Schwarz Produktion eyes move for German honey maker Göbber

The business is being bought from the parent company Mayntz. Financial terms of the transaction were not disclosed.

In a statement, Schwarz Produktion said the deal, which is subject to antitrust approval, is expected to close in the third quarter.

Founded in 1888 in Eystrup, the Göbber Group includes Göbber GmbH, Deutsche Honig Import (DHI), Eystruper Land, and Friedrich Göbber.

DHI globally sources and blends honey for retailers, bakeries, and food industries, while Eystruper Land and Friedrich Göbber produce fruit and honey products for discount and speciality retail markets.

Sandro Lemmrich, CFO of Schwarz Produktion, said: “By acquiring Göbber, we can draw on valuable know-how and ensure long-term security of supply for our customers when it comes to high-quality fruit spreads and honey. We are setting the standard for future-proof production with top quality and dependability.”

The Göbber Group, which produces brands such as Glück and 100Frucht, employs approximately 350 people at its 78,000 square-meter Eystrup facility, generating €200m ($234.4m) in annual revenue.

Schwarz Produktion confirmed that Göbber’s current management team and employees will remain and will be integrated into its operational framework.

According to Mayntz shareholder Michael Mayntz, the deal with Schwarz Produktion was “carefully considered” as it ensures “stability and security” for the future.

“As a family-owned business, we took great pains in choosing our partner to ensure that we shared common values. That is the basis for adding further chapters to Göbber’s success story, now in a new formation,” he said.

The Eystrup site, with 10 production lines, produces 80,000t annually across 750 products and 1,300 recipes.

The acquisition will mark Schwarz Produktion’s second site in Lower Saxony, joining MEG Löningen, which has been producing beverages and mineral water for Lidl and Kaufland since 2001, employing around 270 people.