ife Institut für Ernährung und Ernährungswirtschaft

What ife Institut für Ernährung und Ernährungswirtschaft does

ife Institut für Ernährung und Ernährungswirtschaft e.V. (IFE) is an independent, non-profit registered association (e.V., registered at Amtsgericht Kiel under VR 5278 KI) headquartered at Fraunhoferstraße 13, Kiel, Germany. The institute provides market information, analyses, and training along the food value chain, with a primary focus on the dairy sector. Its portfolio spans four proprietary raw material value products (ife Rohstoffwert Milch, ife Börsenmilchwert, ife Rohstoffwert Milch Europa, ife Spotmilchwert) — daily, weekly, or monthly indicators derived from Kempten exchange and EEX Leipzig futures prices — together with applied research services covering market analyses, dairy structure analyses (covering approximately 250 companies across Germany and 10 European countries), cost analyses of milk products, animal welfare cost assessments, consumer and nutrition analyses, and program evaluations.

The institute is led by a small team of approximately 8-9 professionals including Prof. Dr. Silke Thiele (Managing Director) and Prof. Dr. Holger D. Thiele (Board), supported by PhD-level researchers. Core technology centers on proprietary calculation methodologies for raw material values and a mathematical optimization tool for nutritional analysis (Ernährungsoptimierung). Free raw material values are accessible via the website, while premium data products require paid quarterly subscriptions.

IFE's revenue model combines subscription-based premium raw material data (quarterly in advance, via direct debit or bank transfer) with commissioned research and evaluations for public institutions (BMEL, EU Commission Joint Research Centre, state ministries in Schleswig-Holstein, Hesse, Saxony-Anhalt), foundations (Edmund Rehwinkel-Stiftung), and NGOs (NABU, DGE). Marketing is content-driven via website, newsletters, LinkedIn, peer-reviewed publications, and events including the Kieler Milchtage conference and the Diskussionsforum Milchpreissicherung in Berlin.

Name

ife Institut für Ernährung und Ernährungswirtschaft

Legal name

ife Institut für Ernährung und Ernährungswirtschaft e.V.

Website

https://ife-kiel.de

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

ife Institut für Ernährung und Ernährungswirtschaft e.V. is a Kiel-based non-profit institute providing proprietary dairy raw material value indices, applied food economics research, and program evaluations for public institutions, NGOs, and dairy industry clients across Germany and Europe.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Agricultural Market Research

SIC

Services-Commercial Physical & Biological Research (8731)

akta.pro primary industry

Dairy Farm Data, Monitoring & Precision Dairy Operations (AFAEACAO)

Keywords

• Dairy market analysis
• Milk raw material values
• Food economics research
• Agricultural price indices
• Nutrition economics

Headquarters

HQ city

Kiel

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Subscription fees for premium raw material data: IFE generates revenue from subscription fees for premium raw material values. The ife Rohstoffwert Milch and ife Börsenmilchwert are provided free of charge. The ife Rohstoffwert Milch Europa and ife Spotmilchwert are paid services. Subscriptions are billed quarterly in advance per AGB. Revenue is collected via bank transfer or direct debit.
2. Research project funding and commissioned studies: IFE conducts commissioned research and evaluations for public institutions (federal and state ministries, EU Commission) and foundations. Research results are delivered as reports, expert opinions, or publications in scientific and applied journals. This represents a project-based revenue stream.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

The institute provides market information, analyses, and training on topics along the food value chain, with a primary focus on dairy. Its core offerings include regularly published raw material value indices for milk (monthly, weekly, and daily frequencies), applied research and commissioned studies on food economics, dairy structure and cost analyses, and professional training through seminars and the Kieler Milchtage conference.

Product overview

The ife Institut für Ernährung und Ernährungswirtschaft offers a portfolio of market information and research services focused on the food value chain, particularly dairy markets. The core offerings include four ife Rohstoffwerte (raw material value) products: ife Rohstoffwert Milch (monthly milk raw material value), ife Börsenmilchwert (daily exchange milk value), ife Rohstoffwert Milch Europa (European spot market value), and ife Spotmilchwert (weekly spot milk value) — all accessible through a login portal. The research division covers two fields: Produktion, Verarbeitung, Handel (production, processing, trade) with market analyses, dairy structure analyses, cost analyses, and animal welfare cost analyses; and Konsum, Ernährung, Gesundheit (consumption, nutrition, health) with evaluations, consumption and price analyses, nutritional analyses, and diet optimization. Supporting services include the ife Newsletter and ife Dairy Newsletter, seminars/training programs, the Kieler Milchtage conference, and published scientific publications.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• ife Rohstoffwerte: Daily, weekly or monthly calculated raw material values for milk serving as early indicators for price developments on the milk market in Germany and Europe.
• ife Forschung
• ife Seminare
• ife Newsletter

Products and services

• ife Rohstoffwert Milch Monthly calculated raw material value index for milk in Germany, derived from prices of processed dairy products using mathematical optimization. Serves dairy farmers, processors, and industry analysts as a reference price benchmark.
• ife Börsenmilchwert Daily updated raw material value index for milk based on exchange-traded dairy commodity prices. Used by dairy market participants for short-term price orientation.
• ife Rohstoffwert Milch Europa Weekly raw material value index for milk covering European dairy markets, providing cross-country comparison for industry analysts and policymakers.
• ife Spotmilchwert Weekly indicator of milk spot market prices in Germany, complementing the longer-term Rohstoffwert indices.
• ife Forschung (Research Services) Commissioned applied research services covering dairy, food, and nutrition economics topics, including evaluations, cost analyses, and policy studies for ministries, associations, and industry clients.
• ife Seminare und Schulungen Professional seminars and training sessions for dairy industry professionals, covering topics such as raw material value methodology, market analysis, and food economics.
• Kieler Milchtage Annual dairy industry conference organized in Kiel, gathering dairy professionals, researchers, and policymakers for knowledge exchange on dairy market developments.
• ife Newsletter / ife Dairy Newsletter Subscription-based newsletters providing recurring updates on dairy market developments, raw material values, and food economics topics for industry subscribers.
• Marktanalysen und Molkereistrukturanalysen Standalone market and dairy structure analyses covering the German and European dairy sector, including processing capacities, dairy company structures, and market positioning.
• Ernährungsanalysen und Ernährungsoptimierung Analytical services focused on nutrition economics, including dietary analyses and optimization studies for public and private clients.

Quantifiable outcome

• ife Rohstoffwert Milch is updated monthly and provided free of charge, serving as an early indicator for milk market price developments in Germany
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers8 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

Feature5 records

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered major, moderate and minor.

• Edmund Rehwinkel-Stiftung der Landwirtschaftlichen RentenbankmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerIFE has been commissioned multiple times by the Edmund Rehwinkel-Stiftung for studies on dairy supply chains and animal welfare labeling, including Tierwohlkennzeichnung bei Milch (2022) and studies on supply relationships between raw milk producers and dairy processing companies (2020). The Rentenbank also financially sponsors IFE's seminar series on milk price insurance.
• Bundesministerium für Ernährung und Landwirtschaft (BMEL)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerBMEL commissions IFE for various food economics research projects related to the dairy and food value chain.
• European Commission Joint Research CentremajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerIFE developed healthy food baskets for all EU countries within the ABSPO (Measuring and Monitoring Absolutely Poverty) project on behalf of the European Commission's Joint Research Centre (2021).
• NABU BundesverbandmoderateStrategic or Co-development PartnerIFE conducted the study 'Milch in Mehrweg – Status Quo sowie Potenziale und Grenzen der ökologischen Optimierung' (Milk in Reusable Packaging) commissioned by NABU (2022).
• Vernetzungsstelle Seniorenernährung (multiple German states)moderateStrategic or Co-development PartnerIFE evaluates the establishment of networking centers for senior nutrition in various German states, including Schleswig-Holstein, Lower Saxony, and North Rhine-Westphalia, in partnership with the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Ernährung (DGE).
• Deutsche Gesellschaft für Ernährung (DGE) e.V.moderateStrategic or Co-development PartnerIFE conducts evaluations of sustainability aspects in school and daycare catering in Schleswig-Holstein and the establishment of senior nutrition networking centers in Schleswig-Holstein and Lower Saxony on behalf of DGE.
• Christian-Albrechts-Universität zu Kiel (CAU Kiel)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAcademic research partner. IFE researchers have affiliations with the Faculty of Agricultural and Nutritional Sciences at CAU Kiel.
• Fachhochschule Kiel (University of Applied Sciences Kiel)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAcademic research partner for food economics and nutrition research.
• Hochschule Fulda (University of Applied Sciences Fulda)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAcademic research partner contributing to food economics and nutrition studies.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Regional players

• CNIEL (Centre National Interprofessionnel de l'Économie Laitière): French dairy interbranch organization providing market data, economic analysis, and research for the French dairy sector. Comparable to IFE's dairy market analyses and raw material value methodology, with a France-only focus.
• AHDB (Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board): UK statutory levy-funded agricultural market intelligence body covering dairy, cereals, and other sectors. Comparable to IFE's market data and commissioned research model, but operating in the UK rather than Germany/EU.

Direct peers

• ZMB Zentrale Milchmarkt Berichterstattung: Central German milk market reporting service, operated as a joint venture by German dairy players, providing weekly milk price indicators and market data. Directly comparable to IFE's ife Rohstoffwert Milch and ife Spotmilchwert offerings.
• agri benchmark Dairy: Global dairy farming cost-of-production comparison network, producing internationally standardized milk production cost estimates. Comparable to IFE's cost analyses and dairy value chain work, with a global rather than Germany-focused scope.
• AMI Agrarmarkt Informations-Gesellschaft mbH: Germany's leading agricultural market information service, providing dairy and milk price data, market analyses, and supply chain reporting. Highly comparable to IFE's raw material value and market analysis products, with broader agricultural coverage and a commercial (for-profit) data subscription model.
• IFCN Dairy Research Network: International dairy comparison and research network analyzing farm-level milk production costs, prices, and margins globally. Closely comparable to IFE's cost analyses and dairy market forecasts, with a broader international footprint.

Broad incumbents

• Max Rubner-Institut (MRI): German federal research institute for nutrition and food under BMEL, conducting research on food safety, nutrition, and consumer behavior. Comparable to IFE's nutrition, consumption, and health project area, but with a much broader mandate and larger headcount.
• Thünen Institute (Johann Heinrich von Thünen Institute): German federal research institute under the BMEL covering rural areas, agriculture, forestry, fisheries, and market analysis. Comparable to IFE's commissioned research on dairy value chains and agricultural economics, but operating at a much larger scale across multiple policy domains.
• Rabobank Food & Agribusiness Research: Global food and agribusiness research arm of Rabobank, producing widely cited dairy market reports and forecasts. Comparable to IFE's market analyses and dairy outlook products, but operating at a global scale with commercial banking backing.

Others

• European Energy Exchange (EEX): Leipzig-based exchange whose butter and skimmed milk powder futures contracts are the underlying data source for IFE's ife Börsenmilchwert. Not a direct competitor but an infrastructure/data provider whose product launches could enable or compete with IFE's derived indexes.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/ife-institut-f%C3%BCr-ern%C3%A4hrungswirtschaft

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles9 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 ife Institut für Ernährung und Ernährungswirtschaft