Sprehe

What Sprehe does

Sprehe Gruppe is a German family-owned manufacturer and distributor of fresh and frozen poultry, meat, sausage, and delicatessen products, headquartered in Cappeln, Lower Saxony, and operating under the holding company Union-Besitz Holding GmbH & Co. KG. Founded in 1987, the group has expanded almost entirely through the acquisition of regional German meat and poultry businesses — beginning with the 1989 purchase of a production site in Cappeln and continuing through deals for Gräfendorfer (1991), Paul Daut (1997), Fine Food (2004), Wernke (2005), Astenhof (2006), Tils (2007), the Nestlé Herta plants (2012), Bernard Matthews Oldenburg (2016), and most recently Conow Betriebs (2026). It is described in company materials as one of Europe's largest full-range suppliers of fresh and frozen meat products, with 14 wholly owned production sites across Germany; the Astenhof facility in Hainspitz alone employs around 400 people and produces up to 150 tons of poultry and deli products per day. All production occurs in company-owned facilities in Germany, enabling direct control over slaughtering, processing, freezing, packaging, and in-house food-laboratory quality assurance, and is supported by QS, IFS, and "Gut vom Lande" certifications.

The group's commercial portfolio spans fresh and frozen poultry, pork, beef, sausages, deli meats, frozen ready-meals, and canned goods, marketed through eight proprietary brands that retain their regional identities — Astenhof (fresh poultry/delicatessen), Bernard Matthews Oldenburg (low-fat poultry and convenience), DAUT (Westphalian meats), Dörffler (sausage and delicatessen since 1902), Gräfendorfer (Saxon poultry tradition), Sprehe feinkost (frozen specialty), Sprehe frisch (turkey), and Wernke (pork) — supplemented by an in-house organic chicken line launched in 2022–2023 and a private-label/contract manufacturing service ("Your Brand") that lets customers source German-made products under their own labels.

Sprehe sells primarily B2B into three target segments — Food Service/gastronomy, German food retail, and the food industry — alongside direct factory outlet sales at production sites and export distribution to markets where the "Made in Germany" provenance carries pricing premium. Pricing is quote-based and undisclosed; contracts with major accounts are multi-year. The company has historically financed growth through retained earnings and acquisition rather than disclosed external funding, with no mention of PE, VC, or public-market activity in the source data.

Name

Sprehe

Legal name

Sprehe Geflügel- und Tiefkühlfeinkost Handels GmbH & Co. KG

Website

https://sprehe.de

Company type

Private

Founded year

1987

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

Sprehe Gruppe is a German family-owned manufacturer of fresh and frozen poultry, meat, sausage, and delicatessen products. Operating 14 production sites under 8 brands, it serves B2B Food Service, Retail, and Industry customers in Germany and export markets, also offering private-label manufacturing.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Processed Meat and Poultry Products

NAICS

Poultry and Poultry Product Merchant Wholesalers (424440), Food Manufacturing (311), All Other Food Manufacturing (31199), Other Food Manufacturing (3119)

SIC

Sausages & Other Prepared Meat Products (2013), Canned, Frozen & Preservd Fruit, Veg & Food Specialties (2030), Food And Kindred Products (2000), Wholesale-Groceries, General Line (5141)

akta.pro primary industry

Refrigerated Meat & Charcuterie Wholesale (AFAIAHAI)

akta.pro secondary industries

Canned Meat, Poultry & Seafood Manufacturing (AFAKACAD), Cold Prepared Foods & Meal Components (Sides, Proteins, Family Meals) (CRAHAKAC), Specialty & Functional Packaged Foods (Gluten-Free, Keto, Organic, Medical/Allergen-Friendly) (CRADAAAI), Fermented & Air-Dried Charcuterie (Salami, Pepperoni, Prosciutto-Style) (AFANAEAE)

Keywords

• Poultry processing
• Meat products
• Frozen foods
• Private label manufacturing
• Food service supply

Headquarters

HQ city

Cloppenburg

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices15 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Brand Product Sales: Sale of branded products under 8 company brands (Astenhof, Bernard Matthews Oldenburg, DAUT, Dörffler, Gräfendorfer, Sprehe feinkost, Sprehe frisch, Wernke) including fresh and frozen poultry, meat, and sausage products
2. Private Label Manufacturing: Contract manufacturing of meat and poultry products under customer brands ('Ihrem Label' - 'Your Brand' program)
3. Food Service Distribution: Supply to food service and gastronomy sector with fresh and frozen meat products

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

Sprehe manufactures and distributes fresh and frozen poultry, meat, sausage, and delicatessen products, plus canned goods, under eight consumer brands (Astenhof, Bernard Matthews Oldenburg, DAUT, Dörffler, Gräfendorfer, Sprehe feinkost, Sprehe frisch, Wernke) from 14 production sites in Germany. The company also offers private-label/contract manufacturing under its 'Your Brand' program, producing under customer brands in its own slaughterhouses, processing, and packaging facilities. Customers are served across Food Service, Retail, and Industry channels, with additional export distribution leveraging 'Made in Germany' positioning.

Product overview

Sprehe Gruppe is a multi-brand food company operating as one of Europe's largest full-range providers of fresh and frozen meat products. The company bundles eight distinct brands under its umbrella at its headquarters in Cappeln, Lower Saxony, with production across 14 locations in Germany. The product portfolio includes: (1) fresh and frozen poultry products (Gräfendorfer, Bernard Matthews Oldenburg, Astenhof, Sprehe frisch), (2) meat and sausage products (Wernke, DAUT, Dörffler), (3) frozen delicatessen (Sprehe feinkost), (4) canned goods (Conow, Dörffler), and (5) organic chicken alternatives (Bio-Hähnchenfleisch). The company also offers private label/contract manufacturing services through 'Your brand'. All products carry the 'Made in Germany' quality promise with QS and IFS certifications, and the company is certified under the 'Gut vom Lande' animal welfare initiative.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Gräfendorfer: Traditionsreiches Unternehmen für zertifizierte Geflügelprodukte aus Sachsen - Gräfendorfer Geflügel- und Tiefkühlfeinkost Produktions GmbH
• Wernke
• Sprehe feinkost
• Bernard Matthews Oldenburg
• Daut Fleischwaren
• Dörffler
• Sprehe frisch
• Astenhof

Products and services

• Gräfendorfer Traditional Saxon brand of certified poultry products and frozen delicatessen from Gräfendorfer Geflügel- und Tiefkühlfeinkost Produktions GmbH, positioned as a quality leader in the region.
• Wernke South Oldenburg traditional pig slaughterhouse brand specializing in premium pork products with decades of quality heritage from Josef Wernke GmbH.
• Sprehe feinkost Frozen delicatessen concept offering selected meats with finely tuned ingredients in trendy recipes, targeted at discerning consumers seeking specialty frozen items.
• Bernard Matthews Oldenburg Poultry products brand focused on consistently low-fat yet flavorful offerings including fresh products, convenience products, and sliced meats, produced at the Oldenburg facility.
• DAUT Fleischwaren
• Dörffler Sausage and delicatessen brand founded in 1902 by Oscar Dörffler, with all raw materials 100% sourced from Germany under strict quality control from animal husbandry to packaging.
• Sprehe frisch Turkey meat specialist brand guaranteeing highest quality and freshness through contract breeder farms and the company's own controlled slaughterhouses, positioned for health-conscious fine cuisine.
• Astenhof Fresh poultry and delicatessen specialist with QS and IFS certification, known for excellence and product variety, serving the food industry at the Hainspitz and Pulheim production sites.
• Your Brand (Private Label Manufacturing) Contract manufacturing service allowing customers to produce meat, poultry, sausage, and delicatessen products under their own brand label ('Ihrem Label'), leveraging Sprehe's full German production capabilities.
• Conow Processing facility specializing in canned products, integrated into the Sprehe group via the 2026 acquisition.
• Bio-Hähnchenfleisch (Organic Chicken Meat) Organic chicken meat from certified farms meeting high animal welfare standards, with outdoor access and daily runs, fed with regional organic feed free from genetic engineering.

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature2 records

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves9 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• PHW Group (Wiesenhof): Germany's largest poultry processor, operating Wiesenhof and other brands with integrated slaughter and processing. Direct competitor to Sprehe in the German fresh and frozen poultry market with overlapping retail and food service channels.
• Plukon Food Group: One of Europe's largest poultry processors headquartered in the Netherlands, supplying fresh and frozen poultry to retail and food service across multiple countries. Direct competitor with comparable multi-country footprint and private-label capabilities.
• Tönnies Group: Germany's largest pork and meat processor headquartered in Rheda-Wiedenbrück (notably the same city as Sprehe's Daut facility). Direct competitor in German meat processing with comparable scale and B2B food service focus.
• 2 Sisters Food Group: UK-headquartered food manufacturer producing poultry, frozen, and convenience products for major retailers. Comparable private-label-heavy business model serving European retail chains.

Broad incumbents

• Danish Crown: Cooperative-owned European meat giant producing pork and processed meat products across multiple brands and countries. Comparable scale and multi-brand portfolio in processed and fresh meat categories.
• Vion Food Group: Dutch-based international meat producer with pork and beef operations across Europe. Overlaps with Sprehe's meat and sausage product categories, particularly in food service and retail channels.
• Bell Food Group: Swiss meat and convenience food producer with multiple brands across Europe. Comparable integrated operations in processed meats, charcuterie, and convenience categories with private-label capabilities.
• Moy Park (Pilgrim's Pride): UK and Ireland's largest poultry producer, owned by Pilgrim's Pride. Comparable integrated poultry operations serving retail and food service with similar private-label and branded product mix across Europe.
• Tyson Foods: US-based global meat and poultry giant with European operations. Broader competitor at the international level, particularly for food service poultry contracts and private-label manufacturing.

Others

• Nestlé (Herta): Former parent of the Herta meat processing operations sold to Sprehe in 2012. Remains an indirect comparable as a global food major with branded processed meat operations across Europe.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

Compliance3 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Subsidiaries15 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 Sprehe