Buss

What Buss does

Buss Fertiggerichte GmbH is a German ready meal manufacturer headquartered in Ottersberg, Lower Saxony, producing both private label products for German supermarket chains and its own Buss-branded range. Founded in 1938 by Diedrich Buß in Bremen as a small meat processing and canning operation, the company relocated to Ottersberg in 1963 and has been a wholly-owned subsidiary of the heristo aktiengesellschaft group since 1975. The company operates from a single modern facility employing more than 450 people and producing over 1.4 million portions daily across canned, tray, and chilled formats.

The product portfolio spans seven distinct lines — German, Italian, Asian, classic, rustic, gourmet soups, and leisure meals — covering both ambient and chilled ready meals. Manufacturing is supported by an in-house laboratory and a modern development center for product innovation and quality control. Buss is positioned by the company itself as the last major canned food manufacturer for Private Labels in Germany and a leading national manufacturer of culinary convenience products, with production occurring exclusively in Germany. The company holds IFS Food (97%+ target), ISO 50001, DE-ÖKO-001 (organic), FSC and PEFC packaging, and Science Based Targets Initiative certifications, and has been palm oil-free since 2018.

Commercially, Buss operates a B2B private label manufacturing model as its primary revenue stream, supplying German supermarket chains, complemented by branded product sales through retail, a factory outlet at Ottersberg, and an Amazon online storefront. Distribution is concentrated in Germany, with the company claiming a worldwide reach. The company has been recognized multiple times by the DLG (Deutsche Landwirtschafts-Gesellschaft) with its Prize for Long-Standing Product Quality. Pricing is not publicly disclosed and is governed by commercial agreements with retailer partners.

Name

Buss

Legal name

Buss Fertiggerichte GmbH

Website

https://buss.de

Company type

Private

Founded year

1938

Operating status

Operating

Short description

Buss Fertiggerichte GmbH is a German ready meal manufacturer producing private label and branded canned, tray, and chilled meals from its Ottersberg facility, supplying German supermarket chains as its primary customer base within the heristo food group.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Ready Meal Manufacturing

NAICS

Perishable Prepared Food Manufacturing (311991), Food Manufacturing (311)

SIC

Canned, Frozen & Preservd Fruit, Veg & Food Specialties (2030), Miscellaneous Food Preparations & Kindred Products (2090)

akta.pro primary industry

Chilled/ready-to-heat prepared meals manufacturing (AFAKAHAB)

akta.pro secondary industry

Frozen prepared meals & entrées manufacturing (AFAKAHAA)

Keywords

• Ready meal manufacturing
• Private label food
• Canned food production
• Convenience food products
• Chilled ready meals

Headquarters

HQ city

Ottersberg

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Private Label Manufacturing: Manufacturing ready meals under retailer's own brands (Private Label/Handelsmarken) for supermarket chains across Germany.
2. Buss Branded Products: Production and sale of Buss-branded ready meal products through retail and direct channels.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

Buss Fertiggerichte GmbH manufactures ready meals in cans, trays, and chilled formats at its Ottersberg, Germany facility. The company produces both private label ready meals for German supermarket chains and Buss-branded products across seven product lines spanning German classics, Italian, Asian, rustic dishes, gourmet soups, and leisure meals, with daily production exceeding 1.4 million portions.

Product overview

Buss Fertiggerichte GmbH is a leading manufacturer of ready meals in Germany, offering both chilled and shelf-stable product lines. The company operates as the last major canned food manufacturer for private labels in Germany and is a leading national manufacturer of culinary convenience products. The product portfolio encompasses seven distinct product lines: Deutsche Gerichte (German Dishes), Italienische Gerichte (Italian Dishes), Asiatische Gerichte (Asian Dishes), Klassiker (Classics including stews and soups), Rustikale Gerichte (Rustic Dishes), Feinkostsuppen (Gourmet Soups), and Freizeitmacher (Leisure Meals). Products are produced as both private label/retail brands and the Buss brand, with production occurring exclusively in Germany at their Ottersberg facility.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Deutsche Gerichte (German Dishes) Classic German dishes offering authentic taste with high-quality ingredients and carefully developed recipes, providing quick and nutritious ready meals for consumers and retail private label customers.
• Italienische Gerichte (Italian Dishes) Mediterranean Italian classics prepared with quality ingredients and traditional methods, bringing Italian cuisine to consumers through authentic ready meal recipes.
• Asiatische Gerichte (Asian Dishes) Exotic and aromatic Asian-inspired creations featuring fragrant spices, crisp vegetables, and authentic ingredients, offered as ready meals for consumers and private label customers.
• Klassiker (Classics) Traditional stews and soups including lentil stew, potato soup, and goulash with proven recipes and quality ingredients, offered as shelf-stable and possibly chilled ready meals.
• Rustikale Gerichte (Rustic Dishes) Hearty meat dishes and traditional home-style cooking with intense flavors and high-quality ingredients, prepared as ready meals for consumers.
• Feinkostsuppen (Gourmet Soups) Premium soups distinguished by refined preparation and selection of exquisite ingredients, suitable as light meals, elegant appetizers, or special treats for consumers.
• Freizeitmacher (Leisure Meals) Practical and delicious meals ideal for on-the-go or quick snacks, offering uncomplicated nutrition for leisure time consumption.
• Chilled Ready Meals (Gekühlte Fertiggerichte) Refrigerated ready meals that are fresh in quality and distinguishable from fresh products, produced at the Ottersberg facility as part of the diverse product portfolio.
• Shelf-Stable Ready Meals (Ungekühlte Fertiggerichte) Canned and ambient ready meals that do not require refrigeration, providing long shelf life while maintaining quality. As the last major canned food manufacturer for private labels in Germany, Buss has extensive production experience in this category.
• Private Label Manufacturing Services Contract manufacturing of ready meals (soups, stews, complete meals, chilled and ambient formats) under retailer's own private label brands for German supermarket chains and retail brands.

Quantifiable outcome

• 97%+ IFS certification level maintained across facilities
• +1 more outcomes

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• heristo aktiengesellschaftcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerParent company of Buss Fertiggerichte GmbH. Heristo is a major European food manufacturing group. Buss became a fully owned subsidiary in 1975. Part of a group that includes Saturn Petcare, Stockmeyer, Ferdi Fuchs, Animonda, and other food brands.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves10 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Frosta: German frozen ready meal manufacturer offering traditional, Italian, and Asian dishes for German retailers. Closest frozen-format competitor to Buss's chilled line, with overlapping SKUs in German, Italian, and Asian cuisines targeting the same consumer occasions.
• Rügenwalder Mühle: German prepared meats and convenience foods producer serving retail private label and branded channels. Comparable in B2B private label manufacturing for German supermarket chains with a portfolio of ready-to-eat and ready-to-heat meals.
• Homann Feinkost: German prepared foods manufacturer (salads, ready meals, sauces) serving German retail private label and branded channels. Directly comparable product portfolio and customer overlap with Buss in the German co-manufacturing convenience segment.
• Reinert: German prepared meat products and ready meal manufacturer, including canned and ambient formats. Direct peer to Buss in canned convenience food manufacturing for German retail private label customers.
• Stockmeyer: Sister company within the heristo group producing prepared meats, soups, and convenience products under private label for German retailers. Most direct operational peer given shared ownership, customer base (German supermarket chains), and private label manufacturing model.
• Bofrost: German direct-to-consumer frozen meal delivery company selling ready meals, soups, and convenience foods. Comparable product offering (ready meals, soups) though with a distinct direct-to-home distribution model rather than retail.

Broad incumbents

• Iglo GmbH: German frozen food brand offering fish, vegetables, and ready meals across European markets. Comparable in ready meal category with broader frozen portfolio and larger scale than Buss.
• Dr. Oetker: Major German food conglomerate with frozen pizza, desserts, and convenience ranges competing across multiple categories. Larger incumbent with overlapping ready meal and convenience offerings to German consumers and retailers.
• Nestlé Deutschland: Global food giant operating Maggi, Thomy, and other prepared meal brands in Germany. Overlaps with Buss in soups, sauces, and ready meals, but operates at much greater scale across broader categories.

Regional players

• Bonduelle Deutschland: French-headquartered canned and frozen vegetable/ready meal producer serving German retail. Comparable in canned/ambient food manufacturing for European retailers, though with a stronger vegetable-anchored portfolio.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/buss-fertiggerichte-gmbh

Compliance7 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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

M&A

Investments

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

Frequently asked questions about Buss