Demeter-Felderzeugnisse Ltd from Alsbach in Hesse celebrated its 30th anniversary this year. We spoke with Managing Director Klaus-Dieter Brügesch on site about the current development of the organic company as well as its diverse range of products.
Klaus-Dieter Brügesch
"We are a marketing organization that markets products from some 150 farms, from members of a producer group and from non-members. These are mostly located in Germany, although we also cooperate with farms from Spain and the Netherlands. From raw materials to processed products, we offer a wide range of products from field vegetables to potatoes, cereals, frozen products and pet food, all of organic/Demeter quality. We supply organic retailers in particular, although our customers also include food service and out-of-home catering companies, as well as the processing industry," Brügesch says.
Annual volumes of 50,000 tons
The main brands under which the organic frozen products are sold are Natural Cool and bio inside. "The share of frozen goods sales hovers between 40-50 percent, while the fresh area is more in the low double digits," Brügesch said.
In total, Demeter-Felderzeugnisse marketed about 50,000 metric tons of organic goods last year, of which 6,000 to 7,000 metric tons were in the frozen sector and some 40,000 metric tons consisted of raw materials. Brügesch: "It was important for us as well to build up a broad portfolio of organic products, which is why we also offer ice cream, fish and convenience goods."
In the frozen food sector, storage costs have risen sharply due to the energy crisis, he said, and prices on the part of service providers are now adjusted quarterly. "There have been no huge drops in sales yet. The organic and natural food scene definitely has to deal with these very big challenges as well. Regarding logistics, there is a lack of drivers for the trucks, among other things."
Share of 20 - 25 percent of frozen goods shipped abroad
The goods are marketed both nationwide and to surrounding neighboring countries. "The foreign share of frozen goods is about 20 to 25 percent. Products that are grown in greenhouses are almost never found in the processing sector. Unless it's produce that couldn't be sold, which again is an exception. We have only been active on the fresh market for two years. The response has been good so far, but isolated voices have reported declining sales of goods in the fresh produce sector."
He said there was no one product where particularly high sales could be spotted. "Vegetables are our forte. But the costs can only be incorporated into the prices gradually, certainly as we also have to keep an eye on the development of storage costs. We're competing with produce from low-wage countries, some of which can sell their products well below domestic production costs." Last year, he said, there was a larger increase in sales, though there were no significant drops in the past either. "Nevertheless, the current situation cannot be compared to any other I have experienced so far."
Unique association worldwide
"Demeter is a trademark and is owned by the association. It is unique in the world for an association to coordinate the tasks of its members while also being able to present a common trademark. And, as with other organic associations, the aim is to integrate those involved in the overall process as much as possible, i.e.: producers, processors through to traders and, as much as possible, the voices of our consumers." Products bearing the trademarks or association logos must be approved by the respective associations before they can be marketed. "In addition to Demeter, this includes Bioland, among others. Which brands are ultimately found within food retailing must be authorized by the associations beforehand, or our customers decide."
Part of the Demeter-Felderzeugnisse team at Biofach 2022.
About the history of Demeter-Felderzeugnisse
Demeter-Felderzeugnisse has been around for 30 years. Founded as a one-man operation in 1992, the company originally offered only raw materials for industrial processing, and then, starting in 1994, a small organic frozen food assortment arose. "Then, during the mad cow disease-crisis, the demand for organic agricultural products just exploded. Before that, we had an annual growth rate of just 0.5 percent," Brügesch recalls. "Cohesion left a lot to be desired in the wake of this event, because the farmers were able to market some of their goods quite well themselves, due to the strong demand. As a result, we entered the refining business step by step, creating our own brands, which we also registered. Now, we have around 70 employees and we can certainly generate a good turnover."
For more information:
Klaus-Dieter Brügesch
Demeter-Felderzeugnisse GmbH
Neue Bergstraße 13
D-64665 Alsbach
Tel.: +49(0)6257-9340-0
Fax: +49(0)6257-9340-19/-49
E-Mail: demeter@felderzeugnisse.de
www.felderzeugnisse.de