MEG
MEG is the beverage manufacturing and PET recycling network of Schwarz Produktion (Schwarz Gruppe), producing non-alcoholic drinks — mineral water, sodas, energy drinks, and water+fruit beverages — as a private-label supplier to its sister retailers Lidl and Kaufland across 30+ countries from facilities in Germany and the UK.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2008
- HeadquartersWeißenfels, Germany
- Headcount1,001–5,000
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingHardware or Manufacturing
What MEG does
MEG (MEG Weißenfels GmbH & Co. KG), operating under the trade name "MEG Gruppe," is the dedicated beverage manufacturing and PET recycling network of Schwarz Produktion, the production arm of the Schwarz Gruppe retail conglomerate. The company produces a portfolio of non-alcoholic beverages — natural mineral water, classic and diet sodas (Limonaden), energy drinks, water-plus-fruit beverages, and specialty drinks — with more than 50 product articles. Its primary customers are the Schwarz Gruppe retail banners Lidl and Kaufland, to which MEG supplies still and sparkling beverages delivered to stores across more than 30 countries.
The company operates four production sites: its headquarters and main facility in Weißenfels (Saxony-Anhalt, Germany), MEG Roßbach GmbH and MEG Jessen GmbH in Germany, and MEG Derby in the United Kingdom, which opened in 2023 as the network's first international plant. A core technical differentiator is MEG's closed-loop "Wertstoffkreislauf" PET recycling system for deposit-bearing single-use bottles in Germany, which processes more than 2.5 billion PET bottles annually and enables production of beverage bottles with approximately 99.9% recycled PET content (excluding caps and labels). Since 2008, the company has systematically reduced bottle weight and increased recycled content; the resulting infrastructure saves over 90,000 tons of virgin PET and more than 170,000 tons of CO2 per year.
MEG operates strictly as a B2B manufacturer, with no consumer-facing pricing and no disclosed public financial figures. Products are sold to the retail partners under private-label arrangements, with revenue flowing through intra-group channels. The company is wholly owned by Schwarz Produktion within the family-controlled Schwarz Gruppe, has no external institutional investors, and its growth is driven principally by the geographic and product expansion of its sister retailers Lidl and Kaufland, including the 2023 UK entry via MEG Derby.
MEG firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- MEG
- Legal name
- MEG Weißenfels GmbH & Co. KG
- Website
- https://meg-gruppe.de
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2008
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1,001–5,000 employees
- Short description
- MEG is the beverage manufacturing and PET recycling network of Schwarz Produktion (Schwarz Gruppe), producing non-alcoholic drinks — mineral water, sodas, energy drinks, and water+fruit beverages — as a private-label supplier to its sister retailers Lidl and Kaufland across 30+ countries from facilities in Germany and the UK.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
MEG industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Beverage Manufacturing
- NAICS
- Beverage Manufacturing (3121), Soft Drink Manufacturing (312111), Plastics Bottle Manufacturing (326160), Beverage and Tobacco Product Manufacturing (312)
- SIC
- Beverages (2080), Bottled & Canned Soft Drinks & Carbonated Waters (2086), Miscellaneous Plastics Products (3080)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Non-Carbonated Soft Drinks (Juice Drinks, Lemonades, Fruit Drinks) (CRADAHAB)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Beverage Packaging (Bottles, Cans, Cartons, Kegs) (IMALAHAD), Polyesters & PET Chain (PTA, MEG, PET) (IMAEADAG), Post-Consumer Plastic Collection & Sorting (MRF/PRF, Bale Supply) (EUAIAKAA)
Keywords
Where MEG is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Weißenfels
- HQ country
- Germany
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices4 records
Markets served
MEG business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Hardware or Manufacturing
- Cost components
- Supply Chain, Operations, Personnel, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D
Revenue model
- Beverage Manufacturing & Sales: MEG manufactures and sells a broad portfolio of non-alcoholic beverages (mineral water, sodas, energy drinks, water+fruit drinks) to retail partners Lidl and Kaufland. Products are distributed through retail store networks in over 30 countries.
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels2 records
Marketing channels4 records
MEG product offering
Product offeringCore offering
MEG manufactures a broad portfolio of non-alcoholic beverages — including mineral water, classic and diet sodas, energy drinks, and water-plus-fruit drinks — for retail partners Lidl and Kaufland, distributed in over 30 countries. In parallel, the company operates a closed-loop PET recycling system that processes more than 2.5 billion PET bottles annually, producing recycled PET (R-PET) and preforms used to manufacture bottles averaging 99.9% recycled content (excluding caps and labels).
Product overview
MEG (Getränke- und Recyclingnetzwerk der Schwarz Produktion) is a beverage manufacturing and PET recycling network. The company operates as a unified portfolio of non-alcoholic beverage products and sustainable packaging solutions. Core products include natural mineral water, classic and diet sodas (Limonaden), energy drinks, water-fruit beverages (Wasser + Frucht), and specialty drinks. The product line is complemented by recycled PET (Rezyklat) and preforms for bottle manufacturing, enabling MEG to control its entire value chain from recycling to filled beverage production. Since 2023, MEG Derby extends operations internationally to the UK.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Mineral Water (Mineralwasser) Natural mineral water products, one of the core beverage offerings in MEG's portfolio. Produced for retail sale under Lidl and Kaufland private labels.
- Lemonades and Sodas (Limonaden) Classic and diet carbonated soft drinks in various flavors, including calorie-reduced and sugar-free options. Produced for retail sale under Lidl and Kaufland private labels.
- Energy Drinks (Energydrinks) Energy beverages for performance and stimulation, produced for retail sale under Lidl and Kaufland private labels.
- Water + Fruit Beverages (Wasser + Frucht) Light water-based beverages with fruit flavors, produced for retail sale under Lidl and Kaufland private labels.
- Specialty Beverages (Besonderheiten) Specialty beverage products with unique formulations or limited edition varieties, broadening the portfolio within the MEG range.
- Recycled PET (Rezyklat / R-PET) Recycled PET material (R-PET) used in beverage packaging, containing approximately 99.9% recycled material. Produced as part of MEG's closed-loop PET recycling cycle (Wertstoffkreislauf).
- PET Preforms PET bottle preforms manufactured as intermediate packaging components used in beverage bottling operations.
Quantifiable outcome
- 2.5 billion PET bottles recycled annually
- +3 more outcomes
Companies that use MEG
Customer profileNamed customers2 records
Segments1 record
Ideal customer profiles1 record
MEG technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature3 records
MEG partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
One partnership is on record.
- Schwarz ProduktioncoreMEG is the beverage and recycling network of Schwarz Produktion, part of the Schwarz Gruppe. As an integrated production unit, MEG operates within the broader Schwarz production ecosystem that delivers food, sustainable packaging, and materials.
Scale indicators6 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
MEG competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- AG Barr: UK-based branded and contract soft drink manufacturer producing carbonated soft drinks and water. Comparable to MEG's mineral water and soft drink manufacturing capabilities for retail distribution.
- Hochwald: German dairy cooperative with a significant beverage manufacturing business producing private-label and branded drinks including mineral water. Comparable to MEG as a German private-label beverage manufacturer serving major retailers.
- Britvic: UK-based manufacturer of branded and private-label soft drinks, juices, and water. Comparable to MEG's UK beverage manufacturing footprint and broad non-alcoholic beverage portfolio.
- Refresco: Largest independent bottler of beverages in Europe, primarily producing private-label soft drinks and waters for major retailers. Highly comparable to MEG as a B2B beverage manufacturer serving retail chains with a focus on operational scale and sustainability.
- Gerolsteiner Brunnen: One of Germany's leading mineral water producers with a broad beverage portfolio including mineral water and flavored waters. Comparable to MEG in core German mineral water manufacturing and retail distribution.
Broad incumbents
- ALPLA: Global manufacturer of plastic packaging including PET preforms and bottles, with significant recycling operations. Comparable to MEG's PET preform manufacturing and R-PET recycling capabilities, serving overlapping beverage customers.
- Coca-Cola Europacific Partners: Largest Coca-Cola bottler globally, producing and distributing soft drinks and waters across Western Europe including Germany. Comparable in core beverage manufacturing and large-scale PET bottling operations, though it operates branded rather than private-label.
- Danone Waters: Bottled water division of Danone producing Evian, Volvic, and other mineral water brands globally. Comparable in mineral water manufacturing scale and European retail relationships, though primarily branded rather than private-label.
Others
- Sidel: Provider of PET packaging equipment, blowing, and filling solutions for the beverage industry. Adjacent peer to MEG given shared focus on PET bottle production technology and supply chain.
- PreZero: Environmental services and recycling arm of Schwarz Gruppe, operating waste management and PET recycling operations. Sister entity within the same corporate group and adjacent peer given shared focus on PET recycling and circular economy infrastructure.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
MEG social profiles
Digital presenceMEG financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
MEG leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
MEG subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries3 records
MEG funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
MEG 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 MEG
What does MEG do?
MEG manufactures a broad portfolio of non-alcoholic beverages — including mineral water, classic and diet sodas, energy drinks, and water-plus-fruit drinks — for retail partners Lidl and Kaufland, distributed in over 30 countries. In parallel, the company operates a closed-loop PET recycling system that processes more than 2.5 billion PET bottles annually, producing recycled PET (R-PET) and preforms used to manufacture bottles averaging 99.9% recycled content (excluding caps and labels).
Is MEG a public or private company?
MEG is a private company. It is classified as corporate owned and is currently operating.
When was MEG founded?
MEG was founded in 2008. It employs 1,001 to 5,000 people.
Where is MEG based?
MEG is headquartered in Weißenfels, Germany, in the Europe region.
How does MEG make money?
One revenue line is on record: beverage Manufacturing & Sales.
Who are MEG's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are AG Barr, Hochwald, Britvic, Refresco and Gerolsteiner Brunnen. Broad incumbents are ALPLA, Coca-Cola Europacific Partners and Danone Waters. Others are Sidel and PreZero.
Does MEG have an API?
No public API is recorded for MEG.
What industry is MEG in?
MEG's product category is Beverage Manufacturing. Its primary akta.pro industry code is CRADAHAB, Non-Carbonated Soft Drinks (Juice Drinks, Lemonades, Fruit Drinks), with a secondary code of IMALAHAD, Beverage Packaging (Bottles, Cans, Cartons, Kegs). Its NAICS code is 3121 and its SIC code is 2080.