Molda

Molda was a German food-industry company based in Dahlenburg in the Lüneburg district of Lower Saxony. Its name is an acronym formed from "Molkerei Dahlenburg" (Dahlenburg Dairy). The business began in 1892 when local dairy farmers joined together in a cooperative and founded the Molkerei Dahlenburg. Over the twentieth century it evolved from a classic rural dairy into a specialist food-drying operation, and by the 2000s it ranked among the world's leading companies in food drying. From the 1950s the cooperative increasingly focused on drying food. Spray drying began in 1955, followed by freeze drying in 1962, vacuum drying in 1978 and roller (drum) drying in 2002. According to the company, Molda was the only enterprise in Europe to operate four drying processes under one roof. Its last major investment came in 2007, when it spent EUR 10.5 million on "Sprühturm 6" (spray tower 6). In 1981 the cooperative was converted into a stock corporation (Aktiengesellschaft), although cooperative principles were retained: only natural persons could acquire shares, with preference given to persons connected with agriculture, and shareholder dairy farmers were obliged to supply their milk to the company, which in turn was obliged to accept it. Molda produced semi-finished and finished products and blends for further-processing food businesses. Its main lines were freeze-dried fruits in slices, pieces, granules or powder; bakery and confectionery mixes and fillings; and food ingredients such as fat- and milk-based powders. Contract drying, for example the production of instant coffee, was another important pillar. In 2014, with roughly 400 employees, the company generated total revenue of about EUR 65 million. About 80 percent of that revenue came in roughly equal parts from freeze-dried fruits, bakery products and food ingredients, while the remaining 20 percent came from contract manufacturing in those areas. Export business, a large part of it in freeze-dried fruits, accounted for 30 to 45 percent of total revenue. Milk processing was abandoned in April 2004; thereafter the milk was processed by Uelzena in Uelzen, and Molda subscribed to corresponding cooperative shares to secure processing capacity over the long term, buying the milk it needed for its own production on the spot market. The company had thus developed from a traditional dairy into a food-industry specialist, with milk processing no longer playing a role. As a holding company, Molda AG maintained wholly owned subsidiaries Molda UK Limited in Nantwich, Great Britain, and Molda Hungária Kft. in Budapest, Hungary. In March 2016 Molda AG was acquired by Döhler GmbH and has since operated as Döhler Dahlenburg GmbH. Döhler is a global producer, marketer and provider of technology-based natural ingredients, ingredient systems and integrated solutions for the food, beverage, life-science and nutrition industries, and the Dahlenburg site extends its portfolio in areas such as plant-based ingredients and natural food solutions.

Molda's history begins in 1892, when local dairy farmers in Dahlenburg, in the Lüneburg district of Lower Saxony, joined together in a cooperative and founded the Molkerei Dahlenburg. The name Molda is an acronym derived from "Molkerei Dahlenburg." For much of its early existence the enterprise operated as a classic rural dairy. From the 1950s the cooperative increasingly specialised in the drying of food. Spray drying was introduced in 1955, followed by freeze drying in 1962, vacuum drying in 1978 and roller (drum) drying in 2002. According to the company, Molda thereby became the only enterprise in Europe to operate four drying processes under one roof. The last major investment came in 2007, when Molda invested EUR 10.5 million in "Sprühturm 6" (spray tower 6). In 1981 the cooperative was converted into a stock corporation (Aktiengesellschaft), while cooperative principles were retained. Only natural persons were to be able to acquire shares, with preference given to persons connected with agriculture. Shareholders engaged in dairy farming were required to supply the milk produced in their operations to the company, which in turn was obliged to accept it. Milk processing was abandoned in April 2004. Since then the milk has been processed by Uelzena in Uelzen; Molda subscribed to corresponding cooperative shares in order to secure processing over the long term. The milk volume needed for its own production was obtained by Molda on the spot market. Molda thus developed from a classic rural dairy into a specialist of the food industry, with milk processing no longer playing any role. As a holding company, Molda AG maintained the following subsidiaries: Molda UK Limited, Nantwich, Great Britain (100 percent), and Molda Hungária Kft., Budapest, Hungary (100 percent). In 2014, with about 400 employees, the company generated total revenue of EUR 65 million. About 80 percent of total revenue came in roughly equal parts from the production of freeze-dried fruits, bakery products and food ingredients. The remaining 20 percent was generated through contract manufacturing in the aforementioned areas. Export business, in which a large part of revenue was generated with freeze-dried fruits, accounted for 30 to 45 percent of total revenue. In March 2016 Molda AG was acquired by Döhler GmbH and has since operated under the name Döhler Dahlenburg GmbH. Döhler describes itself as a global producer, marketer and provider of technology-based natural ingredients, ingredient systems and integrated solutions for the food, beverage, life-science and nutrition industries. The acquisition brought the Dahlenburg drying specialist into a larger group focused on natural ingredients, plant-based products, sugar reduction and multi-sensory food experiences.

• 2016

  Molda AG is acquired by Döhler GmbH in March and subsequently operates as Döhler Dahlenburg GmbH.

• 2014

  With about 400 employees, Molda generates total revenue of EUR 65 million.

• 2007

  Molda invests EUR 10.5 million in "Sprühturm 6" (spray tower 6), its last major investment.

• 2004

  Milk processing is abandoned in April; milk is thereafter processed by Uelzena in Uelzen.

• 2002

  Roller (drum) drying is added, making Molda, by its own account, the only European company operating four drying processes under one roof.

• 1981

  The cooperative is converted into a stock corporation (Aktiengesellschaft) while retaining cooperative principles.

• 1978

  Vacuum drying is introduced.

• 1962

  Freeze drying is added to the production capabilities.

• 1955

  Spray drying is introduced as the cooperative increasingly specialises in food drying.

• 1892

  Local dairy farmers in Dahlenburg form a cooperative and found the Molkerei Dahlenburg, the origin of Molda.

Specialist in food drying and natural food ingredients; formerly one of the world's leading food-drying companies and the only European firm operating four drying processes under one roof.

• Freeze-dried fruits

  Fruits in slices, pieces, granules or powder form, a major part of Molda's revenue and export business.

• Bakery and confectionery mixes and fillings

  Semi-finished and finished products and blends for further-processing food businesses.

• Food ingredients

  Food ingredients such as fat- and milk-based powders.

• Contract drying

  Contract manufacturing including the production of instant coffee.

1. 1DÖHLER – Natürliche Ingredients für die Lebensmittel- und Getränkeindustriedoehler.com
2. 2Über Döhler - DÖHLERdoehler.com
3. 3Corporate Governance - DÖHLERdoehler.com
4. 4Plant-based ingredients for innovative products - DÖHLERdoehler.com
5. 5Molda – Wikipediade.wikipedia.org
6. 6Molda – Wikidatawikidata.org