Eckes-Granini Group

The Eckes-Granini Group GmbH offers fruit juices, fruit beverages, fruit syrups, smoothies and fruit-based refreshment drinks for the food and beverage trade and the gastronomy sector in over 80 countries worldwide. In addition to Eckes-Granini Deutschland GmbH in Nieder-Olm, the group now has subsidiaries in France, Denmark, Sweden, Finland, Spain, Austria, Hungary, Lithuania and Switzerland, and also maintains sales partnerships in many other European and non-European countries. Its brand portfolio includes such globally popular brands as granini and Pago as well as numerous leading national and regional brands, such as Joker in France and SIÓ in Hungary, to name only two. Eckes-Granini introduced hohes C, the first ready-to-drink orange juice to Germany in the 1950s and a brand that is now familiar to consumers in Germany, Austria, Switzerland and Hungary.

The Eckes-Granini Group offers only fruit juices and fruit-based products today. The portfolio includes, among other products, the international premium brands granini (24%) and Pago (7%) as well as a number of national and regional brands, such as hohes C (19%) in Germany, Austria, Hungary and Switzerland, Joker in France, Yo in Austria, Germany and the Czech Republic, God Morgon (6%), Brämhults and Rynkeby (6%) in the Nordic countries, Marli (3%) in Finland, SIÓ (3%) in Hungary, Elmenhorster in Lithuania and Mehukatti in Finland. (Shares of total revenue in 2019 in brackets)

According to sources within the organization,[2] the history of the Eckes-Granini Group began in Nieder-Olm in the Rhineland-Palatinate, where the farmer and haulier laid the cornerstone for the business in 1857 by founding a distillery for wine by-products. As the spirits business grew step-by-step, the company began producing and marketing fruit juices in the 1920s. hohes C, which according to the Eckes-Granini Group GmbH was the first ready-to-drink orange juice in bottles,[3] was introduced in 1958.

Following the opening of the borders to Eastern Europe in the early 1990s, the Eckes-Granini Group GmbH adopted an international expansion strategy – beginning with the acquisition of SIÓ-Eckes (Hungary) in 1993.[4] After acquiring 74 per cent interest in the Melitta Group one year later, the Group took over the company entirely in 2006.[5]

After withdrawing from the spirits business completely in 2007,[6] Eckes-Granini went on to form new partnerships and acquire additional subsidiaries. Rynkeby Food A/S was added to the fold in 2016,[7] and the Eckes-Granini Group GmbH purchased shares in the smoothie producer true fruits in mid-2018.[8]

As documented in its Annual Report, Eckes-Granini Group GmbH has been pursuing "a consistent international expansion course" since 1993. The Group currently operates through subsidiaries and strategic partnerships in Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Italy, Lithuania, Romania and Bulgaria as well as Czechia, Slovakia, Hungary, Spain, Sweden, and Switzerland.

The Eckes-Granini Group GmbH recorded approximately 921 million euros in sales revenue in Business Year 2019.[9] Eckes-Granini Group GmbH is the largest business enterprise specialized in the production of fruit juices in Europe.[10]