After a good year and a half, the "Meister" plant in Gäufelden has been integrated and is now an integral part of Wilhelm Brandenburg's production network. Managing directors Julian Hertzig reveals the role of the plant - also as part of the strategic realignment of in-house production - and the importance of a brand for the integration in an interview with one_.
Since October 2021, the former Real-Fleischproduktion "Meister feines Fleisch - feine Wurst GmbH" in Gäufelden has been part of the Wilhelm Brandenburg company. The integration is now almost complete, with the site near Stuttgart completing the ranks of six locations across Germany.
With the integration of the meat plant into the REWE Group in October 2021, Wilhelm Brandenburg's production network was expanded with a view to the future for improved value creation. This also opened doors to new product range focuses. Pasta, in particular Swabian Maultaschen, is also produced in Gäufelden. A product range that Wilhelm Brandenburg had not previously covered and which could now be incorporated into the strategy project as a central component. It also laid the foundation for a regional focus of the production network. With the plant near Stuttgart and the five other locations, the REWE sales areas can be increasingly supplied from their own region. Gäufelden will play a decisive role in the future orientation of the product range and the production network. Even the serious fire on the evening of 27 July 2022 was unable to thwart the ambitious plans.
We spoke to Julian Hertzig, Managing Director of Wilhelm Brandenburg, about the importance of the brand for the integration and its impact on the implementation of the strategic realignment.
Julian Hertzig
one: How did you experience the integration of the "Meister" business?
Julian Hertzig: Together, we succeeded in integrating the Meister operation into Wilhelm Brandenburg's production network. At the latest during the fire in Gäufelden, we realised that we are a community and an effective team. The team spirit and mutual support are visible and tangible. Together, we ensured that the supply of goods from our production network to REWE Group and third-party customers Real and Metro was guaranteed without interruption. The companies fully supported each other and stepped in at short notice and flexibly as a backup virtually overnight. That was an impressive achievement and good teamwork by the entire Brandenburg team. Thanks to the co-operation and support from REWE and PENNY's purchasing and CM departments, even otherwise time-consuming relocations could be carried out very flexibly and without any red tape in just a few hours. The supply of the stores was thus ensured. That showed me: The integration is already complete and the cooperation within REWE Group works.
one: The integration of the operation in Gäufelden is part of Wilhelm Brandenburg's strategic realignment. What is the current status here? How has the fire influenced the plans?
Julian Hertzig : The fire has of course influenced the implementation of our strategy. We had to reorganise processes within the company very flexibly within a few days and use space differently. However, thanks to the very committed cooperation of our team in Gäufelden with numerous supporting companies, we were able to restart production on site within two weeks. Over the past few months, we have been working virtually around the clock to restore production to its previous level and have now almost succeeded. As a result, all jobs have been saved and we are already hiring additional staff for our further growth.
We are currently working intensively on planning the sustainable use of the vacant space. The fire had at least one positive effect: we were able to completely rethink planned remodelling and expansion measures that we were already considering before the fire. Necessary optimisations of the operational structures and intralogistics were planned and are already being implemented in part. This will enable us to significantly strengthen the site once again for its future orientation and to make more extensive investments. However, the planning is understandably much more complex and time-consuming than a 1:1 reconstruction of the burnt-down warehouse. In return, however, we can tap into significant future potential for the Gäufelden site and for the retailers and markets we supply.
one: Mr Hertzig, thank you very much for talking to us!
The quality butcher Wilhelm Brandenburg has been part of the REWE Group since 1986. Wilhelm Brandenburg has been producing meat, sausage and ham specialities since 1885.
With an annual turnover of over 850 million euros and around 3,000 employees, the six production plants in Frankfurt am Main, Dreieich, Gäufelden, Netphen, Perwenitz and Timmendorfer Strand are the largest supplier of private labels to the more than 6,000 REWE, nahkauf and PENNY stores.
The history of the production plant in Gäufelden began over 30 years ago. in 1991, the Kriegbaum trading company built the meat plant with the aim of producing sausage and meat products in artisan quality. it was expanded in 2017. As part of the Metro Group, the plant produced goods for the Real supermarkets. in 2020, it was acquired by the SCP Group as part of the Real takeover.
In October 2021, Wilhelm Brandenburg finally acquired the business and strategically reorganised it. The ongoing implementation since June 2022 has been accompanied and supported by the REWE Group Management Board, the Supervisory Board and the REWE and PENNY managers from headquarters and the regions. REWE retailers in particular were significantly involved in the strategic realignment.
