Why is a leading bio-juice company called a 'Saftladen' and how does it differ from giants like Deutsche Bahn?
The episode begins with a playful introduction of the term 'Saftladen', contrasting it with large corporations like Deutsche Bahn. It then focuses on Völkel GmbH, a bio-juice company based in Wendland, which is described as a Hidden Champion. The company employs nearly 500 people and generates €140 million in revenue. A key feature is its ownership structure, held by two foundations for almost 15 years to safeguard its mission from acquisitions. Additionally, Völkel has been evaluated against Gemeinwohlökonomie criteria for about seven years, emphasizing social and environmental accountability. The management includes Stefan Völkel and three of his sons, with a fourth son working as an industrial mechanic in the technical department. Boris Völkel, a managing director, oversees procurement and maintains relationships with farmers. The episode repeatedly highlights the intention to discuss pricing perspectives for ingredients such as ginger, apples, and red currants. The host, Christian Bollert, expresses enthusiasm for these insights, framing the conversation around empathetic economics. The episode is produced in collaboration with Stefan Ziegert, Katja Stamm, Gerolf Mayer, and Frank Dahlmann from Brand 1 Magazine. It concludes with credits, reinforcing the podcast's weekly format on Detektor FM.
