Elsdorfer

What Elsdorfer does

Elsdorfer Molkerei und Feinkost GmbH is a German private-label dairy and delicatessen manufacturer headquartered in Elsdorf, Lower Saxony, operating since 1909 and wholly owned by the Bauer Gruppe since 2007. The company processes up to 550,000 litres of fresh milk per day (approximately 200 million litres annually) sourced from 140 regional farmers within a 90 km radius, collected via its own transport fleet and supported by an in-house veterinary function. Its production spans four core categories: fresh dairy (yoghurt, quark, cream cheese), delicatessen (dressings, sauces, dips, creams produced via cold methods), plant-based alternatives (soya, oat, almond, and coconut yoghurts and desserts under the 'Life is soyummy' brand), and cheese (sliced and soft varieties produced at the Bauer Wasserburg site). Sub-brands include 'MeinQ' for high-protein dairy products since 2015. Elsdorfer is a 100% B2B operator with no direct-to-consumer channel, manufacturing under retailers' own labels and providing contract filling (Lohnabfüllung) and co-packing for brand-name and industrial customers.

The business operates exclusively as a private-label and contract-manufacturing partner, offering full-service execution from concept and product development through filling, packaging, and logistics. Production is supported by three Bauer Gruppe sites, modern packaging capabilities (round/square cups, multipacks, buckets, stand-up pouches, tubular bags, PP bottles, Tetra-Packs), and a broad certification stack including IFS Food (higher level), ZNU-Standard Nachhaltiger Wirtschaften since 2018, ISO 50001, VLOG, Rainforest Alliance, and QM-Milch. Elsdorfer has compensated Scope 1 and 2 CO2 emissions via Climate Partner-certified projects since 2021 and exports to more than 30 European countries directly from the Elsdorf facility.

Revenue stands at €285 million as disclosed on the company's About Us page. Pricing is negotiated per customer and per project with no public disclosure. Customers are organised into three horizontal segments: retail chains (national and international private-label buyers), food-service operators (Großverbraucher including restaurants, canteens, hospitals, and system catering), and industrial/brand-name contract customers. Distribution is exclusively B2B through direct sales and key-account management, supplemented by a LinkedIn, Instagram, and Facebook presence, a dedicated sustainability microsite (elsdorfer-nachhaltigkeit.de), and participation in industry events such as the Berliner Milchforum.

Name

Elsdorfer

Legal name

Elsdorfer Molkerei und Feinkost GmbH

Website

https://elsdorfer.de

Company type

Private

Founded year

1909

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Elsdorfer Molkerei und Feinkost GmbH is a German private-label dairy and delicatessen manufacturer, wholly owned by Bauer Gruppe, producing fresh dairy, sauces, dressings, plant-based alternatives, and cheese for European retailers, food-service operators, and industrial customers.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Private Label Dairy and Delicatessen Manufacturing

NAICS

Dairy Product Manufacturing (3115), Food Manufacturing (311), Perishable Prepared Food Manufacturing (311991)

SIC

Dairy Products (2020), Food And Kindred Products (2000), Miscellaneous Food Preparations & Kindred Products (2090)

akta.pro primary industry

Yogurt & Cultured Dairy (Yogurt, Kefir, Sour Cream, Cottage Cheese) (CRADACAB)

akta.pro secondary industries

Plant-Based Frozen Desserts Processing (Non-Dairy Ice Cream, Gelato, Novelties) (AFAHAJAE), Refrigerated/Chilled Foods Wholesale (Deli, Prepared, Fresh Pasta, etc.) (AFAIAHAB)

Keywords

• Private label dairy
• Fresh dairy production
• Delicatessen manufacturing
• Plant-based dairy alternatives
• Contract filling services

Headquarters

HQ city

Elsdorf

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Private Label Manufacturing: Elsdorfer is a private label specialist (Handelsmarkenpartner) producing customer-specific retail brands across dairy, delicatessen, and plant-based categories. As part of the Bauer Gruppe, it manufactures store-brand products for national and international retailers, offering individualised solutions from a single source. The company provides full-service support from concept and product development through to packaging and logistics.
2. Contract Filling (Lohnabfüllung) and Co-Packing: For customers who cannot produce their own products, Elsdorfer offers contract filling services for brand-name and industrial customers, using state-of-the-art technology and process engineering. Individual quality standards are met and logistics competence is offered as an additional service.
3. Export to European Markets: Elsdorfer exports fresh dairy, delicatessen, and plant-based products to more than 30 European countries directly from the Elsdorf site, contributing to revenue from international markets.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Elsdorfer is a German private label dairy and delicatessen manufacturer that produces fresh dairy products (yoghurts, quark, cream cheese), delicatessen items (dressings, sauces, dips, creams), plant-based alternatives (soya, oat, almond, coconut), and cheese for retail chains, food service operators, and industrial customers. Operating as a 100% subsidiary of the Bauer Gruppe, the company delivers full-service solutions from concept development and product formulation through contract filling, packaging, and logistics, exporting to more than 30 European countries.

Product overview

Elsdorfer is a private label dairy and delicatessen manufacturer and food company offering a diverse portfolio of products across four main categories: fresh dairy products (yoghurt, quark, cream cheese), delicatessen items (dressings, sauces, dips, creams), plant-based alternatives (soya, oat, almond, coconut-based yoghurts and desserts), and cheese (sliced and soft varieties produced at the Wasserburg facility). The company operates as a specialist for private label concepts, producing customer-specific brands rather than consumer-facing own brands. Core product brands include MeinQ (High Protein dairy, since 2015) and Life is soyummy (plant-based alternatives, since 2018). Elsdorfer also offers contract filling services and comprehensive product development support for retail and industrial customers.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• MeinQ: High Protein dairy brand launched in 2015, offering quark, yoghurt and pudding products.
• Life is soyummy

Named customers3 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered flagship and core.

• Bauer GruppeflagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2007Bauer Gruppe acquired a significant stake in 2007 and Elsdorfer is now a 100% owned subsidiary within the expanding Bauer Gruppe. The group includes Privatmolkerei Bauer (Wasserburg), Märker Fine Food, Frikoni, and Immergut. Elsdorfer leverages the group's synergies, cross-site production capacity, and established export networks to over 30 European countries. The Bauer Gruppe provides overarching corporate principles, supplier codes of conduct, and a whistleblower system.
• Climate PartnercoreTechnology or IntegrationElsdorfer works with Climate Partner to calculate annual CO2 emissions at the Elsdorf site (Scope 1 and 2 per GHG Protocol), including gas, electricity, water consumption, business travel, employee commutes, and office material usage. Based on these calculations, Elsdorfer supports certified climate protection projects that offset equivalent greenhouse gas emissions, enabling the company to offer products with a verified climate contribution.
• QM-Milch (Quality Management Milk)coreOthersQM-Milch is a nationwide quality management system for milk that monitors and continuously develops standards for milk production, animal husbandry, and farm care. All Elsdorfer milk producers participate in QM-Milch, which conducts regular inspections. Elsdorfer also participates in the QM sustainability module for milk.
• TÜV RheinlandcoreOthersIndependent auditors from TÜV Rheinland conduct the annual multi-day ZNU-Standard Nachhaltiger Wirtschaften certification audit at Elsdorfer, covering environmental, economic, and social dimensions of sustainable management.
• Regional Farmers (140 Milk Suppliers within 90km)coreOthers140 milk farmers within a maximum 90km radius of Elsdorf supply fresh milk daily. Milk is collected directly from farms by Elsdorfer's own transport company. Farmers are supported by Elsdorfer's in-house veterinarian and receive free annual training on animal welfare and animal health. All farmers are part of the QM-Milch quality management system.

Scale indicators10 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• Arla Foods: Large European dairy cooperative producing yoghurt, quark, butter, cheese, and plant-based products. Major private-label supplier to European grocery — overlapping customer base and product categories with Elsdorfer.
• FrieslandCampina: Dutch dairy cooperative with a broad portfolio including yoghurt, quark, desserts, and dairy ingredients for retail and B2B. Direct private-label competitor across European markets Elsdorfer exports to.
• Müller (Unternehmensgruppe Theo Müller): Large German dairy group producing yoghurt, quark, dairy desserts, and plant-based products. Overlaps with Elsdorfer's dairy and delicatessen portfolio but operates at much greater scale and brand visibility across private label and branded.

Direct peers

• Meggle: Bavarian dairy company producing butter, cheese, quark, yoghurt, and whey products for retail and B2B customers. Comparable mid-sized German dairy manufacturer with private-label focus.
• Hochwald: German dairy cooperative manufacturing milk, cheese, and dairy ingredients for retail and food-service private-label customers. Comparable in B2B dairy focus and European export orientation.
• Privatmolkerei Bauer: Sibling company within the Bauer Gruppe and Elsdorfer's parent. Comparable German private dairy manufacturer producing fresh dairy, cheese and plant-based for private label and branded channels — directly comparable in product mix and B2B customer base.
• Märker Fine Food: Sibling entity within the Bauer Gruppe producing delicatessen products (sauces, dressings, salads). Direct internal peer and production-overlap partner for Elsdorfer's delicatessen segment.
• Ehrmann: German family-owned dairy manufacturer focused on yoghurt, quark, and desserts, with significant private-label business for European retailers. Direct competitor to Elsdorfer in quark, yoghurt, and cream-cheese private label.

Emerging players

• Alpro (Danone): European leader in plant-based yoghurt, quark alternatives, and desserts. Direct competitor to Elsdorfer's Life is soyummy plant-based line, though Alpro operates at significantly larger scale with a stronger consumer brand.

Regional players

• Dr. Oetker R&R Ice Cream: German private-label and branded frozen dessert manufacturer. Adjacent peer sharing Elsdorfer's contract-manufacturing and private-label model applied to frozen desserts rather than fresh dairy.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/ElsdorferFeinkostmolkerei/?locale=de_DE
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/heideblume-molkerei-elsdorf-rotenburg-ag
• Instagraminstagram.com/elsdorfer_molkerei

Compliance11 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles6 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 Elsdorfer