As from January 2011 one of Germany’s largest dairy concerns, Hochwald (turnover EUR1 billion/year), is to part with some of its best-known brands in a strategic remodelling of core business. “Kleiner Strolch” an extremely popular sour milk spreading cheese (Kochkase) in German-speaking countries and a number of other kochkase brands are to be sold off, along with the main production site for these cheeses: Neukirchen in north Hessia.
Buyer is a relatively small farmer-owned dairy, which trades under the name Uplander. This dairy has an annual milk throughput of 32 million kg (Hochwald processes 2 billion kg). Uplander says it will continue producing the kochkase onsite but is also planning the introduction of a range of “bio” milk products from organically managed farms.
Meanwhile, Hochland plans further development of its main lines including feta-type cheeses, mozzarella. pasta filata as well as the products of the famous Barenmarke drinking milk and coffee creams that were taken over from Nescafe. Hochland’s present reorganisation started in 2006. Since then around EUR11 million has been invested in expanding especially pasta filata and mozzarella capacity. Around 25,000 tonnes per year of both cheeses is now being produced.