Sweet spreads and preserves

LOCATED in Thuringia, the “green heart of Germany” where forests are lush, HAINICH Konserven GmbH takes advantage of the region’s conduciveness to agriculture and production of pickled products and fruit preserves. In a casual conversation with Dipl.-Ing Cornelia Beau, managing director, she says the breathtaking location can’t help but have a positive effect on those who work at HAINICH as well. We met with Ms Beau at Cibus Tec trade show in Parma, Italy, where we talked about the company and its products which are first and foremost made the Thuringian way – something clean-label advocates would certainly appreciate.

Various pickled products from Hainich

HAINICH Konserven GmbH is part of TUPAG Holding. Please tell us how the company was established.

Hainich Konserven GmbH is a subsidiary of the TUPAG-Holding Public Limited Company in Mühlhausen, which is a medium-sized management and financial holding company of more than 30 individual companies.

The production of canned products in Niederdorla has its origins in a traditional Thuringian cooperative, which, besides the cultivation, also processed fruit and vegetables. In 1990 it was renamed HAINICH Konserven GmbH. The company owes its name to its picturesque location on the edge of the Hainich National Park in the Free State of Thuringia.

How big is HAINICH Konserven in terms of manpower?

Hainich Konserven GmbH employs approximately 50 permanent employees and up to 70 seasonal workers.

Does HAINICH conduct all the processes– from the farming/harvesting of produce to the packaging of finished products? 

Basically, all processes are carried out by the company. A large part of our raw materials comes from our own cultivation, because our subsidiary company produces gherkins, white and red cabbage and cherries for us. Here at our site we have various production lines with many different machines on which the products are manufactured. Depending on the product the raw material is sorted, washed, cut and filled into the glass. Then the pickling liquid and, if necessary, spices are added. The sealed glasses are preserved by pasteurization and then the finished products are packaged.

Please tell us about your wide range of finished products.

The product range of HAINICH Konserven GmbH includes fruit and sour preserves as well as sweet spreads. The range of fruit preserves includes sour cherries, apple sauce, plums and a wide selection of berries. Furthermore we offer a wide range of vegetable preserves, for example gherkins in different variations and fine-sour delicacies like celery, red peppers, puszta-salad [white cabbage] and beetroot. Sauerkraut and red cabbage are also offered in different packaging sizes. Our sweet spreads include various kinds of jam, plum jam, jelly and fruit spreads – there is something for every taste. Particularly innovative are the fruit spreads with extraordinary taste combinations such as apple-sea buckthorn, blackberry-apple and cherry-banana.

Morello cherries

Spiced pickled cucumbers

The company’s sour preserves, fruit preserves and spreads are made according to traditional Thuringian house recipes. Can you describe this traditional way of making your products?

In order to preserve the natural taste, we do not use any preservatives. Traditionally, we only use heat, salt, sugar and vinegar for preservation – as we did more than 100 years ago!

What fruits and vegetables are often preserved? used for spreads?

We use fresh sour cherries, gooseberries, plums, apples, gherkins, red and white cabbage, red peppers, celery and beetroot for our preserves. For our sweet spreads and the berries assortment we only use frozen fruits like strawberries, raspberries and blackberries to ensure the consistently high quality.

That would mean production is usually seasonal?

Most of the production is seasonal. All products, which are made from fresh raw materials, such as gherkins, sour cherries, apple sauce and cabbage, can only be produced at the respective harvest season. Other products, which are made from frozen fruits, like berry fruit preserves and sweet spreads, can be produced throughout the year.

What is the production capacity for bottled products? 

Our production capacity is approximately 20 million glasses a year.

What are the company’s quality certifications?

HAINICH Konserven GmbH holds the certificate of the international food standard IFS Food (International Featured Standard Food), which is tested every year. Furthermore, some products are awarded the certificate of origin “Geprüfte Qualität Thüringen”.

How is the location of your company beneficial to production – and maybe the workers/employees?

Situated between Mühlhausen and Eisenach, right at the geographic center of Germany, HAINICH Konserven GmbH offers ideal logistical conditions for a Germany-wide distribution of goods. In addition, there are very fertile soils in the vicinity of our production site, which are used almost exclusively for agricultural purposes. Since our production site is close to the fields, most of the raw material can be processed freshly. Working at HAINICH offers our employees a stable workplace, in a rural but well-developed area.

Machine harvesting cucumbers at HAINICH

Picking cherries at the company farm

Hainich was recently at Cibus Tec to source machinery. Which ones do you have to import from Italy and why?

We like to buy Italian machines, because they have a very good price-performance ratio. At Cibus Tec we ordered a filling machine for fruits, vegetables and spreads.

What impressions did you have of Cibus Tec 2016?

Cibus Tec 2016 was very well organized and very informative. There were a lot of interesting machinery exhibitors on site.

Do you often source from Italian suppliers? Which ones are sourced in Germany or other country?

We often buy from Italian suppliers. We have already purchased a labeling machine and a palletising machine. Furthermore, we are purchasing our lids, apples and raw material for our spreads from Italy. As mentioned above, as far as possible, we grow our own raw material. In addition, we also buy our raw materials in Eastern Europe, depending on the harvest and market situation.

Is HAINICH fully automated?

In recent years, we have invested a lot in a modern production technology. Some production steps have also been automated. Our modern production lines enable a speedy and careful processing process, but we place great importance on the fact that the trained eye and the experience of our employees are used wherever possible.

What would you say is the competitive edge of HAINICH?

We process most of our fruits and vegetables fresh. Our production site is located in close proximity to the fields and plantations, avoiding long transport distances. This guarantees freshness and protects the environment!

The immediate processing of the dewy harvest is decisive for the high quality. But most important is the natural taste of our products. As a company which is strongly linked to the region, it is our passion that all raw materials are processed with love and dedication according to original recipes from the region.

Are you planning to introduce new products in 2017?

We are constantly striving to improve our products and to expand our range by new products. There are many ideas for new products, for example we are experimenting with aronia and cranberry.