Dr. Oetker () is a German multinational company that produces

baking powder Baking powder is a dry chemical leavening agent, a mixture of a carbonate or bicarbonate and a weak acid. The base and acid are prevented from reacting prematurely by the inclusion of a buffer such as cornstarch. Baking powder is used to increas ...

cake Cake is a flour confection usually made from flour, sugar, and other ingredients and is usually baked. In their oldest forms, cakes were modifications of bread, but cakes now cover a wide range of preparations that can be simple or elabor ...

mixes,

frozen pizza Pizza is an Italian, specifically Neapolitan, dish typically consisting of a flat base of leavened wheat-based dough topped with tomato, cheese, and other ingredients, baked at a high temperature, traditionally in a wood-fired oven. The ...

pudding Pudding is a type of food which can either be a dessert served after the main meal or a Savoury (dish), savoury (salty or sweet, and spicy) dish, served as part of the main meal. In the United States, ''pudding'' means a sweet, milk-based des ...

cake decoration Cake decorating is the art of decorating a cake for special occasions such as birthdays, weddings, baby showers, national or religious holidays or as a promotional item. It is a form of sugar art that uses materials such as icing, fondant, fr ...

cornflakes Corn flakes, or cornflakes, are a breakfast cereal made from toasting flakes of corn (maize). Originally invented as a breakfast food to counter indigestion, it has become a popular food item in the American diet and in the United Kingdom where ...

, birthday candles,

beer Beer is an alcoholic beverage produced by the brewing and fermentation of starches from cereal grain—most commonly malted barley, although wheat, maize (corn), rice, and oats are also used. The grain is mashed to convert starch in the ...

, and various other products. The company is a wholly owned branch of the Oetker Group, headquartered in

Bielefeld Bielefeld () is a city in the Ostwestfalen-Lippe Region in the north-east of North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. With a population of 341,755, it is also the most populous city in the administrative region () of Detmold (region), Detmold and the L ...

, Germany.

Portfolio

The

portfolio Portfolio may refer to: Objects * Portfolio (briefcase), a type of briefcase Collections * Portfolio (finance), a collection of assets held by an institution or a private individual * Artist's portfolio, a sample of an artist's work or a ...

includes more than 300 individual companies in five different businesses, among them food (including Dr. Oetker GmbH and Coppenrath & Wiese KG), breweries (

Radeberger Group Radeberger Group is the largest brewery group in Germany. It is headquartered in Frankfurt am Main and produces beer (as well as near beer and other non-alcoholic beverages) at 16 different locations. With an approximate annual production volume ...

), sparkling wine and spirits ( Henkell & Co. Sektkellerei), banking ( Bankhaus Lampe), and "further interests" (among them chemicals, financing, and a number of high-class hotels in Europe).

History

Formation

The company was founded by

August Oetker August Oetker (; January 6, 1862 – January 10, 1918) was a German inventor, food scientist and business person. He is known as the creator of baking powder as a ready-to-use product, and also as the founder of the Dr. Oetker company. He was t ...

in 1891. The first product developed was Backin, a measured amount of

that, when mixed with of flour and other ingredients, produced a cake.

First World War

Oetker's son Rudolf and his wife Ida had two children, Rudolf-August and Ursula. The senior Rudolf was later killed in the

First World War World War I or the First World War (28 July 1914 – 11 November 1918), also known as the Great War, was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War I, Allies (or Entente) and the Central Powers. Fighting to ...

. His widow Ida remarried

Richard Kaselowsky Richard Kaselowsky (14 August 1888 – 30 September 1944) was a German entrepreneur, industrialist, manager of Dr. Oetker, and member of the Nazi Party and Freundeskreis der Wirtschaft. He was the eldest son of the manufacturer Richard Kase ...

, and they had four more children with Kaselowsky raising Rudolf-August and Ursula as his own. Kaselowsky became the manager of the company from 1920 to his death.

Second World War

During the 1930s and 1940s, Rudolf-August Oetker was an active member of the

Waffen-SS The (; ) was the military branch, combat branch of the Nazi Party's paramilitary ''Schutzstaffel'' (SS) organisation. Its formations included men from Nazi Germany, along with Waffen-SS foreign volunteers and conscripts, volunteers and conscr ...

of the Third Reich. The company supported the war effort by providing pudding mixes and munitions to German troops. The business used slave labour in some of its facilities. A bronze bust of

still sits within the company headquarters in Bielefeld. Kaselowsky was killed during an air raid on

in 1944. The Oetker family is among those that have profited most from their close relations to the Nazi regime.

International expansion

Rudolf August Oetker Rudolf August Oetker (20 September 1916 – 16 January 2007) colloquially also R.A. Oetker was a German industrialist, businessman, ship owner and philanthropist. Most notably he turned Dr. Oetker, founded by his grandfather August Oetker, int ...

, the grandson of August Oetker, led the company between 1944 and 1981 when it achieved its highest growth. The Oetker family's private bank also employed as a director

Rudolf von Ribbentrop Rudolf von Ribbentrop (11 May 1921 – 20 May 2019) was a German Waffen-SS officer who served and was decorated in World War II, and later became a wine merchant. His father was Nazi diplomat and Foreign Minister Joachim von Ribbentrop. His au ...

(1921–2019), son of

Joachim von Ribbentrop Ulrich Friedrich-Wilhelm Joachim von Ribbentrop (; 30 April 1893 – 16 October 1946) was a German Nazi politician and diplomat who served as Minister for Foreign Affairs (Germany), Minister of Foreign Affairs of Nazi Germany from 1938 to 1945. ...

and Anna Elisabeth Henkell of the Wiesbaden wine family and, like Oetker, a wartime

Waffen SS The (; ) was the combat branch of the Nazi Party's paramilitary ''Schutzstaffel'' (SS) organisation. Its formations included men from Nazi Germany, along with volunteers and conscripts from both German-occupied Europe and unoccupied lands. ...

officer. The company expanded its presence internationally, acquiring many companies around the world. When Rudolf Oetker stepped down from his leadership position, the fourth generation of the Oetker family took over from him. The family ownership established a management principle that prioritized the company's interests over those of the family.". August Oetker, the great-grandson of the founder, led the company from 1981 until 2010. Under his tenure, it expanded further in all areas, including shipping, food, and brewing.

Richard Oetker Richard Oetker (born 4 January 1951) is a German billionaire heir and businessman, who in 2010 became CEO of multinational food processing company Dr. Oetker. In 1976 he was kidnapped by Dieter Zlof, a Slovene-born mechanic, and only released a ...

, August Oetker's brother, took over as CEO in 2010.

International presence

Australia

In January 2011, Dr. Oetker purchased the Australian frozen pizza business of

Simplot The J. R. Simplot Company (commonly referred to as Simplot) is an agribusiness company headquartered in Boise, Idaho, United States. History Simplot was founded in 1929 by 20-year-old John Richard Simplot near the agricultural community of D ...

, including the well-known brand Papa Giuseppi's. In 2015, Dr. Oetker acquired the Queensland brand

Queen Fine Foods Queen Fine Foods is Australia's leading producer of pure vanilla extracts, food colourings, and baking aids. Queen Vanilla was named after and endorsed by Queen Victoria. Queen is the top-selling brand of fine foods in Australian supermarkets, a ...

Brazil

In Brazil, the company has a site in

São Paulo São Paulo (; ; Portuguese for 'Paul the Apostle, Saint Paul') is the capital of the São Paulo (state), state of São Paulo, as well as the List of cities in Brazil by population, most populous city in Brazil, the List of largest cities in the ...

. The company supplies powdered desserts, frozen pizza, and teas. In 2019, Dr. Oetker acquired the Brazilian baking firm Mavalerio (which also operates in Hanover County, Virginia, as Mavalerio USA) for an undisclosed sum of money.

Canada

The company has its head office and factory in

Mississauga Mississauga is a Canadian city in the province of Ontario. Situated on the north-western shore of Lake Ontario in the Regional Municipality of Peel, it borders Toronto (Etobicoke) to the east, Brampton to the north, Milton to the northwest, ...

, Ontario. In 1962, Dr. Oetker entered the Canadian market as Condima Imports Ltd. In 1992, it purchased the " Shirriff" line of products, which are made at the Mississauga plant. In 2003, the Condima name was dropped and the company started using the Dr. Oetker brand. In July 2011 Dr. Oetker announced the building of its first North American factory in

London, Ontario London is a city in southwestern Ontario, Canada, along the Quebec City–Windsor Corridor. The city had a population of 422,324 according to the 2021 Canadian census. London is at the confluence of the Thames River (Ontario), Thames River and N ...

, to make frozen pizzas made from Ontario produce and ingredients that will be shipped in Canada and the US. In August 2014,

McCain Foods McCain Foods Limited is a Canadian multinational frozen food company established in 1957 in Florenceville, New Brunswick, Canada. It is the world's largest manufacturer of frozen potato products, with 1 in 4 french fries in the world being a ...

announced the sale of its North American frozen pizza business to Dr. Oetker. Through product placement on its packaging and through employee giving, the company supports the children's charity SOS Children's Villages Canada.

Denmark

In Denmark, a wide selection is available. Baking powder, frozen pizza, pudding, and cake decorations are sold in most supermarkets. The company has an office in

Glostrup Glostrup is a Denmark, Danish town in Capital Region of Denmark, Region Hovedstaden, forming one of the Western suburbs (Copenhagen), western suburbs of Copenhagen. It is the administrative seat of Glostrup Municipality, with an estimated populati ...

Estonia

Estonia Estonia, officially the Republic of Estonia, is a country in Northern Europe. It is bordered to the north by the Gulf of Finland across from Finland, to the west by the Baltic Sea across from Sweden, to the south by Latvia, and to the east by Ru ...

, frozen pizzas are available at supermarkets.

Finland

Finland Finland, officially the Republic of Finland, is a Nordic country in Northern Europe. It borders Sweden to the northwest, Norway to the north, and Russia to the east, with the Gulf of Bothnia to the west and the Gulf of Finland to the south, ...

, frozen pizzas, pudding, and cake decoration are available at supermarkets.

France

In France, frozen pizzas are available at supermarkets.

India

In India, the company operates offices in

Bangalore Bengaluru, also known as Bangalore (List of renamed places in India#Karnataka, its official name until 1 November 2014), is the Capital city, capital and largest city of the southern States and union territories of India, Indian state of Kar ...

Mumbai Mumbai ( ; ), also known as Bombay ( ; its official name until 1995), is the capital city of the Indian state of Maharashtra. Mumbai is the financial capital and the most populous city proper of India with an estimated population of 12 ...

and

New Delhi New Delhi (; ) is the Capital city, capital of India and a part of the Delhi, National Capital Territory of Delhi (NCT). New Delhi is the seat of all three branches of the Government of India, hosting the Rashtrapati Bhavan, New Parliament ...

. Dr. Oetker sauces, spreads, dessert toppings, cake mixes and salad dressings can be found in all major grocery chains.

Indonesia

Indonesia Indonesia, officially the Republic of Indonesia, is a country in Southeast Asia and Oceania, between the Indian Ocean, Indian and Pacific Ocean, Pacific oceans. Comprising over List of islands of Indonesia, 17,000 islands, including Sumatra, ...

, Dr. Oetker operates under the brand Pondan. The Indonesian division was founded in

Jakarta Jakarta (; , Betawi language, Betawi: ''Jakartè''), officially the Special Capital Region of Jakarta (; ''DKI Jakarta'') and formerly known as Batavia, Dutch East Indies, Batavia until 1949, is the capital and largest city of Indonesia and ...

in 1978 and then later moved to

Tangerang Tangerang (Sundanese script, Sundanese: , ) is the List of regencies and cities of Indonesia, city with the largest population in the province of Banten, Indonesia. Located on the western border of Jakarta, it is the sixth largest city proper in ...

in 1992, which continues until today. In 2000, Indonesian division of Dr. Oetker became independent and changed its name as PT Pondan Pangan Makmur Indonesia.

Italy

In Italy, Dr. Oetker operates under the brand Cameo. The Italian division was founded in

Milan Milan ( , , ; ) is a city in northern Italy, regional capital of Lombardy, the largest city in Italy by urban area and the List of cities in Italy, second-most-populous city proper in Italy after Rome. The city proper has a population of nea ...

in 1933 as Oetker and then later moved to

Desenzano del Garda Desenzano del Garda () is a town and ''comune'' in the province of Brescia, in Lombardy, Italy, on the southwestern shore of Lake Garda. It borders the communes of Castiglione delle Stiviere, Lonato, Padenghe sul Garda, and Sirmione. History T ...

, which continues until today. In 1953, the name is switched to Cammeo, a more Italian-sounding word, and was changed again in 1984 to Cameo.

Latvia

In Latvia, various Dr. Oetker products are available, such as frozen pizzas, baking powders and dessert powders.

Lithuania

Many Dr. Oetker products are available, including frozen pizzas, baking powder, and gelatin, the latter in both unflavoured and dessert forms.

Malaysia

Malaysia Malaysia is a country in Southeast Asia. Featuring the Tanjung Piai, southernmost point of continental Eurasia, it is a federation, federal constitutional monarchy consisting of States and federal territories of Malaysia, 13 states and thre ...

, Dr. Oetker was currently operated after the acquisition of Nona Foods. The previous ownership of Nona Foods was Toro Food Industries. Previously, Dr. Oetker was represented in Malaysia by Kart Food Industries, between 1998 and 2002, when the company was sold to Amtek Berhad. Following the acquisition of Nona Foods, the local subsidiary of Dr. Oetker produces jelly mixes and seasoning flour, in addition to pizzas and baking preparations.

Namibia

Namibia Namibia, officially the Republic of Namibia, is a country on the west coast of Southern Africa. Its borders include the Atlantic Ocean to the west, Angola and Zambia to the north, Botswana to the east and South Africa to the south; in the no ...

, frozen pizzas are available at supermarkets.

Netherlands

In the Netherlands, frozen pizza, cake mixes, powdered desserts but also desserts like Wolkentoetje (pudding cups) can be found in all major grocery chains.

New Zealand

As with the purchase of Simplot Australia's frozen pizza business (see above), Dr. Oetker has been able to move into the New Zealand market.

Norway

In Norway, Dr. Oetker is the second-largest seller of frozen pizza with a market share of 16.5%. They also sell a range of baking powder and cake decorations.

Poland

In Poland, frozen pizzas, cake decorations, recipes with dry ingredients (the most popular one is "Kopiec kreta" with its own variations) and various powders themselves are available at markets and supermarkets. Dr. Oetker Polska was registered on April 2, 2001, but earlier, Richard Kaselovsky made a branch of the company in 1922 in Gdańsk, Oliva.

Portugal

In Portugal, frozen pizzas and some other Dr. Oetker products are available at supermarkets and some small stores.

Romania

The company has been present in Romania since 1998, when it took over Regal Corporation. Four years later, it opened a production line near

Curtea de Argeș Curtea de Argeș () is a municipiu, city in Romania on the left bank of the river Argeș (river), Argeș, where it flows through a valley of the Southern Carpathians (the Făgăraș Mountains), on the railway from Pitești to the Turnu Roșu Pass ...

, where the majority of the products sold in Romania are produced. In 2007 Dr. Oetker acquires the local brand Inedit (food soy products), in 2009 the local brand Adazia (food ingredients, food spices and egg-colour), in 2015 the local brand Alex (food ingredients, egg-colour, spices), and in 2016 the local brand Morarita (frozen pastry). In 2018, Dr. Oetker was one of the biggest players in the food market in Romania (top 100).

Slovakia

In 1993, the company purchased a local factory Slovamyl in

Boleráz Boleráz () is a municipality of Trnava District in the Trnava region of Slovakia. Early history The first signs of settlement are known from the Old Stone Age. The fortress "Zámok" (Castle), which has not been preserved, also dates from this ...

, and took over its local brands ''Zlatý klas'' and ''BB puding''. In March 2023, Dr. Oetker announced they will close the factory by mid-2023.

Spain

In Spain, frozen pizzas are available at supermarkets.

South Africa

In South Africa, frozen pizza products in many variants, frozen

creamed spinach Creamed spinach is a dish consisting of a spinach coated in a creamy sauce, which can be used as side dish or topping. It is a common side dish at steakhouses but can be found at found in everything from frozen TV dinners, fast casual, to gourmet ...

and other ready to eat frozen meals are available at supermarkets.

Sweden

In Sweden, Dr Oetker's baking soda, gelatin, and other baking items, as well as frozen pizza products, are available at supermarkets. The company has an office in

Gothenburg Gothenburg ( ; ) is the List of urban areas in Sweden by population, second-largest city in Sweden, after the capital Stockholm, and the fifth-largest in the Nordic countries. Situated by the Kattegat on the west coast of Sweden, it is the gub ...

Tunisia

Dr. Oetker acquired a majority stake in the Tunisian food company GIAS under the "Vanoise" brand in 2012. Dr. Oetker owns a production facility, producing goods, such as baking ingredients, powder desserts and cake mixes for Tunisian market and exports to more than 15 African countries.

Turkey

In 1987 Dr. Oetker founded a production facility in Pancar-Torbali, Izmir, producing goods such as frozen pizza, baking powder and cake mixes primarily for the Turkish market. The facility was relocated to Pancar in 2009, but the company maintains operations in Izmir.

Ukraine

Dr. Oetker is incorporated in Ukraine under the Limited Liability Corporation "Dr. Oetker" and has been operating in Ukraine since 2003.

United Kingdom

In the United Kingdom, the company has sites in

Leeds Leeds is a city in West Yorkshire, England. It is the largest settlement in Yorkshire and the administrative centre of the City of Leeds Metropolitan Borough, which is the second most populous district in the United Kingdom. It is built aro ...

and Leyland. They were a supplier of yogurt in the UK under the Onken brand name, which they no longer own. The company currently supplies frozen pizza, mostly under the Chicago Town and Ristorante brands. In 2007, Dr Oetker acquired the SuperCook range of cake ingredients and partially prepared cake mixes. This operation was expanded in 2017 with a new bake in the box cake mix range.

United States

In August 2014,

announced the sale of its North American frozen pizza business, including Ellio's Pizza, to Dr. Oetker. In 2018, Dr. Oetker acquired the cake decorating and baking company Wilton. Wilton was founded in 1929 and was acquired by TowerBrook Capital Partners in 2009.

Radeberger Group

Radeberger Group contains the breweries of the Oetker group. Radeberger is Germany's biggest group of breweries and has a market share of about 14–15%. Fifteen German breweries are part of the Radeberger Group. The major national brands are Radeberger Pils (brewed in

Radeberg Radeberg is a small town in the Bautzen (district), district of Bautzen, Saxony, Germany. It is located approximately 20 kilometres north-east of Dresden. The town has an Evangelical and a Roman Catholic church, and an old castle. History Rade ...

near Dresden), Jever Pils (brewed in

Jever Jever () is the capital of the district of Friesland (district), Friesland in Lower Saxony, Germany. The name Jever is usually associated with a major brand of beer, Jever Pilsener, which is produced there. The city is also a popular holiday res ...

); Clausthaler, an alcohol-free beer, and Schöfferhofer

Weizen Wheat beer is a top-fermented beer which is brewed with a large proportion of wheat relative to the amount of malted barley. The two main varieties are German and Belgian ; other types include Lambic (made with wild yeast), Berliner Weisse (a c ...

. Regional brands are Binding (brewed in Frankfurt), Schultheiss (Berlin), Sternburg (Leipzig), Brinkhoff's (Dortmund), Freiberger (Saxony), Tucher (Fürth) and various Kölsch brands.

Exit from the Russian market

On April 8, 2022, Dr. Oetker Group issued a press release in which it officially announced its complete withdrawal from the Russian market. The company stated that it was suspending all investment and marketing activities due to Russia's armed aggression against Ukraine. Also, Dr. Oetker is selling all shares and rights to a new plant that was built in Belgorod, Russia, shortly before the war started to Russian managing directors. "Dr. Oetker strongly condemns the Russian invasion of Ukraine and calls on the Russian government to immediately end the war and restore peace." - the company said in a statement.

Hotels

The company runs 10 luxury hotels under the brand

Oetker Collection Oetker Hotels, legally incorporated as ''Oetker Hotel Management Company GmbH'', is a German luxury hotel management company based in Baden-Baden. It is managed by the Dr. Oetker, Oetker family. History The company's hospitality business ...

. The portfolio is currently: * L'Apogée Courchevel in

Courchevel Courchevel () is a French Alps ski resort located in the Tarentaise Valley. It is a part of Les Trois Vallées, the largest linked ski areas in the world. Courchevel also refers to the towns of Courchevel 1300 (Le Praz), Courchevel 1550, Co ...

, France — situated in the French Alps. * Brenners Park-Hotel & Spa in

Baden-Baden Baden-Baden () is a spa town in the states of Germany, state of Baden-Württemberg, south-western Germany, at the north-western border of the Black Forest mountain range on the small river Oos (river), Oos, ten kilometres (six miles) east of the ...

, Germany. *

Hôtel Le Bristol Paris Le Bristol Paris is a five-star hotel located at 112 rue du Faubourg Saint-Honoré in Paris, France. It opened in 1925 and is famous for its historic architecture. The hotel is part of the Oetker Collection, Masterpiece Hotels, which is owned b ...

, France — located on the Rue Faubourg-St. Honore. * Château Saint-Martin & Spa in

Vence Vence (; ) is a commune set in the hills of the Alpes-Maritimes department in the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur region in Southeastern France, north of Nice and Antibes on the Mediterranean coast. Ecclesiastical history The first known Bishop ...

, France — between

Nice Nice ( ; ) is a city in and the prefecture of the Alpes-Maritimes department in France. The Nice agglomeration extends far beyond the administrative city limits, with a population of nearly one million Antibes Antibes (, , ; ) is a seaside city in the Alpes-Maritimes Departments of France, department in Southeastern France. It is located on the French Riviera between Cannes and Nice; its cape, the Cap d'Antibes, along with Cap Ferrat in Saint-Jean-Ca ...

. *

Hôtel du Cap The Hôtel du Cap-Eden-Roc or simply Hôtel du Cap is a resort hotel in Antibes on the French Riviera. Opened in 1870 as a private mansion under the name Villa Soleil, it became a hotel in 1889. History The founder of France's ''Le Figaro'' newsp ...

Cap d'Antibes Antibes (, , ; ) is a seaside city in the Alpes-Maritimes department in Southeastern France. It is located on the French Riviera between Cannes and Nice; its cape, the Cap d'Antibes, along with Cap Ferrat in Saint-Jean-Cap-Ferrat to the northe ...

, France — a hotel in Cap d'Antibes, on the French Riviera. * Eden Rock St Barths in

Saint Barthélemy Saint Barthélemy, officially the Collectivité territoriale de Saint-Barthélemy, also known as St. Barts (English) or St. Barth (French), is an overseas collectivity of France in the Caribbean. The island lies about southeast of the island ...

. *

Lanesborough Hotel The Lanesborough is a 5-star hotel on Hyde Park Corner in Knightsbridge, central London, England. The hotel is operated by the Oetker Collection. It occupies the neoclassical former building of St George's Hospital, which is listed Grade II*. T ...

London London is the Capital city, capital and List of urban areas in the United Kingdom, largest city of both England and the United Kingdom, with a population of in . London metropolitan area, Its wider metropolitan area is the largest in Wester ...

. * Palácio Tangará in

, Brazil. * Jumby Bay Island in

Antigua Antigua ( ; ), also known as Waladli or Wadadli by the local population, is an island in the Lesser Antilles. It is one of the Leeward Islands in the Caribbean region and the most populous island of the country of Antigua and Barbuda. Antigua ...

References

External links

*
Dr. August Oetker Group
{{DEFAULTSORT:Oetker, Dr. Baking powder Bielefeld Brand name desserts Companies based in North Rhine-Westphalia Food and drink companies established in 1891 Dairy products companies of Germany Food manufacturers of the United Kingdom Frozen pizza brands German brands Multinational companies headquartered in Germany Pasta companies 1891 establishments in Germany Baking mixes Companies involved in the Holocaust