else. After research and consultation, teamgeist stood out – and since 2022, we have been shaping the annual summer party as a collaborative partnership. In 2023, for example, a customised crime rally followed by a summer party at the Beach Club Strand Pauli was implemented, while in 2024 a pub championship with playful “pub-style disciplines” in a relaxed atmosphere took place. For 2025, the programme then featured a summer party with Highland Games, which we would like to take a closer look at here. This partnership creates fresh inspiration every year – with consistently professional implementation.

Implementation

In the idyllic Büsenbachtal valley in the Nordheide region, around 40 minutes from Hamburg, surrounded by nature, wide-open views, and a summery atmosphere, more than 80 Ankerkraut employees came together in summer 2025 for their summer party at the venue “Der Schafstall”. Far away from everyday working life, the location provided the perfect setting for movement, encounters, and genuine togetherness.

From the moment everyone arrived, it was clear that this day was not only about celebrating, but about growing closer as a team. The special location – deliberately chosen as a contrast to the office and production environment – created space for new conversations, fresh perspectives, and shared experiences. In other words, the ideal conditions for a team event that releases energy and creates lasting connections: the Highland Games.

Schedule & Insights:

1. Warm welcome & team allocation: The teamgeist guides welcomed the Ankerkraut crew, explained the rules, and divided everyone into teams. Particular attention was paid to ensuring that participants from different departments worked together in mixed teams and competed against one another.

2. Objective & team roles: Each team competed as a “clan” – with a clear mission: collect points together, cheer each other on, develop strategies, and stick together as a group. Costumes such as kilts/accessories and team colours were handed out to immediately lower inhibitions and make the sense of belonging tangible from the start.

3. Stations & tasks: Across various disciplines involving action, skill, and coordination, the teams mastered challenges where individual strength was not the deciding factor. Instead, coordination, courage, and teamwork were key – ideal for mixed groups from different areas of the company.

4. Challenges within the setting: Different physical abilities, language barriers, and the contrast between office-based and operational staff were taken into account through active, easy-to-understand tasks rather than knowledge-heavy formats.

5. Finale & conclusion: At the end, the points were evaluated and the award ceremony provided an emotional conclusion to the Highland Games, which then flowed directly into a lively summer party.

Impact

The summer party proved to be a real “team booster” – especially because it made it easier for people from different areas of the company to connect, many of whom rarely see each other in everyday working life or work in very different ways, whether remotely, in shifts, in stores, or in the office.

Our teamgeist project manager Max observed three effects in particular:

• Fast integration: Right from the start of the teambuilding phase, with costumes and clan-building, any initial hesitation disappeared – the teams came together immediately.
• Cross-departmental togetherness: Cheering each other on, laughing together, and engaging in playful competition helped break down barriers between office-based and operational staff.
• Motivation through challenge: The decisive factor was not the prize itself, but the fact that there was “something to win” – this increased energy, focus, and team dynamics.

Feedback from the Ankerkraut team also showed that an action-based format is ideal, especially for colleagues who may feel inhibited by language barriers or have little contact with the office team. It works without the need for many words – and a sense of belonging emerges through shared activity.

This collaborative partnership stands for trust, professionalism, and openness. Summer parties that become success stories year after year.

Would you like to learn more about our Highland Games team event?

The interview with Linda Vollmert was conducted by Christina Engel.

Further links: Ankerkraut website