Contract refinement of foods by freeze, spray, drum and vacuum belt drying, fermentation and extraction
Dr. Otto Suwelack Nachf. GmbH & Co. KG
Billerbeck, GermanyNew on Amplifa
About Dr. Suwelack
Dr. Suwelack is a food manufacturer and contract refiner based in Billerbeck in the Münsterland region. The company refines coffee, sourdoughs, fine baked goods, dairy products and plant-based raw materials into high-quality ingredients and products for the food and beverage industry. Its core competencies include drying (freeze drying also under cleanroom conditions, spray, drum and vacuum belt drying), fermentation with its own patented cultures and extraction of coffee using the Coffee-Aroma-Protection technology (CAP). In addition, mixing and packaging technologies as well as recipe development and customizing offer a broad range of services. Production takes place exclusively in Germany; more than 70% of revenue is generated on international markets. An in-house laboratory with a microbiology department, a sensory test panel and a trial bakery ensure product quality.
- Site
- Billerbeck
- Processes
- Extraction (Coffee-Aroma-Protection technology, CAP), Fermentation (own culture strains, patented cultures), Freeze drying (shock freezing at minus 50 degrees, vacuum drying, also under cleanroom conditions), Spray drying (suspensions and emulsions into powders), Drum drying (thin film on steam-heated drum, further processing into flakes), Vacuum belt drying (drying on belts under vacuum, influence on aroma, color,, Mixing technologies, Packaging technologies (big bags, paper sacks, PE bags, aluminum bags, tube bags, canisters,
- Materials
- Coffee (roasted, instant coffee), Sourdough SUGRANO® Spelt 740, Sourdough SUGRANO® R750, Dairy products (yogurt, crème fraîche), Plant-based raw materials / plant extract products, Palm oil (RSPO-certified), Fine baked goods, Freeze drying
- Certificates
- FSSC 22000 (Version 6), ISO 50001:2018, ISO 45001:2018, EU Organic Certificate (Regulation (EU) 2018/848), Bio Suisse (BIOSUISSE ORGANIC), RSPO Supply Chain Certification, Fairtrade, Kosher (OU), Halal, JAS (Organic Standard Japan), Rainforest Alliance, Sedex / SMETA 4-pillars, EcoVadis Rating (Bronze Medal), ISO 45001, ISO 50001, EU Organic (DE-ÖKO-001), Other (Bio Suisse, RSPO, Fairtrade, Kosher, Halal, Rainforest Alliance,
- Founded
- 1884 (stea
- Industries
- Food & Beverage, Coffee/instant coffee, Baked goods/bakery, Dairy products, Vegan/plant-based specialties
- 01
Raw material purchasing
- 02
Roasting (coffee) or fermentation (dairy products, sourdoughs)
- 03
Extraction
- 04
Drying (freeze, spray, drum, vacuum belt drying)
- 05
Mixing
- 06
Quality inspection in the in-house laboratory
- 07
Packaging
- 08
Worldwide distribution
Raw materials and processes
Freeze drying
Raw materials are shock-frozen at minus 50 degrees and dried under vacuum; taste, aroma, shape and color are preserved, also under cleanroom conditions.
Spray drying
Suspensions and emulsions are dried quickly and gently into homogeneous powders.
Drum drying
Thin film on a steam-heated drum, followed by further processing into flakes.
Vacuum belt drying
Gentle drying under vacuum preserves sensitive ingredients such as vitamins and minerals; aroma, color and bulk density can be selectively influenced.
Extraction (Coffee-Aroma-Protection technology)
High-tech process that fully preserves the aroma and taste of roasted coffee; subsequent freeze drying of the concentrate.
Fermentation
Own, partly patented culture strains for sourdoughs (SUGRANO®) and dairy products such as yogurt or crème fraîche.
Coffee (roasted, instant)
Main raw material of the Coffee division, refined into instant coffee specialties.
Dairy products (yogurt, crème fraîche)
Raw materials fermented on site for powder specialties of the MILK division.
Sourdoughs (SUGRANO®)
Sourdough products fermented with own patented cultures for the baking industry.
Plant-based raw materials and plant extracts
Organically certified raw materials for vegan and plant-based specialties.
Palm oil (RSPO-certified)
Certified palm oil for baking ingredients and dairy products.
Locations
Billerbeck
DEHeadquarters and production
- Materials
- Coffee, sourdoughs, dairy products, plant-based raw materials
- Freeze drying systems
- Spray drying systems
- Drum drying systems
- Vacuum belt drying systems
- Fermentation systems
- Extraction systems (CAP)
- Cleanroom
- Laboratory with microbiology department
- Sensory test panel
- Trial bakery
- Packaging systems (big bags, paper sacks, bags, canisters, IBCs)
Products
Inside the production
Industries
Processes & technical limits
| Processes | Tolerance | Max. part | Weight | Lot size | Materials |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Extraction (Coffee-Aroma-Protection technology, CAP)Other (food refinement) | – | – | – | – | Coffee |
| Fermentation (own culture strains, patented cultures)Other (food refinement) | – | – | – | – | Dairy products (yogurt, crème fraîche), Sourdoughs (SUGRANO®) |
| Freeze drying (shock freezing at minus 50 degrees, vacuum drying, also under cleanroom conditions)Other (food refinement) | – | – | – | – | Coffee, high-quality food raw materials |
| Spray drying (suspensions and emulsions into powders)Other (food refinement) | – | – | – | – | Suspensions, Emulsions, Milk, plant-based raw materials |
| Drum drying (thin film on steam-heated drum, further processing into flakes)Other (food refinement) | – | – | – | – | Food raw materials |
| Vacuum belt drying (drying on belts under vacuum, influence on aroma, color,Other (food refinement) | – | – | – | – | sensitive food raw materials (vitamins, |
| Mixing technologiesOther (food refinement) | – | – | – | – | Food ingredients |
| Packaging technologies (big bags, paper sacks, PE bags, aluminum bags, tube bags, canisters,Other (food refinement) | – | – | – | – | Foods and food ingredients |
| Roasting of coffeeHeat treatment | – | – | – | – | Coffee |
| Quality inspection (laboratory with microbiology department, test panel for sensory properties andTesting | – | – | – | – | – |
| Trial bakery (product development/testing of baked goods)Engineering | – | – | – | – | Sourdoughs, Fine baked goods |
Additional services
Quality
An in-house laboratory with a microbiology department continuously tests product quality; a test panel checks sensory properties and haptics daily. Quality management includes HACCP, in-process controls, strict hygiene systems and traceability.
| Evidence | Billerbeck |
|---|---|
| FSSC 22000 (Version 6) | |
| ISO 45001 | |
| ISO 50001 | |
| EU Organic (DE-ÖKO-001) | |
| Other (Bio Suisse, RSPO, Fairtrade, Kosher, Halal, Rainforest Alliance, |
History
- 1884
Josef Suwelack founds the modern steam dairy Billerbeck with 55 farmers (29.09.1884).
- 1910
Start of dried milk production; founding of Nährmittelfabrik GmbH (pastries, waffles, cookies).
- 1924
Insolvency of Nährmittelfabrik as a result of the global economic crisis; the Suwelacks leave the dairy management.
- 1927
Otto Suwelack founds the Dr. Otto Suwelack Dauermilchfabrik and continues dried milk production.
- 1962
Wolfgang Suwelack takes over the company after the death of his father.
- 1963
Introduction and further development of the freeze drying process for foods.
- 1995
Certification according to DIN ISO 9001 as one of the first companies in the food industry.
- 2006
Sale of the company to Arend Oetker, Bad Schwartau.
- 2008
Certification according to IFS Food (annually Higher Level).
- 2024
Switch to FSSC 22000 certification.