Responsibility for people and nature
This is the guiding principle of our family business. We have a tradition of acting and operating with a long-term focus and treating people and nature with respect – for four generations!
In 2011, the Voelkel family turned the company into a foundation whose primary goal is to promote ecological, economic and social sustainability.
Since then, 90% of profits have been reinvested in the company for sustainable growth, for example in energy-efficient systems or jobs. The remaining 10% is allocated to projects for the common good in accordance with the company’s statutes. We are particularly committed to the preservation of biodiversity, organic seed breeding and the cultivation of open-pollinated vegetable varieties.
In 2022, our company was assessed according to the guidelines of the Economy for the Common Good (ECG) for the second time – and achieved with 663 points one of the best results in the history of the ECG for companies with more than 250 employees.
„I wanted to ensure that the fundamental idea of my grandparents and my father was preserved.“
Stefan Voelkel
Four generations of juice tradition
From the very beginning, the name Voelkel stands for the production of premium fruit and vegetable juices in certified organic and Demeter quality.
Long before the first organic grocery shops opened, the founding couple Margret and Karl Voelkel focussed on organic and especially biodynamic farming, which was still in its early stages at the time. With the same passion for traditional craftsmanship, the diversity of nature and holistic biodynamic agriculture, our high-quality natural food juices are still produced today – in traditional Voelkel quality.
„The ripe fruit was lying on the ground in the neighbourhood gardens. That’s when Margret and Karl bought a mobile juicer.“
From ‘Höhbeck. Memoirs of the settlers Karl and Margret Voelkel’
1919
Margret and Karl get to know each other through the Wandervogel movement and start to cultivate an old orchard near Pevestorf with a group of like-minded people.
After a few years, they all left the poor Höhbeck again – all except Margret and Karl.
1936
Official operating licence for the Voelkel contract juicery, after Margret and Karl had already been processing orchard fruit into juice for several years with the mobile juicer, the ‘Mostmax’.
1950
Under the management of Harm Voelkel, the company joins the Demeter-Association.
1980
Stefan Voelkel takes over the company from his father and significantly expands the product portfolio.
You can find our current product portfolio here..
2011
The Voelkel Foundation is established. This ensures that 90% of the profits flow back into the company and the remaining 10% is used for charitable purposes.
2017
The management of Voelkel GmbH is shared between Stefan Voelkel and his sons Jakob, Boris and Jurek as well as Christian Harder.
2020
Voelkel is one of the first companies in Germany to adopt the principles of the Economy for the Common Good.
2021
A new cleaning system for returnable bottles is put into operation. This ensures water and energy savings of 50%.
More about sustainability in our production
The Future
With the right mix of tradition and innovation, we want to continue to make juice in a way that benefits everyone.