Fördergemeinschaft Ökologischer Landbau Berlin-Brandenburg e.V.

What Fördergemeinschaft Ökologischer Landbau Berlin-Brandenburg e.V. does

Fördergemeinschaft Ökologischer Landbau Berlin-Brandenburg e.V. (FÖL) is a German non-profit association (eingetragener Verein) founded in 2000 and headquartered in Berlin, with a registered office in Steinhöfel OT Beerfelde, Brandenburg. The organization serves as the central point of contact in the Berlin-Brandenburg metropolitan region for consumer information, public relations, and market development around organic agriculture. It operates a portfolio of roughly a dozen active projects spanning value-chain development (reffiSchaf sheep-meat products, Gewolltes Gemüse sheep-wool fertilizer, Brandenburger Bio-Schwein organic pork, Karottine plant-based catering), community-catering consulting (BioBitte, Bio kann jeder since 2004), consumer-facing platforms (Bio-Erlebnis portal bio-berlin-brandenburg.de, Bio-Radtouren cycling tours, Brandenburger BioFest), biodiversity and climate advisory, rural tourism networking, and Solawi (community-supported agriculture) start-up support. Member associations include the major German organic farming bodies (Bioland, Biopark, Demeter, Naturland, Verbund Ökohöfe).

FÖL does not sell software or physical products commercially; its 'products' are project deliverables, advisory services, and event programming, delivered either directly to producers and consumers or through funded workshops and joint trade-fair pavilions. It runs the joint Berlin-Brandenburg community booths at BioFach (Nuremberg) and Grüne Woche (Berlin), and implements the federal 'Bio kann jeder' nutrition education program regionally. The organization does not receive institutional public funding; its operations are sustained through membership fees, donations, and project-specific grants from the federal BMLEH (Bundesprogramm Ökologischer Landbau) and Brandenburg's MLEUV ministry (co-funded via ELER). With approximately 12 employees, a lean Vorstand (Chair Dinah Hoffmann, Deputy Felix Wasmuth, Treasurer Torsten Pelikan), and a project-coordination team, FÖL functions as a regional coordination and advocacy body rather than a commercial enterprise.

Name

Fördergemeinschaft Ökologischer Landbau Berlin-Brandenburg e.V.

Legal name

Fördergemeinschaft Ökologischer Landbau Berlin-Brandenburg e.V.

Website

https://foel.de

Company type

Private

Founded year

2000

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

FÖL is a Berlin-based non-profit association founded in 2000 that promotes organic agriculture in the Berlin-Brandenburg region through consumer information, market development, and project-based value-chain work, serving organic farms, public caterers, and consumers via funded programs and trade-fair participation.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Agricultural Association Services

akta.pro primary industry

Organic & Biological Input Retail (Biostimulants, Biopesticides, OMRI) (AFABAJAK)

Keywords

• Organic agriculture advocacy
• Regional value chain development
• Consumer information services
• Organic farming networking
• Catering consulting services

Headquarters

HQ city

Berlin

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Membership fees and donations: FÖL is a non-profit association (gemeinnütziger Verein) that receives no institutional public funding. The organization is sustained through membership fees, donations, and project-based funding for specific initiatives such as value chain development and consulting services for public food service providers.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

FÖL is a non-profit association that serves as the central point of contact for consumer information, public relations, and market development for organic agriculture in the Berlin-Brandenburg metropolitan region. It coordinates a portfolio of regional projects covering organic value chain development, consulting for public food service operators, trade fair community booths (BioFach, Grüne Woche), consumer-facing portals and events, and networking among organic producers.

Product overview

FÖL (Fördergemeinschaft Ökologischer Landbau Berlin-Brandenburg e.V.) is a nonprofit association serving as the central point of contact for consumer information, public relations, and market development for organic agriculture in the Berlin-Brandenburg metropolitan region. It does not offer a unified software product but rather operates a broad portfolio of project-based programs and public-facing services centered on promoting organic food and farming. The portfolio includes value-chain development projects (e.g., reffiSchaf sheep meat products, Gewolltes Gemüse sheep-wool fertilizer, RoggReis regional rice alternative), consumer-facing portals (bio-berlin-brandenburg.de with addresses, cycling routes, and event listings), community catering support (BioBitte, RIBE consulting, Bio kann jeder workshops), public event programming (Bio-Radtouren cycling tours, BioErlebnisBauernhof, Brandenburger BioFest, BioFach and Grüne Woche trade fair pavilions), biodiversity and climate advisory services, rural tourism networking, and existence-support/SoLaWi (community-supported agriculture) programs. FÖL's services are free for participants and funded through member fees, donations, and public grants.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Bio-Erlebnis (bio-berlin-brandenburg.de): Consumer-facing portal showcasing organic addresses, cycling tours, and organic events in Berlin-Brandenburg region.

Products and services

• Bio-Erlebnis-Portal (bio-berlin-brandenburg.de)

Quantifiable outcome

• 644 organic enterprises supported in Brandenburg (2017)
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers4 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

Partnerships

16 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Institut für nachhaltige AgrarforschungcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2025Research partner in the 'Gewolltes Gemüse' project developing sheep wool fertilizer for organic vegetable cultivation. Provides scientific expertise for nutrient release testing and environmental compatibility studies.
• Institut für Agrar- und Stadtökologische ProjektecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2025Research partner in the 'Gewolltes Gemüse' project. Contributes agricultural and urban ecological expertise to the development of sheep wool-based fertilizer for organic vegetable growing.
• Bioland Landesverband Ost e.V.coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2025Organic farming association partner in the 'Gewolltes Gemüse' project, representing and connecting organic farms in eastern Germany.
• Frankenförder Forschungsgesellschaft mbH (FFG)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2025Product development partner in the reffiSchaf project. FFG develops innovative products (e.g., Bio-Schafbratwurst) from regional sheep meat, working with FÖL on value chain development for the Berlin-Brandenburg region.
• UMBio-Stiftung (Gemeinnützige Stiftung)minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2025FÖL is involved in the 'UMBio-Marktgarten und Solawi' project led by UMBio-Stiftung, supporting the development of a market garden and community-supported agriculture (Solawi) initiative in Uckermark.
• Gut HirschaueminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPractice partner in the reffiSchaf project, contributing organic sheep farming operations and whole-animal utilization expertise.
• Biomanufaktur HavellandminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPractice partner in the reffiSchaf project, processing regional sheep meat into high-quality organic meat products.
• Schafzuchtverband Berlin-Brandenburg e.V.minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAssociated partner in the 'Gewolltes Gemüse' project, representing sheep breeders in the region and contributing to the development of wool-based fertilizer markets.
• Bundesministerium für Landwirtschaft, Ernährung und Heimat (BMLEH)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFederal ministry funder of the 'Bio kann jeder — nachhaltig essen in Kita und Schule' campaign, which FÖL implements as the regional partner for Berlin-Brandenburg. Funded under the Bundesprogramm Ökologischer Landbau (BÖL).
• Ministerium für Land- und Ernährungswirtschaft, Umwelt und Verbraucherschutz (MLEUV) BrandenburgcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerState ministry funder of multiple FÖL projects including 'Gewolltes Gemüse', 'Netzwerk Brandenburg', and 'Existenzgründung und Solawi-Vernetzung'. Provides co-funding through ELER (European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development).
• Bio-Gärtnerei WatzkendorfminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPractice partner in 'Gewolltes Gemüse' project, testing sheep wool fertilizer on real organic vegetable growing operations.
• GoodFoodSyndicateminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPractice partner in 'Gewolltes Gemüse' project, contributing to field testing of sheep wool-based fertilizer in market garden settings.
• Bio-AlpakalandminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPractice partner in 'Gewolltes Gemüse' project for testing wool-based fertilizer under real farm conditions.
• Fläming Schäferei KörnerminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPractice partner in 'Gewolltes Gemüse' project, providing sheep wool as raw material for the innovative fertilizer development.
• Kleine Schäferei BiesenbrowminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPractice partner in 'Gewolltes Gemüse' project, contributing sheep wool and on-farm testing for the fertilizer product.
• Schäferei Jonas ScholzminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPractice partner in 'Gewolltes Gemüse' project, providing sheep wool and participating in practical field trials.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Bundesprogramm Ökologischer Landbau (BÖL): Federal funding program for organic farming in Germany administered by BMLEH. BÖL is comparable because it funds FÖL's organic farming projects (e.g., Bio kann jeder) and shapes the broader organic agriculture agenda within which FÖL operates.

Direct peers

• Demeter: International biodynamic farming association with a strong German member base. Demeter is a direct peer due to overlapping organic farming association activities, joint regional trade fair presence with FÖL, and shared positioning in the German organic sector.
• Bioland: Germany's largest organic farming association. Bioland is a direct peer as both organizations promote organic agriculture in Germany, jointly participate in regional BioFach and Grüne Woche booths, and collaborate on projects such as the 'Gewolltes Gemüse' wool fertilizer initiative with FÖL.
• Verbund Ökohöfe: Regional association of organic farms in Berlin-Brandenburg. Verbund Ökohöfe is a direct peer that co-organizes the Grüne Woche joint booth with FÖL and shares the same regional organic farming constituency.
• Naturland: International organic farming association headquartered in Germany. Naturland is a direct peer because it operates the same organic agriculture advocacy and certification model, co-exhibits at trade fairs, and joins with FÖL on regional value chain projects.
• Biopark: German organic farming association focused on Eastern Germany. Biopark is a direct peer because it shares FÖL's regional focus in the eastern German states, co-exhibits at Grüne Woche, and is part of the same regional organic farming association network.

Emerging players

• Solidarische Landwirtschaft (Solawi) e.V. German association promoting community-supported agriculture (Solawi). It is comparable because FÖL actively coordinates Solawi networking in Brandenburg through its Existenzgründung und SoLaWi-Vernetzung project, mirroring its core member-support and value-chain focus.
• FiBL (Forschungsinstitut für biologischen Landbau): Research institute for organic agriculture active across Germany, Austria, Switzerland, and beyond. FiBL is comparable as a knowledge and research organization serving organic farming, often partnering on applied projects alongside associations like FÖL.

Others

• Ökomarkt e.V. German consumer-facing organization promoting organic and regional food awareness. Ökomarkt is an adjacent peer sharing FÖL's consumer information and regional organic promotion mission, often collaborating on educational events.

Regional players

• Bio Austria: Austrian organic farming association. Bio Austria is a regional peer running a similar organic farming promotion, value chain development, and trade fair participation model, but focused on Austria rather than Berlin-Brandenburg.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/biobb
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/f%C3%B6rdergemeinschaft-%C3%B6kologischer-landbau-berlin-brandenburg-e.v.
• Instagraminstagram.com/bioberlinbrandenburg

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles7 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 Fördergemeinschaft Ökologischer Landbau Berlin-Brandenburg e.V.