It all started in 1886 in Hassfurt, when Josef Müller junior founded a wholesale company for vegetables and local produce. Initially, he traded primarily in tea, herbs, dried fruit and rosehip seeds. As early as 1887, two tubs of rosehip purée can be found on the inventory list. In 1889, he started to produce jams and jellies, and thus laid the foundation stone for one of the oldest and most tradition-steeped jam-making companies in Germany.
With foresight and grit, Josef Müller junior led the company into the new century. The product range and the customer base grew and production operations were expanded further. Times were difficult during the First World War: Sugar and fruit were valuable goods and were confiscated. As of 1919, once the war had ended, the company focused solely on the production of jams and fruit conserves.
He was succeeded by his son, Rudolf Müller, who took over operations and company management, and renamed the company “Maintal Obstindustrie,” thereby establishing a trademark. The central location in Hassfurt became too limited for the growing company, and new premises were therefore built outside Hassfurt. These remain the company headquarters of Maintal Konfitüren to this day.
The expanded production facilities and contemporary products helped to drive growth. However, the Second World War again put the company to the test. After 1945, the company had to reposition itself: Many people were left with nothing, the black market was flourishing and the division of Germany led to the loss of important sales territories.
Rudolf Müller appointed his son Helmut to the executive board, and in 1973, Helmut Müller became sole manager of the company.
In his Himalaya expeditions to Mount Everest and Nanga Parbat, the well-known mountain-climber Karl Maria Herrlingkoffer provided his crew with Maintal rosehip jam, which is extremely rich in vitamins. In Germany, too, the rosehip jam was extremely popular and became the market leader. More than one in two jars consumed in Germany was produced by Maintal.
The company switched to the hands of the 4th generation of the family: daughter Anne Feulner and son-in-law Klaus Hammelbacher took the helm, ensured continued success and also trod new paths.
Maintal embarked on a new company strategy, and since 2000 has been offering an extensive organic range. Since then, the Maintal Bio range has been available to supermarket customers, while the “Annes Feinste” brand can be found in organic shops. A research and development team works to create new products. The company is particularly committed to sustainability, regionality and family friendliness.
Permanent investments in buildings, systems and sustainable environmental management were rewarded. Maintal Konfitüren was certified in accordance with the “Sustainable Management Food Standard” from the Centre for Sustainable Corporate Leadership (ZNU).
Rosehip seeds are full of power: omega 3-6-9 fatty acids, valuable vitamins and antioxidants. What to do with the kernels from rosehip jam production? The team around our business manager Anne Feulner dedicated itself to this task. Many years of tinkering and a lot of money and heart blood were invested until the goal was reached: the valuable seeds are gently dried and a high-quality, cold-pressed organic rosehip seed oil, also called organic wild rose oil, is obtained.
In May 2023 we opened our new cold storage at our site in Hassfurt pridefully. This new cold storage is a big step for us as a family business towards future-oriented warehousing and will make various work steps easier for our employees and makes our jam production more sustainable and flexible. In addition, it is built entirely in line with our sustainability philosophy, with state-of-the-art cooling technology, the use of heat recovery and a large solar system as an energy source.
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Business manager Klaus Hammelbacher has experienced, accompanied and initiated many milestones and projects during his time in the family business, and now he has retired after 33 years of service.
Already two and a half years ago, Maintal started a transformation process together with him to prepare the process of succession. In the future, Anne Feulner will be supported in managing the company by four other executives who, as the extended management team, will form the Future Team, which will drive the realignment of the company. This step will enable Maintal to look to the future with optimism and bridge the gap until the next generation joins the company.
A home to tradition and genuine craft: yesterday, today, tomorrow.
The Maintal Konfitüren family business uses state-of-the-art technology, which guarantees quality and product safety, and combines this with the regionality and originality of craft-oriented manufacturing.
Experience, quality, the best ingredients and a lot of love: Maintal Konfitüren makes everyone’s favourite jam.
Company address: Industriestr. 11, 97437 Hassfurt
Tel.: +49 (0)9521 9495-0
Fax: +49 (0)9521 9495-960
E-Mail: export@maintal-konfitueren.de
Martina Dütsch-Cerbone
Tel.: +49 (0)9521 9495-311
Fax: +49 (0)9521 9495-960
E-Mail: duetsch-cerbone@maintal-konfitueren.de
Sonja Käb
Tel.: +49 (0)9521 9495-312
Fax: +49 (0)9521 9495-960
E-Mail: kaeb@maintal-konfitueren.de