The Brenninkmeijer family has a rich history in the garment industry. Brothers Clemens and August founded C&A in 1841. They apprenticed in textiles in the small German town of Mettingen. From there, they would travel to nearby towns to peddle their clothes. Their entrepreneurial spirit led them into the Netherlands, where they opened a store. Clemens’ son, Bernard Joseph, carried on their legacy and expanded further into the Netherlands while continuing their work in Germany.
Before long, the family’s company had a notable presence throughout Western Europe. They struggled through the inter- and post-war period before receiving economic stimulus that allowed them to push C&A back to the forefront of the European textile industry. The Brennenkmeijers relocated to Zug, Switzerland, in an effort to avoid divulging company data to the Dutch government. Cofra Group AG was created as a parent company to C&A.
By relocating to Switzerland, the Brennenkmeijers have built a reputation for being incredibly secretive. They have an internal promotion model for family members, in which parents act as owners and only their children can be active members of the business. They are rumoured to be the richest family in the Netherlands, but no public figures exist of the extent of their wealth.
