Food technology manufacturer KRONEN GmbH reported revenue of €21.0 million in the 2024 business year, reflecting a 6% increase compared to the previous year. Despite broader economic challenges, the company continues its growth trajectory, supported by international sales in approximately 120 countries and a presence in around 80 markets.
Headquartered in Kehl-Goldscheuer and Achern, Germany, KRONEN focuses on providing machinery and processing lines for the food sector, including the fresh-cut, ready-made meal, catering, bakery, vegan, and pet food industries. The company attributes its resilience partly to the growing demand in the convenience food sector.
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KRONEN also emphasizes vocational training, with more than 25 years of in-house apprenticeship programs in commercial and technical professions. Several positions remain open for the upcoming intake in September 2026.
In 2024, the company marked the retirement of Management Board member Robert Lankhart after 28 years of service. Several other long-serving employees were recognized, including staff with tenures of 10 to 35 years. Managing Director Stephan Zillgith, who joined the company in 1999 and has been in his current role since 2010, was also acknowledged for 25 years of service.
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Last year, KRONEN was granted a patent for a robotic solution that pits and peels avocados. Developed in cooperation with the German Institute of Food Technology (DIL), the system is designed to automate processing of the sensitive fruit. The first implementation of this technology took place at Lazy Foods, a Dutch manufacturer of guacamole and avocado spreads, which tested the system under real production conditions.
In addition to the avocado processing system, KRONEN launched new products such as the Tona V cutting machine, capable of slicing, segmenting, or cutting up to 3,600 units of fruits or vegetables per hour.
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KRONEN's processing solutions were also featured in a segment on ProSieben's science TV show Galileo, which highlighted their use in a new production line at Alzarro Dönerworld GmbH. The company's machines, including a GS 10-2 belt cutter, a GEWA 3800V ECO washing machine, and a KS-7 PLUS spin-dryer, were used to process vegetables for a new take-and-bake döner kebab product.
The company continues to expand internationally. In 2024, a smart salad processing line was installed at a facility in Northern Germany, where machines communicate through a central control unit to process delicate leaves more efficiently. In the United States, a new line capable of handling up to 6,000 broccoli and cauliflower units per hour was delivered. In Israel, a system for processing cabbage, lettuce, carrots, and beets was installed, designed to meet kosher production standards and process up to 4,000 kg of cabbage per hour.
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KRONEN was named a "Hidden Champion" in the Black Forest Power Region by the business network Nectanet, based on a study by the Fachhochschule Dortmund University of Applied Sciences and Arts.
Internally, the company continues investing in digitalization, including enhanced digital tools and PC access for all production staff, introduced in 2024.
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For more information:
Kira Krollpfeiffer
© KronenKronen
Tel: +49 7854 9646 160
E-mail: kira.krollpfeiffer@kronen.eu
www.kronen.eu
Christina Maier-Streif
Tel: +49 7854 9646 161
E-mail: christina.maier-streif@kronen.eu