With 710 million euros, the German Dennree Group is number one

Turnover of 710 million euros

In the financial year 2014 – 40 years after it was founded in 1974 – the Dennree Group recorded consolidated net turnover of 710 million euros, which equated to an increase of 14 % compared with the year before. Company number two in the industry, Alnatura, ended its financial year on 30.9.2014 with turnover of 689 million euros – growth of 16 %. The second in the ranking of national working distributors is Weiling whose turnover was 178 million euros in 2014 - an increase of more than 10 %.

Picture: Lukas Nossol, one of the sons of Dennree founder Thomas Greim, in front of Dennree headquarter in Töpen. Photo Dennree

Dennree Group with over 1,300 specialist trade partners

With over 1,300 specialist trade partners, the Dennree Group markets more than 12,000 organic products that are manufactured or grown by 600 suppliers. Under the Dennree roof, over 3,500 people are employed in wholesale and retail on developing and securing the future of the organic movement. This figure includes 260 trainees. In April 2014, the new chilled storage facility in Töpen became operational. The 25,000 m² warehouse can accommodate over 2,500 fresh food articles (fruit and vegetables, dairy products, fish, meat and sausage). The facility has four chilled chambers – for the separate storage of apples, for example – and various refrigeration zones from 2°C to 7°C.

Picture: Freshness center in Töpe. Photo Karin Heinze

Dennree supported 24 new openings

A Dennree press release tells us that, since September 2014, they have had the use of ten new ultramodern banana ripening chambers in the central warehouse in Töpen, and this means the company can not only offer fruit in tip-top condition but react rapidly to specific demands and also fluctuations in volume.

In 2014, Dennree supported 24 new openings of organic supermarkets by independent operators who cooperate with the company and commit to sourcing the majority of their goods from Dennree as their wholesaler. This is called the BioMarkt Store Network, that 22 new Denn’s organic stores in Germany have joined. Since May 2014, there have been more than 20 Denn’s Biomarkt stores in Berlin.

Picture: BioMarkt in independent ownership that opened with the support of Dennree. Photo Karin Heinze

BioMarkt Future Foundation

In 2013, members of the Biomarkt network and the Dennree Group created the BioMarkt Future Foundation, with the declared aim of supporting future-oriented projects for the promotion of the organic movement. As well as fundraising projects and ensuring customers are well informed, they have convinced farmers of the benefits of growing newly developed varieties of organic vegetables and cereals. So far, they have raised around 136,000 euros for research. One focus of the funds was the seed initiative Kultursaat e.V., that for over 20 years has been registering dozens of new breeds with the Federal Plant Variety Office and whose outstanding work was recognised by an award in the national organic farming competition.

Picture: One out of more than 190 Dennree trucks in Töpen. Photo Karin Heinze

Dennree supplies in Germany, Austria, Luxembourg and South Tyrol/Italy

Dennree supplies ca. 1,300 organic traders in Germany, Austria, Luxembourg and South Tyrol/Italy. The first Denn's Biomarkt store was launched in Southern Bavaria in 2003. Since then, many more organic supermarkets have been opened, mostly ranging from 250 to 400 m² in size. By the end of 2014 the company had 161 stores in Germany and 17 in Austria. The BioMarkt Network was set up by Dennree at the end of 2008 with the aim of enhancing the competitive position of the specialist organic trade. The partners benefit from synergies in purchasing, a joint brand image and receiving support in IT, designing their product range, store location issues, fitting out stores and finance. The network consists currently of more than 260 independent organic retailers.

Picture: Aeriel view of Töpen headquarte. Photo Dennree