The Oetker group of family-owned businesses is undergoing a management reshuffle, which will effectively see the appointment of new heads of the food and beverages divisions.
The changes revolve around Dr Albert Christmann, who from 1 May will step down as the “general partner” of Dr August Oetker KG and from the group management team of the Oetker Group.
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Christmann will also relinquish his position as chairman of the executive board of Dr August Oetker Nahrungsmittel KG.
Dr August Oetker KG is the holding company of the Oetker Group, which includes three business divisions: food; beer and non-alcoholic beverages; and hotels and “other interests”.
In turn, the key part of the food division revolves around Dr August Oetker Nahrungsmittel, which includes the frozen pizza brand of the same name and a range of home baking products, as well as the Chicago Town pizza brand.
The food division also includes the Coppenrath & Wiese confectionery unit, which produces frozen cakes and pies mainly for the German market.
From 1 May, Carl Oetker, the great-great-grandson of the Germany-based company’s founder Dr August Oetker, will replace Christmann as executive board chair.
In that position, his oversight will include group strategy and M&A, as well as being “coach” for the Dr Oetker operations in the Netherlands, Belgium and Luxembourg.
Carl Oetker will also succeed Christmann as general partner of Dr August Oetker KG and assume responsibility for the food division within the Oetker Group.
Meanwhile, Dr Niels Lorenz joins the group management team and will also oversee the beer and non-alcoholic beverages business unit operated by Oetker’s Radeberger Gruppe.
Since 2020, Lorenz has sat on the advisory board at Radeberger Gruppe and also on the supervisory board of Flaschenpost, the company’s drinks and grocery delivery business. He will become chairman of those two groups from 1 May.
The Radeberger brewery group includes brands such as Radeberger Pilsner, Jever and Schöfferhofer Weizen, as well as the Selters mineral water brand.
