Sort by
Sort by

Growth with Pizza: Nestlé to invest in Wagner

Back to Press releases
Frankfurt

Nestlé Deutschland AG, based in Frankfurt am Main, will acquire 49 percent of Wagner Tiefkühlprodukte GmbH, based in Nonnweiler-Braunshausen. Pending approval by the appropriate authorities, the transaction will go ahead 1st January 2005.

With a market share of approximately 33 percent and turnover of around 200 million Euros, Wagner is a strong number two in the growing German frozen pizza market. The range includes successful products such as the “Steinofen-Pizza”, premium products such as “La Pizza” and an assortment of deep frozen snack products.

“We are delighted to be able to contribute from now on to the unique Wagner business success story. With brands like Maggi, Thomy and Buitoni Nestlé has a long and comprehensive experience in culinary. Therefore we see together great opportunities to develop the business further, combining the Wagner management strengths, their strong brand equity and their product quality with Nestlé Group’s global sales reach, our marketing know-how and research & development competences“, says Patrice Bula, chairman of the Nestlé Deutschland AG board.

“Nestlé is the ideal partner for developing our business further in Europe and in new markets. Concentration in the retail and industry sectors demands forward-looking strategies to ensure long-term success. The quality and brand philosophies of our two companies, which both attach greatest importance to product quality, is a good basis. The workforce at Wagner welcomes this forward-thinking course since it gives new impulse for the business and the protection of the jobs”, says Gottfried Hares, spokesman of the Wagner management.

Wagner’s managing directors will continue to manage this business. A proportionate membership board of directors under the chairmanship of Nestlé Deutschland AG’s chairman will control the strategic direction.

Pizzas are the most popular frozen food in Germany. With its innovations which have gained high market acceptance and its consistent quality and brand policy, Wagner is a major contributor to continuous positive growth in Germany’s deep frozen pizza market. In 2003, the German frozen pizza market volume was more than 700 million Euros (previous year: approximately 670 million Euros) with average growth rates of around eight percent. Besides supplying the domestic market, Wagner already exports to several West-European countries, among others Austria with a market share of approximately 25 percent.

Press Queries:
Nestlé Deutschland AG
Hartmut Gahmann
Tel. +49 (069) 6671 – 2366
Fax +49 (069) 6671 – 3190
e-mail: [email protected]

Wagner Tiefkühlprodukte GmbH
Anke Barge
Tel. (06873) 665 – 219
Fax (06873) 665 329 – 219
e-mail: [email protected]