Dr. Oetker

Dr. August Oetker KG
	File:Dr. Oetker Logo.gif
Company type	Limited partnership
Industry	Food processing
Founded	1891
Headquarters	Bielefeld, Germany
Products	Yoghurt, frozen pizza,
Revenue	€7.7 billion
Number of employees	23,000
Website	Dr. Oetker

Dr. Oetker is a German company that produces baking powder, cake mixes, yoghurts, frozen pizza and pudding.

Also included in the portfolio are a maritime freight business, a bank, a publishing company, an insurance outfit, a brewery and a number of high class hotels all over Europe.

History

Formation

The company was founded by Dr. August Oetker in 1891. The first product developed by Dr. Oetker was "Backin", a pre-measured amount of baking powder that, when mixed with 500g of flour and other ingredients, produced a cake.

First World War

Dr. Oetker's son, Rudolf, died in the First World War. However Rudolf, and his wife, Ida, had two children, Rudolf-August and Ursula. Ida Oetker remarried Dr. Richard Kaselowsky, and they subsequently had four more children. Dr. Kaselowsky raised Rudolf-August and Ursula as his own.

Strength through Joy

Richard Kaselowsky was chosen by the founder, Dr. August Oetker, to lead the company as a trustee as of 1920. During his tenure as head of the company it expanded its presence into new businesses such as shipping (Hamburg Süd, Columbus Lines) and brewing. Kaselowsky was a member of the Nazi Party. In 1937, the company received the title of Nationalsozialistischer Musterbetrieb, or national-socialist model company, by the German Labour Front. They also received commendation in 1938 for the promotion of the Strength Through Joy programme. Richard Kaselowsky died during the Second World War (source: Company Archives).

International expansion

Rudolf August Oetker, the grandson of Dr. August Oetker, led the company between 1944 and 1981, and during this period it achieved the highest growth. The company expanded its presence internationally acquiring many companies around the world. When Rudolf Oetker stepped down from his leadership position, the 4th generation of the Oetker family took over the leadership. The family ownership established the management principle that "The interests of the company have priority over those of the family" (Annual Report Dr. August Oetker KG, 2005).

Dr. August Oetker, the great-grandson of the founder, has led the company since 1981. Under his tenure it has expanded its business even more significantly in all areas, including shipping, food, brewing, etc.

Second World War

The company participates in the Forced/Slave Labor Compensation Fund [1], an organization of German industries taking responsibility for slave labour during the Second World War.

International presence

United Kingdom

In the United Kingdom, the company has sites in Leeds, Leyland, lancashire and Sherburn-in-Elmet. All are in the north of England. The company is a leading supplier of yogurts in the UK, under the Onken name. The company is also well known for its Frozen Pizza, SuperCook range of cake ingredients and partially-prepared cake mixes.

Canada

The company also operates in Canada and has an office based in Mississauga, Ontario.

Brewery Group

Radeberger Group contains the breweries of the Oetker group. Clausthaler is a low alcohol pale lager brewed by the Oetker Group's Binding Brauerei in Frankfurt, Germany. Binding produces several other low alcohol beers under the Clausthaler brand, including a Hefeweizen, and a Golden Amber.^[1]

Among other beer brands produced by the brewery are Schöfferhofer Hefeweizen, Binding Lager ^[2] and the beers of the Henninger Brewery a formerly independent Frankfurt brewer.

Radeberger Group overtakes the Dortmunder Actien Brauerei (DAB). Radeberger Brewery.

Hotels

The company is running five hotels under the brand Oetker Hotel Collection. The porfolio includes some of the best hotels in Europe, including such properties, as:

Brenner's Park-Hotel & Spa in Baden-Baden, Germany - the most luxurious hotel in Baden-Baden with room prices ranging from EUR 400 to EUR 2000 per night.
Park Hotel Vitznau in Luzern, Switzerland - located on the Luzern Lake
Hotel Le Bristol in Paris, France - the property is located on the legendary Rue Farbourg-St. Honore and is considered one of the top hotels in Paris
Chateau Du Domaine St. Martin in Vence, France
Hotel Du Cap - Eden-Roc, Cap d'Antibes, France - a prestigious hotel in Cap d'Antibes, most expensive area of French Riviera.

References

External links

Video clips

[1] Meine Stadt. Mein Bier. Binding

[2] Binding-Brauerei (Oetker Group)

[1]

[2]