Germany’s Rügenwalder Mühle will no longer produce its classic “Schinken Spicker” ham in the animal meat variant. The company now announces that the discontinuation of the animal ham will create more capacity in production facilities in order to be replaced with offerings such as the “Vegan Hauchschnitt”. This potential is to be further expanded, says the media release.
The range of plant-based offerings within the Rügenwalder Mühle portfolio is progressively expanding. Alongside its 23 traditional meat and sausage selections, the company currently boasts close to 50 vegan and vegetarian products. This evolution is mirrored in the enhancement of its production capacities.
“…we’re not afraid to discontinue a successful classic like the Schinken Spicker in order to create even more space for plant-based products on our systems.”
Consequently, Rügenwalder Mühle has made a strategic decision to discontinue the production of its classic Spicker ham in order to allocate greater capacity to its vegan and vegetarian lines. For enthusiasts of the Spicker ham, the company provides a selection of popular vegan alternatives, including mortadella, grilled vegetable, chive, multicolored pepper, and colorful pepper varieties.
More sales for plant-based than animal meat
Says derwesten, “Rügenwalder Mühle is now […] mainly popular because of its vegan range. The group already offers twice as many vegetable foods as meat products – and also makes more sales with them.”
“This shift in the product range is not an effect that we are only seeing now in the current Veganuary, but a long-term development,” explains Michael Hähnel, CEO of Rügenwalder Mühle, in a press release. “For years, the proportion of our product range has been shifting towards plant-based products. We want to actively continue on this course. Last year alone, we successfully launched almost 20 new products on the market. That’s why we’re not afraid to discontinue a successful classic like the Schinken Spicker in order to create even more space for plant-based products on our systems.”
From sausage giant to plant-based leader
As per our report last year, Rügenwalder Mühle began with the production of animal meat in 1834 and initially entered the plant-based category in 2014. The company is now the German market leader in meat alternatives, and even entered the cultivated space late last year (telling vegconomist back in 2018 that Clean Meat, as it was termed at the time, was the future).
In November 2023, the company sold a majority stake to the holding company Pfeifer & Langen IHKG, which also owns stakes in pea protein specialist endori and Vbites, which sadly entered administration last year. Here you can read the impassioned statement from its founder Heather Mills on the circumstances behind the closure.
According to a market analysis by Splendid Research, in which more than 1,400 people were surveyed about their nutritional and purchasing behaviour, Rügenwalder Mühle is the best-known manufacturer of meat substitutes among customers in Germany. The study revealed that Rügenwalder Mühle (81 percent) is the most well-known manufacturer of meat alternatives, followed by Alnatura (68 percent) and Gutfried (65 percent).
Read more at https://www.ruegenwalder.de/de
