"We don't hesitate, we act."

Christoph Hartmann is the owner of Frucht Hartmann in Fulda and Frisch Frucht (German for fresh fruit) in Erfurt, and is a committed and enterprising entrepreneur. He takes care of local distribution and catering in Hessen and Thuringia, central Germany, but he always looks ahead. He constantly analyzes the world market and the challenges in the food industry. However, the idea of his company always stayed the same: "We stand for short and direct lines, within our own company and with our customers." 

“Fresh, fast, individual and absolutely reliable,” the keywords Managing Director and owner Christoph Hartmann uses to summarize the advantages of his company. In 1992, he took over the business from his parents and has been expanding it to a complete service, providing the company from two locations, Fulda and, 75 miles to the east, Erfurt. The delivery area extends from Frankfurt to Leipzig and the main customers are restaurants and a wide range of large caterers for institutions, hospitals and company cafeterias.

Although Christoph Hartmann has constantly been expanding his assortment, he also values local products and regional suppliers. “Our suppliers and farmers are the foundation of our company. We distribute everything that can be produced or grown locally. We always offered local produce from German regions such as Franconia, Frankfurt and, of course, the Thuringia apple region. And, depending on the availability of the product, we always give regional cultivation areas a high priority.” Christoph Hartmann’s team complements the range of regional products with imported produce, especially from Spain, Italy and the Netherlands.

When he leaves Germany for business, Christoph Hartmann closely observes what happens in foreign supermarkets. “The stores in the UK, the Netherlands and southern Europe, the customer convenience concept has developed ahead of us. However, this convenience trend also continues to develop in Germany. In this regard, our customers have a competitive edge.” And they have the same edge on organic products. “However, first the prices have to be agreed upon and they have to be realistic. But customers have to realize the total value of the product.”

Fast and reliable 

Despite all the challenges in the increasingly demanding food industry, Christoph Hartmann is certain that there will always be a demand for his services. “As a family business, with a longstanding history, we really stand for short and direct lines. Naturally for our customers, to supply them with fresh produce 24/7, but also internally, for instance with our employees." 

This is a stable foundation on which the company can continue to develop. “Our USPs are speed, reliability and naturally the fresh produce. Furthermore, we are able to fulfill the individual needs and wishes of our customers.” And therefore, Christoph Hartmann’s motto is: "We don't hesitate, we act."

Managing Director: Christoph Hartmann

Daimler-Benz-Str. 21 36039 Fulda

Phone: +49 6 61 94 81 – 0