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Our History
As a family business located in idyllic East Westphalia, we have been close to nature for more than a century. Our ancestors were passionate bakers who loved the natural ingredients of the surrounding farms. And in the spring of 1985, we turned into true muesli masters when the company was converted completely to producing muesli. But more about this later…
Generation 1:
Who does not honour the penny...
Our roots lie in the year 1904. It was the time of the founding years in what back then was known as the German Empire. Fritz Paul Detmers was an employed master baker, and his wife Frederike Detmers was a busy ironer and frugal, to boot. She put every penny into her well-guarded money sock until the day had finally arrived on which she could afford her own small bakery in the Bielefeld district of Jöllenbeck.
And there it was, located right in the heart of the rural and just as sparsely populated north of Bielefeld. There were only a few isolated, surrounding farms. But the dream of having the #own bakery made her inventive: After baking all night, the master baker, Fritz, drove around in a horse-drawn carriage with his wife and exchanged his bread either for money or for grain. A small business field developed and the family lived from it, modestly but proudly on their little business guaranteeing their independence. |
Fritz Paul Detmers (*1880, +1950), Friederike Detmers née Beckmann (*1880, +1968)
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Photos: 1) Albert Detmers (*1905, +1976), Magdalene Detmers, née Stuke (*1911, +1998)
2) Advertising poster for pumpernickel 3) Aerial photograph of the
Detmers company
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Generation 2:
Conquering new frontiers – pumpernickel in a tin
The son of the two founders was christened Albert. He already worked in the bakery of his parents at the age of 10 and represented his father when he was drafted in the First World War. Perseverance was essential, and so the young man soon did an apprenticeship as a baker and joined the company permanently. Together with his wife, Magdalene Detmers, he got the company through the Second World War. One of his achievements was the investment in a pasteurisation oven. This way it was possible to pack the bread airtight in #aluminium cans, thereby ensuring a long shelf life. With the - meanwhile motorised - vehicle fleet, he was able to deliver his goods within a wider radius, right up to Hanover and Salzgitter. A modern sales and distribution chain was established.
In the upswing of the so-called "Wirtschaftswunder" economic miracle, Detmers also grew strongly and consistently invested in new baking techniques, the optimisation of production processes and logistics. The need for space was permanent. And thus the original bakery was rebuilt again and again, which is also reflected in the architecture of the building.
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Generation 3:
All or nothing
In the 1960s and 1970s, the brothers Fritz and Albert Detmers, the next generation of the family, took over the company's management. Consistently and with great dedication, they further expanded the fresh service business. However, when the opportunity arose to take over the large bakery Mestemacher from Gütersloh in 1985, they decided to put all their eggs in one basket: They sold the distribution with the 27 fresh service vehicles and the customer base of their inherited company to the industrial bakery Wendeln (today Lieken) and invested everything they had in the development of Mestemacher, which was ailing at the time. In the meantime, the Mestemacher GmbH group of companies has become known worldwide as the market leader for long-life wholemeal breads, pumpernickel and international bakery products.
However, what was to become of the empty bakery in Jöllenbeck? It was the friendship with a convinced advocate for organic food and a health food retailer that set the course. This inspired the two brothers to develop the idea of producing full-fledged muesli from organic farming. No sooner said than done - still in the same year, in 1985, the company #DETMERS was equipped with a muesli mixer, and the supply chain was trimmed to organic produce. Now DETMERS Getreide-Vollwertkost had become a brand for high-quality, healthy and price-optimised cereals, and it is still practising this sensitive discipline today. With the introduction of organic muesli so early on, genuine pioneering work was done at the time.
By switching to high-quality muesli, the customer base also changed fundamentally. Since then, DETMERS has positioned itself as a stable and integrated partner of retailers and importers worldwide. The focus is on the strength of the respective private labels and own brands. |
Albert Detmers, Fritz Detmers
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Christine Detmers and Kim Folmeg
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Generation 4:
Together for sustainable cooperation
Kim Folmeg and Frank Kaiser are managing the company in the fourth generation. They are in dynamic exchange with the Detmers family’s owners, of which Christine Detmers is also a member. Christine Detmers, who holds a degree in business administration, was a managing partner of DETMERS Getreide-Vollwertkost GmbH until 2019. Today, after voluntarily stepping down from the operational management level, she remains an active partner.
To be able to ensure the optimal response to the market’s opportunities and challenges, DETMERS is equipped with a state-of-the-art production facility. Here, particular attention is paid to ensuring the highest level of product safety. Thanks to efficient processes, there is a lean cost structure that facilitates the people’s working conditions on site. Attention is paid to sustainability in sourcing, transport and processing. DETMERS cooperates closely with global inspection bodies that introduce and secure standards in social actions worldwide. Especially when it comes to raw materials sourcing, the main aim is to guarantee fair business relations for people throughout the value chain, right down to the farmer in the field.
DETMERS is a member of the Association of Organic Food Producers (AÖL).
Overall, the company, together with the fifty or so muesli experts working for it, and the experienced management team of Christine Detmers, Kim Folmeg and Frank Kaiser, feel positive and confident regarding the future.
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