Tuesday, November 02, 2021
Decades of dispute over
Oetker split up after a family dispute
In the past there have been repeated disputes about the future course of the Oetker Group. The dispute within the owner family could not be overcome. The split of the Oetker Group has now been completed.
The Bielefeld Oetker Group, also known for its frozen pizza, split up after disputes within the owner family. Corresponding registrations in the commercial register had been submitted, both family parts announced.
Through a new holding company, three Oetker heirs are taking over eight companies from the previous Oetker Group with recent sales of around two billion euros, including the sparkling wine and wine business (“Henkell” and “Freixenet”). Martin Braun Backmittel and Chemische Fabrik Budenheim KG also go to them. The companies should steer on a growth course, announced the co-boss of the new group, Alfred Oetker.
The traditional pizza and food business, the Coppenrath & Wiese pastry shop and the Radeberger Group with the recently acquired beverage delivery service in a bottle will remain with the other shareholders, like other companies. The eight children of Rudolf August Oetker, who died in 2007, had held shares in the group.
In the past, however, there had been repeated reports of disputes about the future course of the group. The three younger siblings Alfred, Carl Ferdinand and Julia Johanna Oetker can now steer their own course with their holding company.
For Dr. Oetker and its subsidiaries work around 37,000 people worldwide. The business areas were previously divided as follows. Food (Dr. Oetker, Conditorei Coppenrath & Wiese, Martin-Braun-Gruppe), beer and non-alcoholic beverages (Radeberger-Gruppe), sparkling wine, wine and spirits (Henkell, Freixenet), luxury hotels, chemical industry and logistics as well as the Bankhaus Lampe. The bank is pending the approval of the supervisory authorities before the sale. This had already been decided before the split.