German retailer Edeka has announced it is taking over the fruit juice producer Albi GmbH & Co. KG.
According to Edeka, the acquisition is intended to enhance the retailer’s portfolio in this segment and complement its range, which includes its subsidiary fruit juice producer Sonnländer.
Albi is a family-owned juice producer based in Berghülen, in the Alb-Donau district in Baden-Württemberg, and was founded in 1928.
It produces fruit, vegetable and mixed juices in Germany. The company grew in 2017 with the acquisition of a 240-hectare apple orchard near Rostock.
Nationwide Logistics
With the takeover, Edeka is also optimising its nationwide fruit juice logistics, according to the retailer. Through Sonnländer, the retailer currently has bottling plants in the north-eastern port city of Rostock and in Rötha, near Leipzig.
A wide range of fruit juices has been produced in these plants for Edeka and its subsidiary Netto Marken-Discount since 2012, according to the retailer.
The newly-acquired production capacities can also be used for other brands and private-label ranges, the company said, but this will require extensive testing in the coming weeks.
"The quality concept of Albi has convinced us," said Markus Mosa, chairman of the executive board of Edeka. "We are pleased to be able to expand the strong brand within the cooperative Edeka network in the future."
Sustainability Efforts
In November, Edeka joined forces with WWF to offer sustainable oranges and mandarins for the German market, sourced from select Andalusian farms and with reduced pesticides, encouraging greater biodiversity and water saving measures.
In July, the retailer held an annual competition for projects that deal with conservation, creation, and restoration of habitats for wild animals and plants in the south-west of Germany. It subsidises the best projects with up to €5,000.
With this investment, Edeka Südwest looks to create a network that will continuously promote and improve the cultural landscape in the region, according to the company.
© 2017 European Supermarket Magazine – your source for the latest retail news. Article by Kevin Duggan. Click subscribe to sign up to ESM: The European Supermarket Magazine.
