Formation of the company in Luechow
On 25 September 1952, 31 dairies from the Hanover-Braunschweig region form a company: Milchverwertung Osthannover eGmbH. Known as “Ostmilch" (East Milk), the company starts the operation of its sites in Uelzen and Luechow with the dispatch of drinking milk and the drying of milk. This contributes to liberating the domestic food market which at that time was characterized by a large amount of excess milk supply.
The early years
Despite the highly volatile environment, the young enterprise is prepared to take risks and invests in new technologies and products. It is a success - very soon Ostmilch is seeing rapid growth and is able to pay an above-average milk price. Two spraying towers are commissioned; new products are put on the market and the production of buttermilk starts.
1953 |
The instant skimmed milk product nu*Milk is put on the market. |
1956 |
At the Uelzen site, the first spraying tower starts operation. |
1959 |
The beginnings of bitter production. New products: AVIT (feedstuff), MOLAT (tonic for the nerves), NIRVANA (dietary food product), RIVANA (natural cheese). |
1960 |
The second spraying tower in Uelzen is inaugurated. The company Milchverwertung Osthannover has more than 100 employees. |
1961 |
The company grows: The number of members reaches 73 cooperative and private dairies and 19 supplying dairies. Re-naming as Milchwerke Osthannover eGmbH. |
Market orientation
The milk market becomes unsettled. The obligation to accept the excess milk and deviations in daily quantities are huge challenges for the Milchwerke Osthannover. The company tackles these challenges with new marketing and sales concepts. The product range and production capacities are extended.
1963 |
Debuts: participation in the ANUGA food fair, development of the first chocolate drink for vending machines in cooperation with the Van Houten company, first commercials. |
1963 – 1965 |
“Uelzena” is the brand that represents fresh and instant products; it is increasingly gaining significance for Ostmilch. An increase in sales of up to 66 percent every year. |
1966 |
Inauguration of the butter making plant. The first products intended for the final consumers are put on the market. The company opens new segments with 3M whipping cream, quark and yoghurt products as well as chocolate milk. |
1968 |
Drying plant V begins operation. Spraying capacity doubles. |
Uelzena milk refining
A changing of the guard in Uelzen: Dr. Gottfried Haubold becomes CEO in 1970, the successor to company founder Dr. Max Miethke. The product range is expanded to allow for balancing price fluctuations and the huge amounts of costly intervention goods. Uelzena as a brand is gaining significance which results in a change of company name. Berlin is a new sales market which enriches the business. 1978: Dr. Peter Adolph takes over the management of the company.
1971 |
Exquisit Premium Butter is launched on the market. |
1972 |
The company is re-named to Uelzena Milchwerke eGmbH. |
1972 |
Establishment of the first company-owned convenience food service 3M Sahne-Vertrieb GmbH in Berlin. 60 employees supply fresh and dried products as well as commodities, in particular cheese, to the Berlin market. |
1974 |
Buttermilk quark (a type of cream cheese) is launched and instant fruit beverages are the first non-dairy products. |
1975 |
Uelzena Milchwerke eGmbH is renamed to Uelzena Milchwerke eG. |
1977 |
For the first time, Uelzena reports a turnover of more than 200m Deutschmarks. |
1983 |
Inauguration of the first butter fat plant in Uelzen. |
1983 |
In a newly founded partnership (OHG), Uelzena together with the public utility company of Uelzen opts for more environmentally friendly energy and puts a motor-driven thermal power station with a cogeneration system into operation. |
Shortage in basic raw materials
With the introduction of the milk quota by the European Union and due to the continuously growing quantities of milk powder and butter available on the market, Uelzena experiences difficult years. The company loses 40 percent of its milk supply and the number of employees shrinks by 20 percent. Uelzena goes back to its core business, which is the drying of raw materials and the production of milk fats, and initiates a strategic restructuring. Uelzena positions itself as a service provider for the food producing industry.
1984 |
Introduction of the milk quota to limit the milk volume on the market by the European Union. |
1989 |
Lowest quantity of milk received. |
1989 |
With the opening of the border, the region in east Lower Saxony gains new ground for Uelzena. |
New opportunities
Instant beverages with coffee and cocoa gain more significance. With the opening of the border, the market for Uelzena also expands. A new production facility is built in Bismark (Altmark). The processing of milk fat within the scope of the butter and butterfat activities is expanded; the fresh product range is discontinued. This step towards today’s corporate strategy makes the company independent of the EU controlled milk market.
1990 |
Uelzena takes part in the Food Ingredients fair in Dusseldorf for the first time. |
1991 |
The cheese making plant Altmark-Käserei Uelzena GmbH is founded in Bismark in the new Federal State of Saxony-Anhalt. The plant is erected “in the open countryside” — the investment of 60m Deutschmarks is the highest investment so far in the history of the company. |
1995 |
Uelzena is one of the first dairy companies to obtain a certification according to DIN ISO 9001. |
1997 |
The newly built butter making plant as part of the Altmark-Käserei in Bismark starts operation. The investment at this site now totals more than €80m. |
1997 |
The Group of Companies acquires Hoche Butter GmbH. New additions to the product range are laminating butter and the branded product Butaris. Uelzena positions itself on the market as a specialist in milk fats. |
1999 |
Re-naming to Uelzena eG. New motto: “We refine with indulgence.” |
Orientation as a food specialist
The certification for special product fields such as organic, kosher and dietary products opens up new markets. The company now focuses on the implementation of individual customer requests. Uelzena changes to become a food technology expert and promotes itself successfully at international trade shows within Europe. The company continues to grow.
2003 |
Acquisition of H. Schoppe & Schultz GmbH & Co. KG, a company specializing in private label instant beverages for the trade, for vending companies, hotels, restaurants and cafes |
2003 |
Acquisition of Grub Café-Handelsgesellschaft mbH, a company specializing in instant beverages for vending, office service and catering applications. |
2005 |
Acquisition of TRILACTIS GmbH for expansion of the butter and butterfat business. |
2006 |
Acquisition of WS Warmsener Spezialitäten GmbH (formerly Wortmeyer & Söhne GmbH) for strengthening the market segments of the delicatessen industry and confectionery production. |
New investments, new growth
The Uelzena Group strengthens its competitiveness with numerous investments at the different sites. The food market for skimmed milk powder is still a strategically important segment for the company. In 2012, a large building project starts in Neumuenster together with three partners. In just two years, the largest and most advanced milk powder plant within Europe is erected. Expansion of the production capacities and the extension of the group have a positive effect on the economical development of the company.
2009 |
Uelzena expands its product range and launches a new butter product: Butaris creamy fine. |
2010 |
Inauguration of the spraying tower XI in Uelzen. |
2010 |
Plant II starts operation at the Warmsen site. |
2012 |
Launch of the brand nutrineo for the entire production of health-related customer products. |
2012 |
Ground-breaking for Germany's largest and Europe's latest milk powder plant (MTW) in Neumuenster; the largest construction project in the history of the company. |
2013 |
The milk powder plant MTW in Neumuenster starts with the processing of raw milk into cream and concentrated skimmed milk. |
2013 |
Launch of the mixed fat spread Buvita. |
2013 |
For the first time, the turnover of the Uelzena Group exceeds €500m. |
2014 |
An innovative, natural gas powered cogeneration plant at the Uelzen site produces heat, steam and electricity and contributes to a large reduction in CO2 emissions. |
2014 |
Inauguration of the spraying tower in the milk powder plant (MTW) in Neumuenster. |
2015 |
Inauguration of a cogeneration plant at the cheese making company Altmark-Käserei in Bismark. |
2016 |
For the first time, Uelzena receives more than 530m kg of milk for processing. |
2016 |
The Altmark cheese making company generates more than 80 percent of the electricity it consumes in its co-generation plant. The major proportion of the resulting heat is used on site. |
2017 |
Jörn Dwehus becomes CEO of the Uelzena Group and replaces Claus-Peter Witt as Chairman of the Management Board. |
2017 |
For the seventh time in the current decade, the payments to milk producers were above the national average: 36.54 ct/kg (Federal average: 36.19 ct/kg). |
2017 |
Start of the pilot project, “sustainability module milk”. |
Dairy on expansion course
The last third of the decade was characterized by very price-volatile sales markets. The instant beverages business, acquired in 2003, (new brand: Schoppe Instant Beverages) as well as the high quality “GMO-free” cheese production experienced positive development and both are important pillars next to the traditional ingredients business. Strategically, the cooperatively operating Uelzena Group is preparing for growing deliveries of milk raw materials. In order to ensure processing and sales, a comprehensive investment plan has been started. The basis: a syndicated loan to the amount of 120 million Euros.
2018 |
Millions invested in storage and production technologies: Construction of a modern high bay storage facility and retrofitting to new drying technology. Investments amounting to a total of 31 million Euros. |
2018 |
Launch: non-GMO cheese according to VLOG standard. |
2018 |
TRILACTIS GmbH is merged with Hoche Butter GmbH. |
2019 |
High bay storage operations with almost 13,000 pallet spaces are started. |
2019 |
Completion of modernization and expansion of the milk tower at the Uelzen site. |