FDBusiness.com

Swiss dairy group has taken full control of Gläserne Molkerei, a leading organic milk processor in Northeast Germany. Emmi purchased a stake in Gläserne Molkerei back in 2012. Following the trend towards natural, sustainably produced dairy products, Emmi has acquired the remaining shares in the company for an undisclosed price.

Emmi is the largest producer of organic dairy products in Switzerland and is carrying forward its involvement in this segment abroad. Examples include the lactose-free organic dairy products from US firm Redwood Hill Farm & Creamery, the organic and Demeter-certified desserts of Italy-based Rachelli and – its biggest undertaking – Gläserne Molkerei’s full product range.

Emmi began collaborating with Gläserne Molkerei in 2012 after acquiring a minority stake in the company. It built on this in 2014 when it increased its holding from 24% to 76%, before taking over the company fully on 20. January 2016.

Urs Riedener, chief executive of Emmi, comments: “Natural, sustainably manufactured products are a major trend in the dairy business, which Emmi wants to take even better account of in the future. In Gläserne Molkerei we have a very strong niche company that offers lots of potential for the future.”

With a workforce of around 100 staff and two sites in Münchehofe (Brandenburg) and Dechow (Mecklenburg-West Pomerania), Gläserne Molkerei generates sales of just under Eur100 million. The approximately 120 million litres of milk it processes come largely from Northeast Germany, in particular Mecklenburg-West Pomerania, Brandenburg, Schleswig-Holstein, Saxony and neighbouring Denmark.

Gläserne Molkerei’s range includes milk, butter, milk powder, cream, yogurt, quark and cheese. The Münchehofe site focuses primarily on naturally matured organic cheese and organic milk, while organic milk, butter, cream and yogurt are produced in Dechow.