Müller (company)

The company Theo Müller Group is a major European player Luxembourgish company in the food industry. Particularly well known is the brand Müllermilch the subsidiary dairy Alois Müller. Other companies in the group manufacture packaging and deal with distribution logistics as well as vehicle technology, used primarily for their own division. Since 2011 there are the activities of HK food group to which the brands Homann delicatessen, Nadler, Lisner, Hamker, penny, Hopf, Livio and the company 's North Sea and Bastian, are also under the umbrella of the company Theo Müller Group.

• 4.1 GM milk debate
• 4.3 Pressure on dairy farmers
• 4.4 Misleading brand name
• 4.5 False allegations of NPD Nearby Theo Müller
• 4.6 Construction of a substitute fuel cogeneration plant at the site Leppersdorf

History

Ludwig Müller founded in 1896 in a small village dairy Aretsried, 1938 further led his son Alois Müller as a trained cheese maker. 1971 took over Theo Müller, the grandson of the company founder, the management of the company. He built the dairy with four employees on a European-wide group of companies. The dairy started the first German national dairy sales of fresh dairy products.

In the course of the 1970s Theo Müller took the Müller- products through nationwide advertising campaigns and TV commercials, for example with the football player Gerd Müller, and by innovations from this week. In 1977, sales of 25 million DM in 1987, the company entered the UK market.

1992 in Market Drayton ( Central England ), the first factory was opened outside Germany. Only shortly after Müller Dairy rose to become the market leader in the yogurt segment.

With the acquisition of Saxony milk plant in Leppersdorf at Dresden 1994, the company launched one of its largest investment projects. For DM 600 million, the largest and most modern dairy in Europe was built, which today, as of 2013, more than 2,000 employees work. Leppersdorf should serve as a starting point for entry into the Eastern European market. In Leppersdorf more than 1.7 billion kilograms of milk are processed annually. 50,000 tonnes of cheese, 45,000 tonnes of butter, 25,000 tons and 20,000 tons of mozzarella cheese sour milk are produced annually there also exist capacity for 2.7 billion packaging units for fresh dairy products, 310 million liters of milk Durable and 60,000 tonnes of dairy products with fruit.

Since 1995, the dairy Alois Müller is present with a sales office in Verona in Italy. From 2003 to 2007, this was done in Spain, at the end of 2007, production for Spain was reinstated.

2000, a consortium led by the Müller Dairy management of the National Dairy Weihenstephan. The group Theo Müller GmbH & Co. KG was founded in 2003 as a holding company of the group. From January 2007 to April 2008 led Christopher White as managing partner of the group. White announced at that time in a Focus call a radical change to. May 1, 2008 White moved to the Advisory Board, and Thomas M. Hübner, previously worked in the management of the Metro Group, took over as managing director to chair the Board of the Group. However, Thomas Hübner left the company after 2 months and Hans -Peter Gai, who has previously worked for Unilever, has become a member of the board.

2007, the Group invested on Leppersdorf 22 million euros in the construction of the world's first bioethanol plant, which produces from the whey remaining product molasses since 2008 10 million liters of fuel additive.

By entering the market in Israel in February 2008, Müller- made ​​products for the first time includes the step beyond the borders of Europe. In addition to the Hebrew packaging design, the products are manufactured under the supervision of rabbis according to strict super- kosher rules - for the Israeli consumer a proof particularly good quality. It produces the yogurts under license by Milko Dairies, a subsidiary of the Central Bottling Company Ltd. ( CBC).

2008 was established in Prague own sales company that serves the Czech and Slovak markets with Müller articles. The Group of companies also includes the Czech dairy Mlékárna Pragolaktos, one of the largest dairy companies in the country with its headquarters in Prague.

Also in 2008, in collaboration with the Central Bottling Company Ltd. ( CBC), Israel, the brand launch in Romania, in January 2009, then the market entry in Poland.

2011, the corporate group Theo Müller Secs founded as a holding company based in Luxembourg. Heiner Kamps took over as CEO with overall responsibility for the Group.

Early 2012, took over the company Theo Müller Group British drinking milk producer Robert Wiseman Dairies, in July of the same year joined Müller Quaker Dairy, a joint venture with PepsiCo. , With Muller Corner ( " yogurt with the corner " ), Muller Greek Corner and FrütUp ( " Froop " ) into the U.S. market. Nearly a year later opened the newly built dairy Müller Quaker Dairy in Batavia, NY in June

Mid-2012, the Group acquired the Minsterley production facility in Shropshire, where the brand Cadbury chilled desserts are prepared which sells Müller since 2004 under license.

2013 followed by the acquisition of NOM Dairy UK Ltd.. including the ultra-modern production plant in Telford, Shropshire. From there, the private label business of Müller Dairy is to be developed in the UK yogurt market.

In addition to the dairy daughters belong to the group of companies and the packaging company Opti Pack GmbH, the company's own logistics company Culina and Emhage, vehicle technology Aretsried GmbH Müller and Nature Farm, one of the largest fruit processing companies in Germany. With a production of 110,000 tons per year, it is the number three in Europe.

Overall, the Group has 21 production sites.

Indicators and corporate structure

The company Theo Müller Group is a société en commandite simple, a limited partnership based in Luxembourg. The only Kommandist is a société à responsabitité same limitée, a limited liability company, which also has its headquarters in Luxembourg.

The group of companies with a turnover in the dairy sector of estimated 3.3 billion euros of the largest dairy companies in the world. Overall, the Group generates annual sales of around 4.7 billion euros and employs about 21,000 people worldwide.

The group includes, among other subsidiaries with independent brands such as Müller, Müller Wiseman, Müller Quaker Dairy, Weihenstephan, Saxony milk and dairy Loose. Trademarks and basic dairy products such as butter, UHT milk, lactose and whey protein powder supplement the portfolio. In addition to the milk processing subsidiaries include packaging company Opti Pack, the company's own logistics company Culina and Müller Nature Farm to the group.

Since 2011, the group also includes the HK food, a Germany's leading manufacturer of ready-made foods. Their product range includes refrigerated deli salads, sauces and fish dishes of the Marche Homann, Nadler, Livio and other trademarks of Homann group. In addition, the branch operations of North Sea part of the HK food.

Currently, the Group has a worldwide production sites and 21 sales offices in Italy, the Netherlands, Romania and Slovakia. In addition, Müller exported fresh dairy products in the brand Müller to Bosnia and Herzegovina, Ireland, Croatia, Luxembourg, Austria, Russia, Slovenia, Hungary and the United Arab Emirates.

Corporate structure or brands

The Group of companies include:

• Dairy Alois Müller GmbH & Co. KG
• Müller Dairy (UK) Ltd.
• Müller Wiseman Dairies
• Müller Quaker Dairy ( U.S. )
• Müller Italy
• Saxony Leppersdorf GmbH
• Dairy Weihenstephan GmbH & Co. KG
• TMA GmbH, Wachau- Leppersdorf ( for various discounters)
• Dairy Loose GmbH & Co. KG
• Opti Pack GmbH
• Culina Logistics GmbH
• Nature Farm
• Vehicle technology Aretsried GmbH
• HOMANN Group
• Emhage (Logistics )
• NORTH SEA
• Saxony Milk Ingredients

Dairy Alois Müller GmbH & Co. KG

The dairy Alois Müller GmbH & Co. KG or Müllermilch based in Aretsried at Augsburg is the core company of the Group. The range includes milk and sour milk products, milk-based drinks and fruit drinks.

The milk number of the company is BY 718

Sachsenmilch

1990 Saxony milk AG was under the leadership of Südmilch AG was founded, its management functions were largely staffed by people from the Südmilch Board. However, in 1991 created financial problems in the implementation of the project. Thereafter, the Saxons milk AG was a subsidiary of the company Theo Müller Group, which produces under the brand names Saxony milk and cheese master. The company is listed under ISIN DE000A0DRXC4 at Deutsche Börse.

2010, the operations were transferred to the GmbH Sachsen Leppersdorf. The AG is limited since in asset management.

The milk number of the company is SN 016

Under the brand Saxony milk especially butter, butter milk, UHT milk, powdered milk and latte crema is produced. Furthermore, are produced with the brand master cheese cheese, sour milk cheese and yogurt. Part of the production is exported to Italy. Since 1999, the company provides additional forth permeate, retentate and various other concentrates. In addition, the Saxons milk AG sells merchandise such as cottage cheese, whipped cream, sour cream and yogurt and other specialty desserts.

Weihenstephan dairy

The ( former state ) Weihenstephan dairy since the year 2000, another subsidiary of the group Theo Müller. At the former site of the company at the " Weihenstephan Hill " in 1021 already produced in Freising by the Weihenstephan Monastery dairy products. The Weihenstephan dairy left in 1998, the " Weihenstephan Hill " and since then produced in a newly built dairy on the site of the former Schlüter good. The milk number of the company is BY 103

History of Weihenstephan dairy

1803, the monastery was closed and converted into a farm. In the following years a Royal Bavarian Agricultural Central School, 1876 a dairy experiment station and in 1898 a Royal Bavarian dairy school were established within the dairy in 1852. In 1923 the business was incorporated with several other facilities in the Süddeutsche Testing and Research Institute for Dairy Technology. In 1967, the dairy was nationalized and thus commercial enterprise of the Free State of Bavaria, the Free State 78.3 % and the rest took over the former VIAG AG. While the government control of the company was this 1994 first converted into a limited company and listed two years later as a public company on the stock exchange.

In 2000, the dairy Alois Müller took over 75% and the family Hofmeister mushroom to 25% of the Weihenstephan dairy.

HK Food GmbH

Back in 2007, was founded as a company specializing in convenience food company, HK Food GmbH by Heiner Kamps and Theo Müller minority shareholders. The fast-food chain NORTH SEA and the reestablishment of the bakery Bastian 's were incorporated into the business branch business. Approximately 6,000 employees work for NORTH SEA and result in a total of 400 stores approximately 81 million annual customer transactions in the food service industry and retail sector through.

Homann Delicatessen

1876 ​​Fritz Homann founded a meat and sausage factory in Dissen am Teutoburger Wald, where he gets a few years later in margarine production. 20 years after its founding as expanding the margarine production for adjustment of production and distribution of meat and meat products and HOMANN expanded its range to include salads, fish delicatessen, remoulade, spreads, dressings and sauces. As a result, the company opened in 1961 his first delicatessen plant in Dissen, and in 1993 one of the most modern factories in Europe salad.

2007 takes over the HK food group led by Heiner Kamps the HOMANN Food Ltd. and expands the HOMANN portfolio by acquiring the parent company of Hamker group of northern European division of UK-based group Uniq Food Ltd. and the Weser delicatessen and Rügen Food Ltd.. After Theo Müller 2010 majority shareholders of HK Food Group, will occur in June 2011 for the integration of HOMANN Food Ltd. in the company Theo Müller Secs. Heiner Kamps takes over as CEO has overall responsibility for the Group. The HOMANN Food Ltd. is the market leader in delicatessen salads and leading manufacturer of gourmet fish, dressings and sauces.

Trademarks

The group also produces dairy products for several major retail chains under their trademarks. So products from Müller- production at Lidl are sold under the brand Milbona at Aldi Nord under the name Milsani. Müller is not known as a manufacturer either ( " Manufactured for ...") or is it the subsidiary TMA GmbH in Leppersdorf specified. T.M.A. The abbreviation stands for Theo Müller Aretsried. Even without direct specification of the manufacturer can be the origin determined from the veterinary control number that match those of the ordinary homes Saxony milk (SN 016) and Alois Müller (BY 718).

Criticism

Gene milk debate

In the spring of 2004, the Group did a survey of Greenpeace shopping network to " genetic engineering in food" initially unanswered until he gave an opinion in April 2004, through its lawyers: The group had " done everything in its area of ​​influence can to the use of genetically modified animal feed rule out ". Notwithstanding this statement, Greenpeace found in feed samples at four farms that supply milk Müller, a significant proportion of genetically modified soy. Since then denies Müllermilch not more that the possibility exists that in the feeding trough of dairy cows lands genetically modified feed. Müller makes reference to the responsibility of the farmers regarding herd management, which also includes the type of feeding.

Protests of the Environmental Protection Agency before the headquarters there were several occasions to violent attacks of the security service and the company owner Theo Müller himself the head of the company was sentenced to pay 45,000 euros. According to a judgment of the Higher Regional Court ( OLG) Köln the Group's products may continue to be referred to as gene milk.

Representatives of the dairy industry keep the contrary, however, that the term gene milk is incorrect and inadmissible because it incorrectly gave the impression that milk itself is genetically modified. In fact, partly genetically modified plants would be used only in animal feed, which stay on the milk without any effect. Five scientists have explained that in a joint policy paper and confirmed. According to an Emnid survey in January 2005, 70 % of German consumers keep introduced by Greenpeace term gene milk for misleading. After a nearly four -year legal dispute over the use of the term gene milk the Federal Court rejected on 11 March 2008, the revision of Müllermilch. Greenpeace must therefore continue to refer to Müller dairy products as GM milk. A constitutional appeal against this decision was not accepted by the Federal Constitutional Court.

The Association for Environment and Nature Conservation Germany criticized in his paper Müller- milk milking taxpayers the company because it received subsidies for jobs at a new plant, but elsewhere plants have closed. In total, more jobs were lost than created. The EU funding and the State of Saxony amounted to around 70 million euros. The state of Saxony has awarded the grant on the basis of the applicable funding to Muller. It also creating jobs is checked. Therefore, the allegation has been ruled out to a display, or trial for subsidy fraud it never came.

Pressure on dairy farmers

In early 2008, allegations were raised, that the Müller Dairy under the leadership of Theo Müller by pressing hundreds in the milk producer group (MEG ) organized farmers tried to influence price negotiations on the price of milk. In the negotiations to extend the contract had been shown that the MEG sat on a shortening of the duration of contracts between the dairy and the suppliers. The dairy had until then all farmers agreed in the expired contract price of milk continues to be paid, which was around 11 cents per liter higher than the prices on the open market. Organized in the MEG dairy farmers were contacted by the company Müller and asked to withdraw from the MEG; a pre- discharge letter was already attached to the letter. In the case of remaining in the MEG farmers in the spot market price had been paid. After some massive protests organized in the MEG dairy farmers against this approach at the site in Aretsried sat Müller voluntary continuation of the milk purchase agreement with some dairy farmers from.

From the ranks of dairy farmers there were then criticism of the actions of the MEG.

Misleading brand name

With the acquisition of formerly state-owned Weihenstephan dairy in 2000, the company Theo Müller Group acquired the brand and name rights by the State of Bavaria. Accordingly, until about 2008 was used both on the labels and on the website the name State Weihenstephan dairy. In addition, the large Bavarian arms was pictured on the packaging promotionally effective, its use is limited by individuals and commercial purposes by law. Critics complained that was so aroused among consumers the misleading impression that it was not a question to a private company, but still a state-owned company in Weihenstephan. The criticism was aimed at the end against the state as Seller: On August 23, 2011 called for the rural affairs in the Bavarian SPD parliamentary group, Maria Noichl that the company Müller Dairy is to prohibit the use of the Bavarian coat of arms. It was a mistake already on sale of dairy, to allow the continued use of name and arms.

False allegations of NPD Nearby Theo Müller

For some years now circulating an anonymously authored false report about alleged donations from the company heads to the far-right NPD. This accusation, which mainly takes place by e -mail, but also on Internet forums dissemination in different variations, has been denied repeatedly by the press office of Müller Milch, among others, with reference to Theo Müller's membership in the CSU and the commitment of the company in Israel. Several sources maintain the allegations now refuted.

The origin of the rumor is true an action of the Munich magazine from Vienna in 1989. To test German entrepreneurs on right-wing tendencies, the editors invented the " Friends of German Republicans " and asked in more than 200 letters to campaign contributions. Most addressee refused an appointment got the alleged circle of friends but with Theo Müller. After presentation of Viennese editor Michael -A. Konitz made ​​Müller talking to him statements such as: ". Whoever does not perform, he should also get no money " Miller denied the printed quotes. According Konitz Müller 've put two conditions on election donations: He would endure no Nazis, and the Republicans would be willing coalition. The Viennese report has rejected as " absolute nonsense " Müller. He had " never had any intention to donate something which " but was " as a CSU member " was just curious, " what they want ".

Construction of a substitute fuel cogeneration plant at the site Leppersdorf

Between 2006 and 2009, there were discussions between the company and residents Lepper village and surrounding villages because of the now discarded plan for the construction of a substitute fuel power plant for energy production for their own location. On December 10, 2006, a referendum on the amendment of the development plan in the industrial area Leppersdorf was carried out for this purpose. The citizens of the community Wachau to the Leppersdorf heard, voted 65.5 % against the change. Proponents pointed to the high environmental standards in Germany and securing the location and the associated jobs. Critics warned, however, against a heightened emissions of toxic substances from the burning of waste. Furthermore, an increased noise pollution fears In April 2009, stopped Müllermilch the power plant planning and thus made ​​the petition for a purpose.

In June 2012, the Saxon State Directorate gave permission for the construction of a gas and steam cogeneration plant at the premises of the Saxons milk. The level of investment amounts to around 50 million euros. Construction began in summer 2012, with completion in 2014, is expected during the first half of the year.