Fruchthof Nagel GmbH celebrated its 75th birthday in October. From a former pioneer in the field of banana ripening, the traditional southern German company has developed into a full-service provider for wholesalers and retailers with a total of three locations in recent years. One of the company's current growth areas is its wide range of convenience products, as the management informed us on request.
Aerial view of the headquarters in Neu-Ulm.
After the company was founded in 1949, the opportunity arose to take over a banana ripening plant that had been shut down during the war. This meant that company founder Kurt Nagel was the first to bring bananas to Neu-Ulm in the post-war period: initially, around 80 bunches were delivered by rail every week and distributed in the region by two trucks. At the end of the 1950s, the product range was gradually expanded when Herbert Löffler joined the company. Due to the constant growth, the company outgrew its premises several times, which is why the company headquarters changed several times and two further locations were opened in Ilsfeld and Worms over the years. Today, almost 100 modern refrigerated trucks are in use every day.
Insight into convenience production.
Convenience continues to grow
In addition to retailers, the current customer base also includes weekly market traders, canteen kitchens and caterers. In addition to traditional goods trading, the company's range of services has been expanded under the leadership of Claus-Martin Löffler, the current owner and Managing Director, to include logistics services in the food sector and its own convenience production.
Fruchthof Nagel has a modern fleet of refrigerated vehicles.
"Our various business areas are closely linked and optimally integrated thanks to the available refrigerated storage space at our headquarters in Neu-Ulm. The convenience sector in particular has grown steadily in recent years. Products such as ready-made salads or ready-to-cook, i.e., already peeled, washed and cut vegetable mixes, are enjoying strong demand. Here, we have the great advantage that we process the fruit and vegetables we receive on site. This preserves the freshness for longer, which is why we can do without additives of any kind and keep transport routes as short as possible," says Löffler, who took over the company from his father Herbert in 1999.
Price-performance instead of sustainability characterizes purchasing behaviour
As a service provider in the supply chain, the company believes it is well positioned to meet the challenges of the future, emphasizes Co-Managing Director Stephan Westphal. "We are also noticing that topics such as transport and energy efficiency are becoming increasingly important in the industry. That's why these are also the priorities we have set ourselves and are focussing on in our current corporate strategy." It is important to constantly adapt to the changing framework conditions: "Due to the current economic environment coupled with the focus on value for money, issues such as sustainability are once again taking a back seat when it comes to purchasing behaviour."
The three-member management team at Fruchthof Nagel: from left to right, Stephan Westphal, Claus-Martin Löffler and Daniel Brenneise.
Bureaucracy and uncertainty
Daniel Brenneise, who completes the trio at the helm of Fruchthof Nagel, sees the situation in a similar light. "These are undoubtedly challenging times, not least because some customers are becoming increasingly price-sensitive. Due to cost pressure and staff shortages, some customer groups are being forced to restrict their opening hours, which ultimately leads to a decline in sales for us as retailers. In turn, sales growth in other areas is neutralized by the ever-increasing costs for us. We also have to contend with more and more bureaucratic requirements, while the current political situation is anything but stable. Ultimately, we are confronted with many uncertainties. This makes it increasingly difficult for us to plan the financial year and the future in general. I would therefore characterise the past financial years and the current one as equally challenging."
Insight into the banana ripening process.
Digitalisation, automation, and AI
Despite multiple challenges, the management is positive about the near future. "We will do everything we can to continue to make our company fit for the future and remain an attractive and secure employer. The topics of digitalisation, automation and artificial intelligence (AI) are certainly a great opportunity to become even more efficient in some areas and to exploit previously untapped potential. Another factor that will also remain with us is the reduction of CO₂ emissions. Even if there are still some tasks ahead of us, we are confident overall that we can shape the future positively through continuous adjustments and committed teamwork," concludes Brenneise.
Photo credit: Fruchthof Nagel GmbH
For more information:
Claus-Martin Löffler, Stephan Westphal, Daniel Brenneise
Fruchthof Nagel GmbH
Phone +49 (0) 731 9771-121
[email protected]
www.fruchthof.de