Probat
PROBAT SE is a family-owned German industrial OEM (founded 1868) that designs and services capital equipment, complete production lines, control software, and sensors for coffee, cocoa, chocolate, nut, malt, and popcorn processing, serving industrial and specialty food manufacturers globally through 13 international locations.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1868
- HeadquartersEmmerich, Germany
- Headcount501–1,000
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingHardware or Manufacturing
What Probat does
PROBAT SE is a privately held, family-owned German industrial OEM headquartered in Emmerich am Rhein, founded in 1868 as Emmericher Maschinenfabrik und Eisengießerei. The company designs, manufactures, and services food-processing machinery and complete production lines, with a legacy core in industrial coffee roasting that has expanded following its 2024 acquisitions of AC Horn Manufacturing (US) and Royal Duyvis Wiener (Netherlands) into cocoa, chocolate, nuts, malt, popcorn, and other specialty foods. Its product architecture is modular: core processing machines (roasting, grinding, mixing, conching, conditioning, debacterizing, winnowing, alkalization, liquor treatment, pressing, popping) feed into complete ChocLine configurations, while a control-software layer and an extensive sensor suite (Quality Yield, Flavor Monitoring, Humidity, Particle Adjustment, Colour Control, Moisture, HotSpot, Smart Dosing, Degassing cockpits) and environmental technologies (Green Coffee Preheating/RKV, Proforte/FRTO, Proair, Dust Extraction, TVR/NVK) address process efficiency and sustainability.
The business operates a multi-channel revenue model combining hardware sales of capital equipment, recurring service through PROBAT Service GmbH (spun out as an independent group entity in 2021), control-software and sensor licensing, paid training programs (including SCA-certified courses at five technology centers and a US training site in Lincolnshire, priced from €225 to €2,190 per person), and a D2C/brand-shop channel for specialty accessories. Go-to-market is enterprise field sales for industrial customers complemented by a partner portal for channel resellers and active presence at industry events such as interpack 2026, where the new Cx70 drum roaster was premiered. The company is led by a fourth-generation family CEO (Wim Abbing) supported by a full C-suite (CFO Christian Thimm, CHRO Stefanie Kilchoer, CTO Tobias Lohmüller, CMO Jan Molitor, COO Rainer Rinke), and it serves industrial coffee processors, specialty coffee roasters, and a growing base of diversified food manufacturers across 13 international locations with over 1,200 employees.
Probat firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Probat
- Legal name
- PROBAT SE
- Website
- https://probat.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1868
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 501–1,000 employees
- Short description
- PROBAT SE is a family-owned German industrial OEM (founded 1868) that designs and services capital equipment, complete production lines, control software, and sensors for coffee, cocoa, chocolate, nut, malt, and popcorn processing, serving industrial and specialty food manufacturers globally through 13 international locations.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Where Probat is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Emmerich
- HQ country
- Germany
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices7 records
Markets served
Probat business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Hardware or Manufacturing
- Cost components
- Supply Chain, Personnel, Technology or R&D, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Equipment and Machinery Sales: Industrial-grade food processing equipment including roasters, grinders, mixers, conching machines, and complete production lines for coffee, cocoa, chocolate, nuts, malt, and specialty foods
- Software and Control Systems: PROBAT control solutions and software for machine operation, monitoring, and optimization
- Service and Maintenance: Comprehensive service offerings through PROBAT Service GmbH including maintenance, repair, and support
- Training and Education: Fee-based training programs at technology centers covering coffee roasting, food processing, and equipment operation; SCA certification programs
- Spare Parts and Accessories: Spare parts, auxiliary equipment, and specialty coffee accessories through PROBAT Brand Shop
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Other | Multi-year contract | From Green Coffee to Roasted Coffee - 7 hours |
| Other | Multi-year contract | Basic Knowledge of Green Coffee - 7 hours |
| Other | Multi-year contract | Intensive Course on Green Coffee - 14 hours |
| Other | Multi-year contract | Fundamentals of Sensory Evaluation - 7 hours |
| Other | Multi-year contract | Sensory Advanced - 14 hours |
| Other | Multi-year contract | Roasting Basics - 7 hours |
| Other | Multi-year contract | Roasting Advanced - 14 hours |
| Other | Multi-year contract | Intensive Roasting Course - 21 hours |
| Subscription | Multi-year contract | SCA Introduction to Coffee - 4 hours |
| Subscription | Multi-year contract | SCA Green Coffee Foundation - 7 hours |
| Subscription | Multi-year contract | SCA Green Coffee Intermediate - 14 hours |
| Subscription | Multi-year contract | SCA Roasting Professional - 21 hours |
Go-to-market motion3 records
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels7 records
Probat product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Probat manufactures and sells industrial-scale food processing machinery, with deep roots in coffee roasting equipment and an expanded portfolio covering chocolate, cocoa, nuts, malt, popcorn and specialty foods. The offering spans complete roasting plants, grinding and refining systems, production lines (ChocLine series), proprietary sensors and control software, environmental technologies, and aftermarket service. They back this with five technology centers globally for training, testing, and customer support.
Product overview
PROBAT is a comprehensive food processing technology company offering an integrated portfolio of machinery, production lines, sensor systems, environmental technologies, and specialty equipment for processing coffee, chocolate, cocoa, nuts, popcorn, and malt. The product architecture follows a modular approach: core processing machines (roasting, grinding, mixing, conching, pressing) and production lines (ChocLine series for chocolate manufacturing) form the primary equipment base, while specialized sensor systems (Quality Yield Cockpit, Flavor Monitoring Cockpit, Moisture Control, and other monitoring cockpits) provide process monitoring and quality control capabilities. Environmental technologies (Green Coffee Preheating RKV, Proair, Proforte) address sustainability and energy efficiency. Specialty Coffee products include the P Series and UG Series roasting machines for the specialty coffee market, supported by accessories and a configurator tool. Software/Control Systems enable machine and plant-level control. PROBAT positions itself as a comprehensive solutions provider spanning from individual machines to complete turnkey production lines, having expanded beyond its traditional coffee focus into broader food manufacturing sectors following acquisitions of AC Horn Manufacturing and Royal Duyvis Wiener in 2024.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Coffee Roasting Machines
Quantifiable outcome
- -28.8% CO₂ reduction from 2021 to 2024
Companies that use Probat
Customer profileSegments4 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Probat technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature7 records
Probat partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Twelve partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.
- atmosfairminorPROBAT compensates unavoidable CO₂ emissions from business travel through atmosfair. As a globally operating company, PROBAT requires travel for construction, commissioning, and maintenance of complex machines and plants. Atmosfair supports PROBAT in offsetting emissions since 2020.
- ClimatePartnercorePROBAT calculates its Corporate Carbon Footprint (CCF) with ClimatePartner. The detailed analysis performed since 2020 shows clear potential for further CO₂ reductions in energy and mobility areas. PROBAT systematically offsets emissions by supporting internationally recognized climate protection projects.
- Cup of ExcellencecoreCup of Excellence is a prestigious coffee award program that has improved the lives of thousands of farmers. PROBAT provides roasting technology for the program and supports efforts to improve living conditions for farmers in origin countries.
- German Roasters Guild (Deutsche Röstergilde)minorThe German Roasters Guild is the only advocacy group for specialty coffee roasters in German-speaking countries. PROBAT supports as a sponsor member, supporting the craft roasting sector and knowledge exchange among specialty coffee roasters.
- German Coffee Association (Deutscher Kaffeeverband)coreThe German Coffee Association unites the German coffee industry and advocates for positive framework conditions in the coffee economy. PROBAT serves on the steering committee and actively shapes the association's work.
- National Coffee Association (NCA)coreNCA represents the entire US coffee sector from harvest to cup since 1911. PROBAT and NCA collaborate to support the coffee industry by sharing knowledge with stakeholders.
- SOS-KinderdorfminorSOS-Kinderdorf e.V. is a charity helping children, youth, and families in distress. PROBAT supports educational projects and charitable initiatives in the Lower Rhine region.
- Specialty Coffee Association (SCA)coreSCA serves as the unifying force of the global specialty coffee industry. PROBAT supports SCA's efforts to create a community of like-minded coffee professionals through training and education programs.
- UC Davis Coffee CentercoreUC Davis Coffee Center strives to become the leading source of scientific expertise in coffee research. PROBAT actively supports this academic approach through various research projects on the world's second most traded commodity.
- Alliance for Cyber SecurityminorLaunched by Germany's Federal Office for Information Security, the alliance keeps members informed about emerging cyber risks. PROBAT continuously updates its protection measures against increasingly sophisticated attack methods.
- ZDS (Zentralfachschule der Deutschen Süßwarenwirtschaft)minorZDS trains food technology specialists and is considered the world's leading training institute for confectionery industry. PROBAT collaborates on training and research for the food processing sector.
- INC (International Nut and Dried Fruit Council)minorINC promotes sustainable growth of the global nut and dried fruit sector, supporting healthy eating and advancing health research. PROBAT supports the food processing industry's sustainability efforts.
Scale indicators7 records
Recent moves7 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Probat competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- GEA Group: GEA is a multi-billion-euro German engineering incumbent with a broad food processing and packaging equipment portfolio. While it does not specialize in coffee roasting like Probat, it competes in adjacent food and dairy processing, offering larger scale and broader solution breadth as an enterprise supplier.
Direct peers
- Petroncini: Petroncini is an Italian manufacturer of industrial coffee roasting plants and machinery, directly comparable to Probat in product range and customer base. It is a notable European direct competitor with strong installed base in espresso-producing regions.
- Toper: Toper is a Turkish manufacturer of coffee roasting equipment serving industrial and commercial customers globally. It is a direct competitor in mid-tier industrial roasters and offers a price-competitive alternative to Probat's industrial drum roaster line.
- Has Garanti: Has Garanti is a Turkish industrial coffee roaster manufacturer with a strong presence in emerging markets and price-sensitive segments. It competes directly with Probat at the mid-industrial tier, especially in Middle East, Africa, and CIS regions.
- Diedrich Manufacturing: Diedrich is a US-based coffee roasting equipment manufacturer serving specialty and mid-scale roasters, directly comparable to Probat's P Series and UG Series offerings. It is the leading American competitor in the specialty and small-industrial roaster segment.
- J.M. Lehmann: J.M. Lehmann is a German industrial coffee roasting equipment manufacturer with a long heritage, directly competing with Probat in drum and fluid-bed roasters for industrial customers. It is one of the closest direct competitors in the European coffee roasting equipment market.
- Bühler Group: Bühler is a Swiss-based global leader in food processing machinery (~$3B+ revenue, 12,000+ employees) serving grain, cocoa, chocolate, coffee, and nuts. It is the most direct competitor in Probat's newly acquired adjacent verticals (cocoa, chocolate, nuts, malt) and competes head-to-head for industrial plant orders.
Emerging players
- Behmor: Behmor is a US-based connected coffee equipment company focused on small-batch and home/small-shop roasting. While smaller and consumer-adjacent, it represents the digitally-native emerging competitor category that could pressure Probat's specialty and SMB equipment lines over time.
- Mill City Roasters: Mill City Roasters is a US-based manufacturer of small-to-mid scale specialty coffee roasting equipment. It competes with Probat's P Series in the North American specialty segment, focusing on craft roasters with direct customer relationships.
- Loring Smart Roast: Loring is a US-based manufacturer of energy-efficient, low-emission coffee roasters with proprietary technology focused on sustainability. It competes with Probat in the specialty and mid-industrial segment, particularly where environmental footprint is a procurement criterion.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat6 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Probat social profiles
Digital presenceProbat compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance7 records
Probat financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Probat leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles7 records
Probat subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries3 records
Probat funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Probat M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Probat
What does Probat do?
Probat manufactures and sells industrial-scale food processing machinery, with deep roots in coffee roasting equipment and an expanded portfolio covering chocolate, cocoa, nuts, malt, popcorn and specialty foods. The offering spans complete roasting plants, grinding and refining systems, production lines (ChocLine series), proprietary sensors and control software, environmental technologies, and aftermarket service. They back this with five technology centers globally for training, testing, and customer support.
Is Probat a public or private company?
Probat is a private company. It is classified as family owned and is currently operating.
When was Probat founded?
Probat was founded in 1868. It employs 501 to 1,000 people.
Where is Probat based?
Probat is headquartered in Emmerich, Germany, in the Europe region.
How does Probat make money?
Five revenue lines are on record. Equipment and Machinery Sales are the primary driver. The others are software and Control Systems, service and Maintenance, training and Education and spare Parts and Accessories.
Who are Probat's main competitors?
GEA Group is listed as a broad incumbent. Direct peers are Petroncini, Toper, Has Garanti, Diedrich Manufacturing, J.M. Lehmann and Bühler Group. Emerging players are Behmor, Mill City Roasters and Loring Smart Roast.
Does Probat have an API?
No public API is recorded for Probat.