Production of solid and filled bar chocolate, chocolate bars and couvertures, including organic and Fairtrade
Ludwig Weinrich GmbH & Co. KG
Herford, GermanyNew on Amplifa
About Weinrich
Ludwig Weinrich GmbH & Co. KG is a chocolate factory founded in 1895 and headquartered in Herford (North Rhine-Westphalia). It produces solid and filled bar chocolates, chocolate bars and couvertures – conventional, in organic quality and as Fairtrade chocolate. A key focus is the development and production of private labels for food retail, as well as customers such as GEPA and Divine, for whom Weinrich produces chocolate with Transfair cocoa beans from Ghana. Through subsidiaries, the company distributes its own brands such as Vivani, iChoc, Björnsted and lacoa in organic food stores and food retail; Vivani is delivered to over 50 countries. In the 2017 financial year, revenue was EUR 226 million; in 2018, a combined heat and power plant was built. At the Gänsemarkt in the Herford district of Radewig, the company operates a factory outlet under the name Weinrichs Schokoladen Bruchbude.
- Site
- Herford
- Processes
- Production of solid and filled bar chocolates, Production of couvertures, Production of chocolate bars, Manufacture of conventional, organic and Fairtrade chocolate, Development and production of private-label chocolates (own brands), Private label / own-brand development, Production of solid and filled chocolate, Chocolate bars
- Materials
- Cocoa, Cocoa from Ghana (Kuapa Kokoo Union), Chocolate (conventional), Organic chocolate, Fairtrade chocolate
- Founded
- 1895
- Industries
- Food retail, Organic food retail, Fairtrade trade
- 01
Raw material purchasing (cocoa, incl. Kuapa Kokoo Union, Ghana)
- 02
Chocolate processing
- 03
Production of bar chocolates, bars, couvertures
- 04
Packaging
- 05
Distribution (own brands, private label, retail)
Raw Materials and Production Focuses
Cocoa
Basic raw material of chocolate production, including Transfair cocoa beans from Ghana (Kuapa Kokoo Union).
Organic chocolate
Production for the organic food trade, among others via the Vivani brand.
Fairtrade chocolate
Since 1996, Weinrich has produced fair-trade chocolate, among others for GEPA and Divine.
Location
Herford
DEChocolate factory and headquarters
- Materials
- Cocoa (conventional, organic, Fairtrade)
Industries
Processes & technical limits
| Processes | Tolerance | Max. part | Weight | Lot size | Materials |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Production of solid and filled bar chocolatesPlastics | – | – | – | – | Chocolate, Cocoa |
| Production of couverturesPlastics | – | – | – | – | Chocolate, Cocoa |
| Production of chocolate barsPlastics | – | – | – | – | Chocolate, Cocoa |
| Manufacture of conventional, organic and Fairtrade chocolatePlastics | – | – | – | – | Cocoa, Cocoa from Ghana, Organic chocolate, Fairtrade chocolate |
| Development and production of private-label chocolates (own brands)Plastics | – | – | – | – | Chocolate |
Additional services
Reference customers
Company History
- 1895
Founding of the Herford biscuit and cake factory Weinrich & Drüge by Ludwig Weinrich and Paul Drüge.
- 1912
Paul Drüge leaves the company; the firm becomes wholly owned by the Weinrich family.
- 1918
Shortly after the First World War, chocolate production begins.
- 1923
Founding of Ludwig Weinrich Schokolade- und Keksfabrik AG.
- 1960er
Discontinuation of biscuit and praline production; focus on solid and filled bar chocolates and couvertures.
- 1991
Management buy-out: capital shares pass from the Weinrich family to Cord Gerhard Budde sen.
- 1993
Cord Budde jr. becomes managing director.
- 1996
Start of production of fair-trade chocolate.
- 1998
Cord Budde jr. takes over the majority of the company shares.
- 2000
Founding of the subsidiary EcoFinia GmbH (Vivani brand).
- 2007/2008
Revenue exceeds 100 million euros for the first time.
- 2017
Revenue rises to 226 million EUR.
- 2018
Construction of an own combined heat and power plant.