Company anniversary

It was on 20^th September of this year that we were able to celebrate the 85^th year of our company's existence together with both the active and former members of our staff. In our day and time this is no longer a self-understood event for a third generation family-run and managed company. A constantly growing number of customers and rising sales figures show us that the adherence to our premium quality philosophy and top service performance are positively accepted and highly appreciated by our customers. Our heart-felt thanks goes to all of you for your good and trustful cooperation which has often been practiced for many decades already.

Energy costs

Despite the fact that petrol and mineral oil prices are presently on a low level, the costs for the supply of electricity have recently gone up to an extremely high level. As a matter of fact the entire spice industry has to fight a hard struggle against these enormous electricity costs. In the light of this information it is then indeed quite surprising to note that ground spice products are sometimes offered for markedly lower prices than the unground raw substances. When looked at it from the business management point of view, this is actually a negative value added development. In this respect we would suggest that you ask your suppliers to let you have a comparison between their prices for ground spices on the one hand and the unground product on the other hand, just to be on the safe side.

IFS and Environment Management

Once again we were certified under the IFS, i. e. the International Food Standard, higher level. And in addition our Environment Management was equally successfully certified under the DIN EN ISO 14001 standard once again.

Food Information Regulation (FIR)

The Food Information Regulation (FIR) came into force and effect on 12. December 2011 and is valid and effective from 13. December 2014. “This regulation is the basis which guarantees a high degree of customer protection in so far as it contains information concerning foodstuffs and takes account of the varying expectations which individual customers have, and as it also meets their different needs and levels of information, while at the same time ensuring the smooth working of the Single European Market.” (Art. 1 FIR – Reg. (EU) 1169/2011). We have already implemented the necessary changes: the clearly marked indication of allergens in spice blends in the list or ingredients on

the product label and the permanent use of the minimum size of the written information on the product packing.

Information on nutritional values

According to the provisions of the FIR spices, spice blends and herbs are expressly exempt from the requirement of the indication of nutritional values (Annex V to FIR).

Pepper

The price for pepper has meanwhile come to a historical peak. While the average price of black and white pepper twenty years ago (which was still the DM era) was equal to a converted amount of 3,44 EUR/kg, we have meanwhile arrived at an average price of 11,52 EUR/kg in December of 2014. This means an increase of approximately 335 %. We shall have to wait and see whether the new crop will ease and lower these prices. At long last it is not even certain either whether the fresh products coming from all pepper-growing countries will actually fully meet the requirements of the governing food product legislation. Although general expectations are that the price will go down in March, it is not yet possible to come out with a statement concerning the potential percentage by which these prices will actually go down. As a matter of fact it has been for quite a number of years that the formula of “a good harvest = reduction of prices” has no longer proved to be true.

Assortment of products

We are in a constant process of expanding our already wide range of products. If you visit our homepage you will be able to get some interesting information concerning extraordinary culinary variety of our products. It will, of course, also be a pleasure for us to develop new formulas together with you in order to meet your specific individual needs. It goes without saying that we guarantee absolute confidentiality.

At the end of the year

we thank you sincerely for the trustfulness and your fruitful cooperation with us. We wish you a joyful and blessed Christmas and a good, peaceful, healthy and successful New Year. We are looking forward to continuing the good and trust-based cooperation which we have with you.


Yours sincerely

Wilhelm Schulze
The Family of Monika, Karola and Wolfgang Schulze