zur Mühlen Group

What zur Mühlen Group does

zur Mühlen Group is one of Europe's largest processed meat and sausage manufacturers, producing approximately 2 billion consumer packages per year across 14 production facilities in Germany, Denmark, and Poland with a workforce of roughly 4,000. The company commands an estimated 22% share of the German self-service sausage market through a portfolio of more than 20 heritage brands — including Böklunder, Gutfried, Könecke, Marten, Lutz, Wikinger, and Redlefsen — many of which date back to the 19th or early 20th century. Operations are organized around category-specialized sites (e.g., Böklund for cooked sausages, Versmold for poultry and halal products, Dissen for fermented salami, Słubice for the Polish salami market), with centralized quality management at the Satrup Technology Centre enforcing 61 internal checkpoints, 50,000+ annual laboratory analyses, and certifications spanning IFS, BRCGS, ISO 14001, EU Organic, Halal, QS, and USDA.

The business model is predominantly B2B, supplying German supermarket and discounter chains through both self-service packaged products and fresh service-counter offerings, plus international export to more than 40 countries via the Zur Mühlen International (ZMI) subsidiary, which services enterprise accounts including Carrefour, Tesco, and Metro. Ancillary revenue streams include five factory-outlet stores selling directly to consumers at production sites, food-service and catering distribution (Wilx, Redlefsen gas-station snack products), and recently a plant-based product line (Vevia) plus a 2024 commercial partnership with alt-protein startup Nosh.bio to distribute koji-based protein chunks. The company is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Tönnies Group, one of Europe's largest meat conglomerates, operating as a German Kommanditgesellschaft with a Danish general partner.

Revenue is stated at approximately €1 billion, with 25% of production exported. Pricing is determined by retail partners rather than published, consistent with a co-manufacturer/private-label-plus-branded-supplier model. The strategic posture is that of a defensive market leader — maintaining scale and brand equity in a mature category while selectively extending into alt-protein, vegan, halal-certified, and food-service adjacencies.

Name

zur Mühlen Group

Legal name

zur Mühlen ApS & Co. KG

Website

https://zurmuehlengruppe.de

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1,001–5,000 employees

Short description

zur Mühlen Group is one of Europe's largest processed meat and sausage manufacturers, producing ~2 billion packages annually across 14 facilities in Germany, Denmark, and Poland under brands such as Böklunder, Gutfried, and Könecke, supplying German retailers and exporting to 40+ countries as a Tönnies Group subsidiary.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Processed Meat and Sausage Manufacturing

NAICS

Animal Slaughtering and Processing (3116), Food Manufacturing (311)

SIC

Sausages & Other Prepared Meat Products (2013)

akta.pro primary industry

Sausage Manufacturing (Fresh, Cooked, Fermented, Emulsified) (AFANAEAC)

akta.pro secondary industries

Deli Meats & Luncheon Meats (Sliced/Portioned Cold Cuts) (AFANAEAD), Hot Dogs, Frankfurters & Bologna (Emulsified/Comminuted Meats) (AFANAEAG), Finished Meat-Alternative Prepared Foods (Nuggets, Burgers, Sausages, Ready Meals) (AFANAKAO)

Keywords

• Processed meat
• Sausage manufacturing
• Charcuterie production
• Convenience food
• Plant-based proteins

Headquarters

HQ city

Boklund

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices12 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Supply Chain, Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Meat and Sausage Products (B2B/B2C): Traditional CPG food manufacturer producing and selling meat and sausage products through retail channels (self-service and service counters), factory outlets, and international export. Products include cooked sausages, cold cuts, fresh products, convenience articles, and fermented salami products.

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

zur Mühlen Group manufactures and sells processed meat and sausage products — including cooked sausages, cold cuts, fermented salami, cooked ham, BBQ items, halal-certified products, convenience foods, and vegan/plant-based alternatives — under a portfolio of more than 20 sub-brands. Products are supplied to German and international retail chains, food-service/catering operators, and consumers via factory outlets and exports to 40+ countries.

Product overview

Zur Mühlen Group is a leading European meat and sausage manufacturing company offering a diversified portfolio of products across multiple sub-brands. The company operates as a multi-brand platform producing approximately 2 billion consumer packages annually through 14 production facilities. Key brands include Böklunder (premium sausages since 1934), Gutfried (poultry sausages), Wikinger (hot dogs), Marten (traditional butchery since 1859), Lutz (Bavarian specialties), Könecke (self-service counter products), and Vevia (vegan alternatives). The portfolio spans categories including cooked sausages, fermented salami products, cooked ham, cold cuts, convenience articles, and plant-based proteins. Production is distributed across facilities in Germany, Denmark, and Poland, with a focus on customized manufacturing for retail and food service customers.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Böklunder: Premium quality sausage brand established in 1934, known for traditional German sausage specialities.
• Gutfried
• Zimbo
• hareico
• Marten
• Lutz
• Weimarer
• Wikinger
• Dölling
• Astro
• Redlefsen
• Schulte
• Könecke
• Jensen's
• Heine's
• Zerbster Original
• Plumrose
• Naumburger
• Wilx
• Vevia
• Schwarz Cranz

Products and services

• Böklunder Premium German sausage sub-brand established in 1934, known for reliable quality products with traditional taste; sold through German retail self-service and service counters and recognized as a Brand of the Century.
• Gutfried Poultry sausage sub-brand offering diverse flavors and poultry-based sausage products; multiple-time 'Top Marke' award winner in Germany's poultry scalded sausage category.
• Wikinger Hot dog sausage sub-brand with over 83 years of history, described as one of the fastest-growing brands in the UK market.
• Marten Traditional German sausage sub-brand with over 150 years of history, positioned around reliable craftsmanship and consistent quality.
• Lutz Bavarian butchery sub-brand founded in 1891, characterized by original recipes and exceptional quality in regional Bavarian sausage specialities.
• Könecke Polska Polish subsidiary brand specializing in high-quality salami products, market leader in the fermented meat segment in Poland; produced at the Słubice facility in the Kostrzyńsko-Słubicka Special Economic Zone.
• Könecke Broad-variety meat and sausage sub-brand serving as the group's competency brand for self-service counter products, including scalded sausages, raw sausages, and sausages in jars.
• Vevia Vegan sub-brand offering plant-based protein products as an alternative to meat, without flavor enhancers or seasoning, positioned for fresh taste.
• Zimbo Comprehensive German sausage and cold cuts sub-brand offering salami, Lyoner, ham products, snacks, and convenience items.
• hareico Northern German sausage specialties sub-brand representing decades of regional sausage traditions.
• Dölling Northern German fermented sausage specialties sub-brand established in 1907, following traditional recipes.
• Schulte German sausage sub-brand with over 100 years of history, positioned as a top brand for service counters, offering pre-packed sausage products, snacks, and aspic specialities.
• Redlefsen Traditional German butchery sub-brand since 1865, known for Bockwurst and BBQ sausages; particularly successful with convenience food offerings at gas stations.
• Lechtaler Bavarian sub-brand revived in 2018 at the Landsberg am Lech facility, known for Lechtaler Bergwurst — a hot-smoked and air-dried salami-style sausage of pork and beef.
• Plumrose Scandinavian export sub-brand registered in 1932, focused on sausages in tins or jars sold through self-service areas.
• Jensen's Danish fine foods sub-brand, former purveyor to the Royal Danish Household, offering premium sausage and specialty products for modern gourmets.
• Wilx Sub-brand dedicated to small-format products for communal catering and gastronomy channels, including vegetable spreads, liverwurst, and poultry spreads.
• Koji Chunks Fermented fungi-based koji protein product launched in partnership with Nosh.bio, available in five flavors across Germany, combining traditional meat production with alternative proteins.

Quantifiable outcome

• 22% market share in German self-service sausage market
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered flagship and core.

• Nosh.bioflagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 9 September 2024Zur Mühlen Group partnered with Berlin-based alt-protein startup Nosh.bio as its first commercial partner for koji-based protein products. ZMG also joined Nosh.bio's latest fundraising round alongside investors Apollo Capital, Earlybird Ventures, and Grey Silo Ventures. The partnership will launch fermented fungi-based Koji Chunks across Germany in five flavors, combining traditional meat with alternative proteins.
• CarrefourcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorInternational retail customer of zur Mühlen Group products; appreciates the excellent quality and individual service provided through export operations
• TescocoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorInternational retail customer importing German meat and sausage products from zur Mühlen Group
• MetrocoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorInternational wholesale customer for food service distribution; values quality and service of zur Mühlen Group products

Scale indicators11 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Tönnies Group: Parent company of zur Mühlen Group and one of the largest European meat processors with slaughtering and cutting operations; directly comparable in meat industry exposure, though Tönnies operates further upstream in the value chain.
• Danish Crown: Cooperative-owned European meat giant operating across pork and processed meats; directly comparable in sausage and processed-meat production, with comparable international export footprint including Asian markets.
• Tyson Foods: US-headquartered global protein giant with broad processed-meat portfolio; comparable as a large-scale sausage and prepared-meat manufacturer serving major retailers, though differing in scale, geography and vertical integration.

Direct peers

• Vion Food Group: Dutch-headquartered global meat processor with substantial pork and beef operations in Germany; competes directly with zur Mühlen in sausage, cooked meat and retail private-label supply across European markets.
• Westfleisch: German cooperative meat processor producing sausage, ham and convenience products for retail and food service; directly comparable in scale, customer base (German supermarkets and discounters) and product mix.
• Bell Food Group: Swiss-listed meat and convenience food manufacturer with operations across Switzerland, Germany and other European markets; comparable in sausage, charcuterie and convenience formats, and similarly exposed to private-label retail dynamics.
• PHW Group (Wiesenhof): German poultry and sausage group operating across fresh poultry, processed meats and convenience; overlapping with ZMG's poultry sausage segment (e.g., Gutfried) and broader processed-meat portfolio.
• Müller Fleisch: Mid-sized German meat processor supplying retail and food service with sausage and processed meats; comparable in product mix, German retail customer base and family-owned operating profile.

Regional players

• Zurich-based Micarna (Bell subsidiary): Swiss meat processor and Bell Food Group subsidiary producing sausage and convenience; comparable product portfolio, though primary market is Switzerland rather than Germany.

Emerging players

• Beyond Meat: US plant-based meat alternative company; comparable to ZMG's Vevia brand and Nosh.bio partnership as competing protein formats targeting the same German retail shelves, though vastly different in scale and technology.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/230660243646126

Compliance7 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 records

Subsidiaries2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments2 records

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about zur Mühlen Group