Reudink, part of ForFarmers N.V., is expanding its production of organic animal feed by purchasing a compound feed factory in Fürstenau (Lower Saxony, Germany), currently owned by A.Ricke Agrar GmbH & Co. KG. This will allow Reudink to better serve its customers in that region.
The German market offers opportunities for further growth for Reudink and local production is an important prerequisite for this.
The Fürstenau plant, built in 2019, produces 40,000 tons of conventional animal feed. The plant is used to produce conventional laying hen feed. Reudink will convert the plant to organic and will have opportunities to use and expand the existing volume. In the second half of 2025, Reudink expects to produce and deliver the first organic feed in Fürstenau, after the entire plant has been prepared and certified for organic feed production.
In line with strategy
Reudink produces organic compound feed through contract production in Gescher (in North Rhine-Westphalia) and in Ichenhausen (in Bavaria).
“We are seeing increasing market demand for organic feed in Germany,” said Judith Hofland, director of Reudink. “We are therefore excited about this expansion of our production capacity both in terms of EU organic feed, and also the so-called German ‘Verbands’ feed (which also include Naturland, Bioland, Biokreis and Demeter), for which we will soon start certification for this location. In addition, this production location brings us closer to customers in this part of Germany. The aim is to serve these customers better and more efficiently at market-based prices. In addition, it will allow us to shorten our average transport distance to the farm, allowing us to supply feed with a lower environmental impact.”
Germany has a clear ambition for the growth of organic food. The expansion of the production capacity in Fürstenau is therefore in line with Reudink’s mission and strategy and confirms its confidence in the organic sector. With this acquisition, Reudink is now represented in four locations: Lochem in the Netherlands, and Fürstenau, Gescher and Ichenhausen in Germany.