more than meals

holding

more than meals

We think and work innovative and customer oriented

To achieve the best possible top-line and bottom-line growth, we always try to enable our partners to realise their full potential. This is a top priority in our business. To do this, we aim to work with market-leading companies of ready meals and ready-to-eat snacks with strong growth, innovative processes and technically sophisticated facilities. Above all, quality plays a decisive role. We firmly believe that being innovative and customer-oriented is the only way to successfully internationalise your business and increase its efficiency. Having production sites throughout Europe is important for us to be able to constantly improve and expand our operational capabilities. In doing so, we work with key retail partners in order to always be at the forefront of new trends and opportunities. Through the synergy effects of our holding company, we offer our customers more than just an expansion of production facilities for their products – we offer them an experienced partner with the necessary know-how.

The operating companies Abbelen GmbH and Oscar Mayer Limited are currently part of the group.

Key differentiating advantages
of The More than Meals concept

  • Focus on private label
  • Specialist in the product of convenience chilled food
  • Synergy and economy of scale effects of national private-label leader
  • International access to market and consumer insights
  • State-of-the-art NPD process (I2M – Idea to Market) to create innovative product solutions
  • Brand building skills to develop bespoke winning brands
  • Proven expertise in value creation through well established transformation processes
  • High efficiency through group-wide exchange of best practices

Benefits of working
with More than Meals

  • Market-leading ready-meal and convenience snack company with a strong growth trajectory
  • Future success of both businesses ensured by new management teams & structures and ownership by More than Meals backed by private-equity sponsor
  • Operating in core growth categories with key retail partners with the aim of being a strong number 1 or 2 in the industry
  • Private-label, chilled/frozen-food specialists delivering high-quality products through innovative processes and technically sophisticated production sites
  • Customer-centric thinking driving category development and innovation

More Than Meals Europe

Trends / Market situation

Growing consumer demand for convenience meals & snacks

Sustainable growth of private label

Consistency & complementarity of selected assortments

Target companies with successful track-record in national markets

Our Approach

Consumer based NPD &
category know-how

Sales synergies (international cross-selling) &
proven roll-out strategies

Improvement of operational efficiency
(cost leadership & procurement savings)

Value creation leverage

Our Vision

Preferred European private label supplier for convenience­-meals & snacks (chilled/frozen)

A strong concept with strong partners

With Deutsche Beteiligungs AG (DBAG), More than Meals has one of the largest and most active private-equity investors in the mid-cap segment as its partner. Founded in Frankfurt in 1965, DBAG focuses on well-positioned companies with significant growth potential. DBAG has a pan-European orientation and has already provided equity capital to more than 300 companies. It has identified the convenience food sector in particular as an attractive sector for a buy-and-build strategy. With Abbelen and Oscar Mayer, the listed company has already invested in two market leaders in this sector. The resulting synergies are the basis for further consolidating the European market for convenience food.

Above all, the entrepreneurial investment approach and the high standards of management make DBAG one of the most sought-after investment partners in the German-speaking world.

In implementing a long-term, value-enhancing corporate strategy, More than Meals benefits from the many years of experience, international network and outstanding track record that Deutsche Beteiligungs AG brings with it.

Transparency and independence

Entrepreneurial investment approach

Reliable partner with 50+ years of experience

Long-term investor
(capital of over
€1.8b)

Deutsche
Beteiligungs AG

Innovation as the driving force of the company’s success.

First-class quality, maximum product safety and excellent taste – the family butcher shop, founded in 1958 by Heinz Abbelen, is particularly well known as the market leader in the production of meatballs. Thanks to more than 60 years of experience and long-standing customer relationships with all the major players in the German food market, Abbelen has earned itself an outstanding reputation as the partner of choice.

Innovation is the driving force of the company’s success. The in-house innovation team keeps a close eye on developments in the national and international food industry. The products can therefore be specifically geared to the needs of the customers and to current trends. In addition to popular classics such as meatballs, burgers and schnitzels, Abbelen poduces modern convenience snacks and, with The Good One, has recently created a brand that also makes vegetarian cuisine quick and easy to enjoy.
The best raw materials from selected suppliers, state-of-the-art production facilities and the absence of flavour enhancers, artificial colouring, genetic engineering and the mechanical processing of meat – quality and taste play the main role at the Tönisvorst production site. A special quality management department with around 20 employees is one way this is ensured.

The takeover by More than Meals marked the beginning of the family business being restructured into a group. And that is paying off: with an export share of 35% and annual sales of around 170 million euros, the group is one of the largest and most modern companies in the convenience meat products sector in Europe.

EUR 170 million annual turnover; high export share

Focused product range and cost leadership

Industry leader in automation

45,000 sq.m at the Tönisvorst production site

Market leader for meatballs and burgers

Website

The Good One

Good taste. Good choice.

Brands of Abbelen

Meatless & delicious: The Good One offers a choice that is suitable for vegetarians, but also for meat lovers.

Website

Brands of Abbelen

Simple & tasty: Time4Taste burgers are ready-to-eat in less than 2 minutes. Designed for maximum taste and versatility.

Website

Development of Abbelen

Swipe/Scroll

1958

Heinz Abbelen founded the family butcher’s shop

1969

The Heinz Abbelen meat product factory develops from the family butcher’s shop

1976

Due to increasing demand, production capacity is increased to 630 sq. m

1986

Sons Jörg and Klaus Abbelen take over management of the company

2000

Production capacity increases by a further 10,000 sq. m thanks to a new building

2017

Abbelen now has a production area of more than 15,000 sq. m and becomes part of More than Meals S.à.r.l.

2018

Dr Dirk Gloy becomes the new CEO of Abbelen

2019

Michael Boy joins management as CFO (chief financial officer)

Growth through performance – Insight and innovation is at the heart of Oscar Mayer’s success

The United Kingdom is one of the largest buyers of chilled prepared meals on the European market. With the capacity to produce more than three million products per week, Oscar Mayer Limited is one of the leading specialists in this sector.

Three state-of-the-art sites in Wales and England, around 2,650 employees create and develop innovative convenience products for the private-label ranges of the largest British food retail chains. Their aim is to offer their customers real added value with top quality and outstanding service – today and in the future.

Top quality and innovation are not the only factors that make Oscar Mayer the market leader in the chilled ready-meals category. Having the right feel for trends and especially for customer needs along with a good measure of passion are essential parts of the recipe for success, a recipe that Oscar Mayer has held since it was established as a family company in 1935.

£330 million annual turnover

Focused product range and cost leadership

Insight driven innovation

Manufacturing over 20% of the UK ready meal category

Website

Oscar Mayer

All the natural taste

Brands of Oscar Mayer

Full of flavour: El Loco Cantina a collection of familiar street food inspired Mexican recipes an flavours.

Brands of Oscar Mayer

Healthy and delicious: Fit&Prepd delivers nutrient packed meals through modernised familiar recipes and natural freshness in distinction packaging.

Development of Oscar Mayer

Swipe/Scroll

1935

The Bigwood family open their first butcher shop in South London

1955

A factory in Camberwell is acquired to support the move into food manufacturing from retail with cooked meats and sausage

1965

Construction of the Peckham Factory

1980

John Bigwood becomes Chief Executive

1983

Acquisition of the Chard site

1992

Chard site

1993

Acquisition of Ferndale Foods (Ready Meals)

1996

Acquisition of Corsham

1999

Acquisition of Devizes

2000

Acquisition of Bexhill

2001

Acquisition of Rowan Foods (Ready Meals)

2003

Sale of cooked meats and sausage business to Danish Crown

2013

Millfield

2017

Future succession of the business is secured as Oscar Mayer become part of the More Than Meals group