Criticism of Klöckner

Animals are nature. So are we humans. Photo: Pixabay for © Pexels, 2019;

In a press release dated December 11, 2019, Federal Agriculture Minister Julia Klöckner speaks of "many improvements in the livestock sector". In the Animal Welfare Report 2015 - 2018 of the Federal Ministry of Food and Agriculture (BMEL), the individual points were simultaneously made public.

While the author of the report wants to identify an attitude "with which concrete measures the Federal Government is contributing to an improvement in the situation of farm animals, pets and laboratory animals", the German Animal Welfare Association (Deutscher Tierschutzbund e.V.) and we see the current situation as less rosy.

Kick-off

A large part of the press release is devoted to the killing of chicks, the efforts to achieve animal welfare labelling and the problems involved in implementing animal welfare standards in Germany. "If we want to prevent our agricultural production from migrating abroad and being produced there under conditions over which we have little influence, we need European regulations", said the Federal Minister of Agriculture.

Measurable confidence

After more than four decades of our own experience in the food sector as a specialist wholesaler for food packaging, we no longer trust certificates, seals or documents. In our Code of Conduct of 25 October 2017, we have clearly stated our position.

We therefore much prefer to trust the so-called Animal Welfare Label of the German Animal Welfare Association (Deutscher Tierschutzbund e.V.), which, according to our own research, is the only one that does not list any interpretable criteria for the applicants' evidence and is therefore measurable and serious in this respect. "All the others speak constantly in the subjunctive: would, had, could, if possible, if feasible ... then it can be left as it is", comments Ingo H. Klett, Head of Corporate Communications at WEBER Packaging GmbH.

Contents

Die wichtigsten Punkte des Tierschutzberichts für den Zeitraum 2015 - 2018 sind …

• the termination of non-curative interventions in animals

• the prevention of slaughter of highly pregnant animals (note: why pregnant animals at all?!?) the introduction of a voluntary (note: Ooops ... Fehlerteufel, dear BMEL. Back to the beginning again!) state animal welfare label the promotion of animal welfare at national and EU level to prevent distortions of competition

• the determination of the sex of chicks already in the egg

• the work of the State Secretary Committee for Animal Welfare specifically on laying hens and piglets

• the keeping of sows in crates, which has to be reduced in time (note: why at all in this confinement ...?)

• the implementation of coalition agreements on animal welfare

We invite you to use the commentary function on our official Facebook company page or right here afterwards to discuss the topics that interest you, to exchange ideas, to reflect, to philosophize and, ideally, to work constructively on solution-oriented answers that simplify your everyday business life and provide even more clarity for your customers and end users.

#unbreakingnews

Just as the constructively working editorial offices we support with a subscription each for solution-oriented, purely member-funded, ad-free and therefore truly independent journalism - Correctiv, Krautreporter, Perspective Daily and The Correspondent - set an example for us, we as the Corporate Communications department of WEBER Packaging GmbH also assume that, even with the greatest effort, there can be no purely objective reporting due to the very individual personal development and origins of the authors and editors.

Open. Honest. Honest.

In the spirit of a living culture of transparency, we are therefore happy to disclose to you at any time what connections we have or to whom our authors may feel obligated: as a trading company, for example, we enjoy the great privilege of not being obligated to anyone in the end and thus always being able to achieve the optimum for our clientele.

Ingo H. Klett – the author of this post – is a freelance public relations and visual artist, but does not represent the interests of any lobby groups.

What luck

Office dog Tass with his toy bear. Photo: © WEBER Packaging GmbH, 2019

Galgo male Tass now enjoys his life

Sincere luck - in the end, three had that. Because when Tass from Spain, a dog from a German-Spanish animal protection project, moved into the house of the Elke and Michael Weber family in the Zabergäu, he was of course happy and soon after that our whole team was happy too.

In December 2018 Michael and Elke Weber had adopted the Galgo male of Spanish origin. According to the information of the Tierschutz Spanien e.V., he listened to the name Tass and at that time he was 2 years old and 65 centimetres "tall" - from floor to shoulder. He was tested negative for the infectious disease leishmaniasis, which can be found regularly in dogs in southern European regions.

Already from April 2018 on, the animal welfare association looked for a suitable home for him. However, before this was to happen, he spent some time in a foster home near Schwäbisch Hall. Tolerated with cats...

Characteristic features

...but he still has some very nice ones. For example, our cup is very human. An affectionate family dog, with whom even sighthound newcomers can get along well. Gudrun Sauter, the 1st chairwoman of the animal protection association, who was responsible for the mediation, described him as loving and balanced.

We took Tass out of the perrera in a pitiful state at the beginning of April. He was completely emaciated and very weak. One of our foster homes took him into their home and nursed him back to health. After a few weeks he was well again.

– Gudrun Sauter –

From 18 August 2018 Tass lived at his foster home in a larger group with other sighthounds. Rather reservedly one would not have to ask him twice to play or run. Outside he was also friendly to small dogs.

In the office we experience Tass meanwhile as very affectionate and obedient. He wants to please us humans and - as affectionate and friendly as he is - he also deals well with children who visit us occasionally.

Elke Weber: "Living in the house with us does not cause Tass any difficulties. As Mrs Sauter wrote to us at the time, he was house-trained from day one. Tass loves to be outside, runs excellently on a leash and loves to jump on the meadow or in the garden.

have they gotten onto the dog now, too?

Then you should know that Gudrun Sauter has the official permission according to paragraph 11 of the Animal Welfare Act for the mediation, trade, keeping, care, accommodation and import as well as for the movement and training of animals.

So if you are also interested in a dog, then you should first look around in the animal shelters - the German Animal Welfare Association is calling for this on the occasion of tomorrow's meeting.

World Dog Day 2019

...on. About 75,000 dogs are taken in every year in the 550 animal shelters affiliated to the German Animal Welfare Association and then wait longingly for a new loving home. In contrast to the adoption of a local animal shelter dog, the anonymous purchase of dogs via the Internet is dangerous. A dog from the animal protection is special and a valuable unique specimen," says Miriam Holbach, specialist for animal homes at the German Animal Welfare Association. And Tass' master explains it like this:

It is love.

– Michael Weber –

For this very reason, animal rights activists warn against buying dogs on the Internet, because interested parties usually can neither verify the identity of the dealer nor the previous history of the animal. But with the campaign...

Animal shelters help. Help animal shelters!

...the German Animal Welfare Association draws attention to the valuable work of the animal shelters and the uniqueness of the shelter animals in time for World Dog Day tomorrow, 10 October. Over 740 animal protection associations with about 550 club-owned animal homes are affiliated to the umbrella organisation.

Tass would appreciate your understanding.

A motif of the campaign. Photo: Tomaso Rodriguez for © Deutscher Tierschutzbund e.V., 2019

südback 2019: Green spokesman praises WEBER's commitment to sustainability

Martin Grath, MdL – Biobäcker und landtagspolitischer Sprecher der Grünen in Baden-Württemberg.
Foto: © Martin Grath, 2019

Stuttgart, 21.09.2019 (wbp): südback 2019 – the most important event for bakers and confectioners in the German-speaking countries – opened its doors today. During the official opening tour, Green Party spokesperson Martin Grath praised the sustainable actions of WEBER Packaging GmbH from Güglingen.

After an opening ceremony in the morning, shortly before 11:00 a.m. (CET), a group of around 30 people accompanied by the Württemberg pretzel queen and princess visited WEBER Packaging GmbH at the exhibition stand on their official tour.

Led by State Secretary Friedlinde Gurr-Hirsch, MdL – from the Ministry for Rural Areas and Consumer Protection - were followed by Martin Grath, MdL – organic baker from Heidenheim and spokesman for the Greens in the state parliament, Martin Reinhard – state guild master in the state guild association for the Württemberg bakery trade (Landesinnungsverband für das Württembergische Bäckerhandwerk e.V.) and Ulrich Kromer von Baerle, spokesman for the management of Messe Stuttgart.

Positive contribution to the climate crisis

After a short welcome by Stephan Weber, the Managing Director Sales of WEBER Packaging GmbH, during the coffee roasting, they started talking about the up to 75 percent CO² savings through the use of grass or hay as raw material in the so-called grass paper cup..

Compared to the substituted wood content, hay is processed into a raw material almost entirely without water (< 1 litre H²O per 1,000 kg of raw material) and without any chemicals or the energy input previously associated with them. WEBER press spokesman Ingo H. Klett:

"According to my research, our cups from the new grass-paper mix are currently the most sustainable outdoor coffee cups ever.

Compared to the substituted wood content, hay is processed into a raw material almost entirely without water (< 1 litre H²O per 1,000 kg of raw material) and without any chemicals or the energy input previously associated with them. WEBER press spokesman Ingo H. Klett:

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From left to right: Martin Reinhard, State Guild Master of the State Guild Association for the Württemberg Bakery Trade; Friedlinde Gurr-Hirsch, MdL - Parliamentary State Secretary in the Ministry for Rural Areas and Consumer Protection; Ulrich Kromer von Baerle, Speaker of the Management Board of Messe Stuttgart; Stephan Weber, Managing Director Sales of WEBER Packaging GmbH; Photo: Ingo H. Klett for © WEBER Packaging GmbH, 2019

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This must stop immediately

Martin Grath from Heidenheim, spokesman for the Greens in the state parliament, MdL and organic baker Martin Grath from Heidenheim, liked not only the grass paper cup but above all Stephan Weber's message to make a targeted contribution against the wastefulness of food with optimal food packaging. In addition Grath:

"In Vienna, as much bread is thrown away daily as is produced in Graz."

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v.l.n.r.: Biobäcker und Grünen-Sprecher Martin Grath, MdL; Ulrich Kromer von Baerle, Sprecher der Geschäftsführung der Messe Stuttgart; Stephan Weber, Geschäftsführer Vertrieb der WEBER Packaging GmbH; Friedlinde Gurr-Hirsch, MdL – Parlamentarische Staatssekretärin im Ministerium für Ländlichen Raum und Verbraucherschutz; Martin Reinhard, Landesinnungsmeister des Landesinnungsverbands für das Württembergische Bäckerhandwerk e. V.; Foto: Ingo H. Klett für die © WEBER Packaging GmbH, 2019

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EDEKA does without cucumber foil

EDEKA does not use plastic for all cucumbers. The new packaging strategy independent of this is based on the three pillars of reduction, reusable and recycling. Photo: © obs/EDEKA ZENTRALE AG & Co. KG/EDEKA / Christian Schmid, 2019

EDEKA now offers all cucumbers only unpackaged, saving 94 tons of plastic per year. This applies to all conventional and organic cucumbers, which are centrally purchased by EDEKA Fruchtkontor and delivered to the retail trade.

Tomatoes are also increasingly being sold in bulk or in cardboard trays instead of plastic in EDEKA stores. But not only for fruit and vegetables, but across the entire private label range, the EDEKA network optimises all products with regard to their packaging.

"We use three levers: "Where possible, we avoid plastic. At the same time, we promote reusable solutions and, thirdly, increase the proportion of recycled materials.

...says Markus Mosa, chairman of the board of the EDEKA headquarters. "But we also want to raise awareness of the fact that every individual has a choice when it comes to purchasing." With this objective, EDEKA launched a umfangreiche Informationsoffensive, to promote the use of environmentally friendly alternatives among consumers.

Under the motto "unpackaged", EDEKA is bringing the topic of plastic packaging into focus on all channels. Until the end of September, the three EDEKA strategies reduction, reusable and recycling will be presented using concrete product examples. Even with unconventional means - such as the new Online-Video "unverpackt", das seit dem Launch bei EDEKA auf YouTube und Facebook für Aufmerksamkeit sorgt. 

Cucumbers completely unveiled

The dealer's interim balance sheet is impressive: EDEKA currently has the lowest plastic quota in the fruit and vegetable departments and already offers more than half of this range without plastic packaging. This is the result of a market check* by the consumer advice centres in May 2019. And this quota is set to fall further: with immediate effect, EDEKA Fruchtkontor, which supplies fruit and vegetables to retailers throughout Germany, is completely dispensing with the plastic film used to shrink-wrap some of its cucumbers.

EDEKA has also created facts for other high-turnover products: For example, 5.4 million plastic trays are replaced by cardboard trays for truss tomatoes alone every year. Another example: By marking many fruits and vegetables with labels or laser printing (smart branding), around 50 tons of plastic can be saved per year. 

Reusable!

EDEKA also ensures less plastic waste with reusable products. Reusable nets are offered as an alternative to the thin plastic bags for fruit and vegetables. In three and a half years, EDEKA has already saved over 100 million conventional knot bags.

Reusable boxes or tray solutions are also becoming more and more common at the fresh food counters for meat and sausages. In the Büsum pilot market EDEKA Jensen alone, more than 2,000 of the refillable cans are already in circulation. Already established for a long time in almost all markets of the EDEKA network: resource-saving reusable systems for beverages, especially for reusable glass bottles from regional bottlers. 

A third element in the reduction of packaging waste is the reuse of recyclable materials. The EDEKA network works consistently to increase the proportion of recycled materials in the packaging of its own-brand products. For example, the orange juice bottles of its own brand GUT&GÜNSTIG now have a recycled plastic content of 50 percent, which saves 87 tons of new plastic per year.

Natural fibres that you see and feel

Foto: WEBER Packaging GmbH für © EDEKA Dirnberger, 2019

The new version of the grass paper cup introduced by WEBER Packaging GmbH back in 2018 has unique visual and tactile features which clearly draw attention to its grass content. Currently probably the most sustainable disposable cup in the world, this is the ideal solution wherever reusable systems do not achieve a positive eco-balance.

"We are aware that reusable systems are currently on everyone's lips," says Managing Director Sales, Stephan Weber. Nevertheless, the Swabian family business offers a new type of disposable cup: the so-called grass paper cup.

"This is something that needs to be explained," comments Ingo H. Klett, one of currently almost 230 coffeologists worldwide. It is important to the former full-time freelance journalist that no so-called greenwashing is carried out within the framework of WEBER Corporate Communications, for which he has been responsible since 2011: "For example by glossing over or glorifying problematic things. On the contrary.

Benefit- before profit maximization

The last time the management took up the flag as its highest maxim was in October 2017, it is remarkable. "For us, maximizing benefits comes before maximizing profits," says Stephan Weber and adds: "Of course, like any other business enterprise, we too must make corresponding profits. But the causality is exactly the other way round. This is now confirmed by many studies in the natural sciences. What this means in everyday business is now clear to the entire workforce. Last but not least, both Weber brothers set an example themselves on a daily basis: whoever offers a benefit to third parties automatically makes a profit.

In comparison

If a small café in the countryside can count on a 70 to 90 percent return rate with regard to a reusable system, this is a good thing. Also finds WEBER. But for a customer with around 120 branches in high-frequency locations and a return rate of less than 30 percent, the bill would look very different:

Around 9,600 to 12,800 double-walled cups, each with a capacity of 0.2 or 0.3 litres, fit on a Euro pallet. They are thin-walled, lightweight and stackable. "Just imagine the same number of returnable cups or even travel mugs in terms of volume", comments Heiko Burk from WEBER Logistik on the illustrative example: "Without going into the significantly higher energy, water and CO² consumption in their production, the combined transport weights, space consumption and the significantly higher logistics costs alone are probably responsible for several truckloads. If not nearly every returnable cup returns to the point of issue, it will be damn difficult to achieve a positive ecological balance.

For many users, the grey area is also a powerful argument that officially still no used packaging is allowed to be taken by guests over a counter into a shop and come into contact with something there. For all of them, such an implementation with reusable cups for hygienic reasons is not possible per se.

Climate-friendly proportion of grass

The grass-paper cup jumps - as currently probably the most sustainable coffee to go cup of all - right into this niche. Because the outer wall of the double wall consists of a high proportion of grass, the same amount of the formerly used raw material wood can be saved as a very slowly growing raw material. This is equivalent to a saving of 75 percent of the previous CO² emissions. The inclusions of these natural fibres are clearly visible and tangible in the new version.

global warming

Mare editor-in-chief Nikolaus Gelpke, who had already made a name for himself as a marine biologist years before his editorial work, argues that the entry of plastics into the world's oceans is currently too much in the media focus. The fact itself is "terrible", he says, but there are three other parameters that would cause even greater damage to nature and the environment. First and foremost are the much-cited CO² emissions:

"We cannot, of course, determine with 100 percent accuracy the factors that most damage our life on Earth. But the fact that a correspondingly high and at the same time unpredictable impact on our atmosphere and environment takes place - in this respect, the much-cited CO² emissions certainly promote the most lastingly damaging processes. In my opinion, the next point that would come immediately after this would be the overfishing of the world's oceans.

Rapidly renewable raw material

Currently, only one company produces the raw material for the paper mix known as grass paper, Creapaper GmbH from Hennef. Its managing director, Uwe D'Agnone, is already well-known within the paper industry like a colorful dog. Several paper mills work with the so-called GRASPAP® Pellets as raw material.

The grass for this comes from EU compensation areas, he says. The hay from this is then pressed purely mechanically and without the addition of water and chemicals, greatly reduced in volume, to produce the very pellets that are marketed at the end of the process under the brand name GRASPAP®.

Lifestyle accessory with a positive aura

Whether in the social media or in direct contact with the end consumer: the grass paper cup is popular. Duje Dadic, owner of the coffee roasting company Dylan & Harper in Wiesbaden: "We were virtually overrun after we made the grass paper cup famous." This is certainly not least due to the designer Marina Brockhoff, who gave the new Ecocup its high-quality design.

The cup design is available in German and English. Around a centrally placed calligraphy, small fresh blades of grass subtly painted with artists' colours can be seen in various shades of green.

Technical facts about grass paper

The outer wall of the grass paper cup in particular is made of the much-cited grass paper. Its paper mix currently has a grass content of around 25 percent.

Some of the paper mills known to WEBER Packaging GmbH are already working with grass content of up to 50 percent in their paper mix for other products. But not in the coffee to go cup. Here WEBER Packaging GmbH still sees a need for improvement on the part of the paper industry.

At the moment, a maximum of 50 percent grass in the total paper mix is regarded as the maximum possible to prevent the paper pulp from tearing during processing or later. For Uwe D'Agnone and the paper mills he supplies, the first priority is therefore constant research into a paper mix that does not break or tear from waste paper and/or virgin fibres in combination with the aforem.

The myth of compostability

Labeled as "biodegradable", the grass paper cup, like so many other packaging materials, quickly gives the impression that it would be safe in private compost under any conditions. This is by no means the case. The EU standard 13432, which defines the circumstances in more detail, is subject to conditions that only industrial composting plants in this country could meet when composting. However, if, like the team at WEBER Packaging GmbH, one looks for such possibilities, disillusionment very quickly sets in. Not a single plant has yet been found which offers the long rotting times required to compost the material properly at certain temperatures, humidity levels and with appropriate mechanical processing and regular repositioning. In conclusion, the only remaining route is thermal recycling, i.e. waste incineration.

Nevertheless, WEBER product management clearly favours its grass paper cup as the optimum: the mentioned savings in its production alone justify its special position.

User-oriented solution

The grass paper cup is available in two sizes. In addition to numerous regular lid variants, there are also those made of a bio-polymer (PLA) available for it, which are marked as "compostable". Here too, the team at WEBER Packaging GmbH explicitly points out once again that only individual waste management companies in individual regions could recycle a material such as PLA, if at all. Consumers are therefore urged to inform themselves about local waste management systems. A special search engine for this purpose has been set up by the Nature Conservation Association of Germany.

Easter. Eggs. Omelet.

Hier kocht der Chef selbst. Foto: © WEBER Packaging GmbH, 2019

Egg omelette for the team

YUMMIE! … That was a surprise today on Maundy Thursday…

One of our two chefs swung the wooden spoon for us this morning. To find out in detail what was available for us and which job descriptions as our future employees will also be able to enjoy such surprises - if you apply for one of our two current vacancies - you can read [ here ].

Hof & Markt reports

Die Webversion der Publikation Hof & Markt aus Österreich. Screenshot: © WEBER Packaging GmbH, 2019

Cooperation objective and article topic: Sustainability

In issue no. 2 / 2019 the Austrian trade journal Hof & Markt on page 28 an editorial contribution to our current cooperation with KOMET Maschinenfabrik GmbH.

Specifically, it is about our sealable WEBAseal Holzstoff Menu trays that are made from renewable raw materials.

profit before benefit

"Bück Dich Hoch" aus dem Album "Befehl von ganz unten" der Formation © DEICHKIND, 2016

Hump up!?

Not with us. We live a benefit before profit maximization as the highest maxim of our actions, which is not least also part of our fixed code of conduct.

But we always have as much fun as the Deichkind formation.

Have a nice weekend :-)

What do you want to read!?

A screenshot of the current appearance of WEBER on MEDIUM. Fashion photography: Christina Kapl Photography for © WEBER Packaging GmbH, 2018

Your personal feedback

...is the most important criterion for us when developing, researching and preparing editorial content. That's why we would love to find out what drives you and what excites you in the area of food packaging and waste management.

What do you want to read!?

On the journalistic platform MEDIUM, which sees itself as a provider of #unbreakingnews - and thus relies on slow, deeply researched reporting - we feel comfortable. We hope you'll forgive us for the fact that we're only in English at the beginning.

Now you can criticize :-)

About any kind of feedback – by clicking on his following full name – is pleased to send your

Ingo H. Klett
Head of Corporate Communications
WEBER Packaging GmbH

PACKAGING.IDEAS.BOTH.

Grass paper cup in the barista 2019 annual magazine

Eine Seite aus der aktuellen fizzz barista Jahrespublikation 2019. Copyright: Meininger Verlag GmbH, 2019

Better cups

Reusable instead of disposable. 320,000 disposable coffee cups are used by the Germans per hour. A huge "garbage mountain to go", which is now being fought.

Meininger Verlag GmbH, for example, announces on the homepage of its fizzz magazine the article that currently also reports on our grass paper cup.

Read here full article - PDF

Exclusive reporting

Grafik: Ingo H. Klett für die © WEBER Packaging GmbH, 2019

DHBW student Noemi Gerhäusser recently travelled to Central America for several weeks and reported – from Andrés Quintanilla Bellucci's coffee farm in the Departamento San Miguel in El Salvador – exclusively for us here in the WEBER news blog.

You can find the individual blog posts either by scrolling or by a specific search using the tag 'El Salvador' especially here in the news blog.

See now in your last blog post the original English-language or the additionally in German subtitled video post!

One last Interview

Andrés und ich nach unserem „Farmers Talk“. Foto: © WEBER Packaging GmbH, 2019

My travel report

9. Teil – Farmers Talk mit Andrés Quintanilla 

At the end of my time in El Salvador, I interviewed coffee farmer Andrés Quintanilla from the Departamento San Miguel and asked him the questions that the readers of the blog series about my stay in El Salvador had previously written to me.

But you can see for yourself...

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Mein Interview mit deutschen Untertiteln

FRAGEN WIR ANDRÈS…

Ein Videoclip der © WEBER Packaging GmbH, 2019

My original interview in English language

ASKING ANDRÈS…

Ein Videoclip der © WEBER Packaging GmbH, 2019

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Closing words

I would like to thank everyone from the bottom of my heart who made this exciting time possible for me. First of all, my dual partner, WEBER Packaging GmbH, who gave me time off; the Quintanilla family, who welcomed me so warmly into their family and thus gave me a second home; and Doctor Schwarz, who established contact with Andrés Quintanilla.

Internorga 2019

Neue Messe Hamburg. Photo: © Hamburg Fair and Congress / H. G. Esch, Ingenhoven Architects, 2019

An established concept for bakeries and two application innovations

From Friday to Tuesday, 15th to 19th March from 10:00 to 18:00 (CET), we, WEBER Packaging GmbH, will be presenting a total of three new applications in Hall B6 at Stand 523 and at two other exhibition stands Internorga 2019 vor.

The 93rd International Trade Fair for Hotels, Gastronomy, Bakeries and Confectionery, organised by Hamburg Messe und Congress GmbH, is the presentation area for the DEHOGA regional associations of Hamburg, Schleswig-Holstein, Bremen, Lower Saxony, Lippe and Saxony-Anhalt.

On around 100,000 m² in the halls and outdoors, 1,300 exhibitors from around 25 countries were recently accommodated. Perhaps this time the more than 95,000 visitors to date will be topped over the hundred thousand mark.

The stand concept for the WEBAroast Rundum-Sorglos-Paket. Photo: © WEBER Packaging GmbH, 2018

MY BAKERY. MY COFFEE. MY BRAND.

Prominently positioned in Hall B6 - the exhibition area especially for bakeries - we, WEBER Packaging GmbH, will be exhibiting at Stand No. 523, alongside the compostable grass-paper cup, probably the most sustainable Coee to go Cup of all, and our self-developed all-round carefree package for the self-roasting of speciality coffees. The concept, which has been successfully established as WEBAroast business unit for years, now offers many bakeries a practical opportunity to acquire their own revenue-generating coffee brand and to offer it both on the counter and on the shelves.

The heat or cold delivering Fire & Ice model from the Culinario series. Picture: © Beer Grill AG, 2019

HOT AND COLD FROM THE SB-SHELF

Together with the Beer Grill AG – a Swiss company with a long tradition of manufacturing equipment and systems for the preparation and presentation of food in the sales area - our Managing Director Sales, Stephan Weber, has been working on a new solution for the mobilization of food* in the grave-and-go area, which is now being presented to a larger audience for the first time.

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"With our food packaging specially adapted to the hot and cold shelf systems of Beer Grill AG, we stage the classic snack as a snack offer in a completely new way. – Stephan Weber

Die im schweizerisch Villmergen beheimatete Firma freut sich über die symbiotische Kooperation mit den Güglingern, die nicht zuletzt auch dem kybernetischem Denken und Handeln der Schwaben entspricht.

"As the supreme maxim of our actions, on October 25, 2017, our management adopted a code of conduct (engl.: code of conduct) which clearly places the maximisation of benefits before the maximisation of profits. Of course we too must make a profit in order to be able to do business. But we are rethinking the cause-and-effect relationship," explains company spokesman Ingo H. Klett, who as a long-standing employee is also passionately committed to business development.

Vulcano is the name of the climate-friendly sales showcase, whose clever technology can be visited and viewed at booth no. 210 in hall A3.

RapidPac Siegelgerät. Foto: © KOMET Maschinenfabrik GmbH, 2019

NEW MATERIALS FOR WOOD PULP SEALING

As the third trade fair highlight, we will be showing together with der KOMET Maschinenfabrik GmbH from Plochingen in hall A4 on stand no. 112 new possibilities for sealing Holzstoff-Menüschalen. Especially through the use of new materials, food products can now also be packaged using so-called drawer units from the RapidPac series or with the aid of large, individually placeable machines.

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FURTHER INFORMATION ON THE NETWORK

• www.beergrill.com

• www.weber-packaging.de/webaroast

• www.internorga.com/fuer-journalisten

• www.vakuumverpacken.de (KOMET Maschinenfabrik GmbH)

PACKAGING. IDEAS. BOTH.

We, WEBER Packaging GmbH, have been developing, designing, supplying and selling packaging and packaging solutions for the food* industry since 1972. Coffee-Tech Engineering Ltd. for the Solar Shop Roaster and the Avirnaki Smoke Eliminator.

On the occasion of the World of Coffee Nice 2013 we received an award as 'Highly Commended – Best In-Store Product or Service' in the 'New Product of the Show Awards' for our completely new roasting concept for self-roasting selected speciality coffees.

With our commitment to the coffee business – the second largest world trade market after mineral oil – we emphatically underscore our claim to continue our success story as a think tank and competence centre for user-specific sales concepts for food products.

Today, our discerning clientele includes around 80 percent of the food retail trade (LEH) as well as many successful customers from the entire European food industry. Among them are numerous innovative bakeries, butchers, entrepreneurs, start-ups, amusement parks and food trucks, the catering trade, coffee shops, delicatessen shops and food producers.

LEBENS-MITTEL

*) We deliberately do not write 'food' according to the Duden, thus following the example of the Herrmannsdorf agricultural workshops founded by bio-pioneer Karl Ludwig Schweisfurth in Glonn near Munich. These workshops communicate the begrivor in such an unusual way in order to point out the unconditional value of our food.

EDEKA AURACHER WINS!

Der Preis. Foto: Ingo H. Klett für die © WEBER Packaging GmbH, 2019

Congratulations!

Our compliments go to Mr Thomas Auracher for the achieved Goldenen Apfel 2019 for his outstanding performance in the fruit and vegetable department of the Edeka Aurach branch in Brackenheim

Concealed in the background: Our established WEBApouch fruit and vegetable bag dispenser system.

Last discovered by Ingo H. Klett (Foto) for © WEBER Packaging GmbH, 2019

La Finca Hamburgo, Mexico

Ein Teil der Finca Hamburgo. Foto: © WEBER Packaging GmbH, 2019

                                                            My travel report

8. Teil – Three days visiting Mexico

Since our host, coffee farmer Andrés Quintanilla, had to travel to Colombia for three days on business, we were allowed to spend three days in Mexico at the Finca Hamburgo. The Finca is managed by the Edelmann family and also produces for Amarella Trading e.K. Green coffee.

The finca The area is a small village with about 500 hectares. Besides the coffee fields there is a carpenter, a doctor, a restaurant and a hotel. Furthermore, the finca provides houses for the approximately 300 employees. Like Andrés, the family attaches great importance to avoiding pesticides and thus provides a habitat for many insects.

THE FINCA

The eldest son of the family, Bruno Edelmann, guided us around the farm and told us that during the harvest 400 to 500 pickers are employed! He also told us that the coffee is not only exported to Europe, Japan and the USA, but that the family also runs three coffee stores in Mexico. For this purpose Bruno specially trained as a coffeologist and attended a roasting workshop. This way he can roast the coffee himself and does not have to outsource this. Since he roasts daily, we were able to see exactly how a roaster works. Since I myself only roast the shop roasters der Coffee-Tech Engineering Ltd. it was particularly exciting to see such a large roaster.

This roaster can roast 15 kg of green coffee. Photo: © WEBER Packaging GmbH, 2019

Furthermore, the drum is not heated by incandescent spirals, but by flames triggered by gas. Photo: © WEBER Packaging GmbH, 2019

Edelmann family with Maren and me. Photo: © WEBER Packaging GmbH, 2019

Berlin Fashion Week FW 2019/2020

Special cuts and great detail work combined with elegant use of textiles and colors are the key elements for @dannyreinke.designs collections. Video: © MBFW.Berlin 2019; Vorschaubild: © Danny Reinke, 2019

WEBER Partner convinces with natural fibres at the MBFW Berlin

The Berlin fashion label Danny Reinke, which already in 2018 at a competition of the Projekts Zukunft the Berlin Senate Department for Economics, Energy and Businesses a so-called showslot for the renowned and highly regarded former Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week (heute: MBFW or MBWF.Berlin), presented on January 16, 2019 at 21:30 in the context of the Berlin Fashion Week his autumn-winter collection called 'Seraphic Frame' for 2019/20 at the Berlin E-Werk.

Seraphic Frame

Designed as a Prét-á-Couture Mix, Danny Reinke's collection deals with the representation of women as divine beings. Julien Kelch, Founding Partner and Managing Director of Kelch & Reinke GbR:

"The reinterpretation of the archaic goddess should reflect the natural beauty of every woman as well as her strength and independence."

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Das offizielle Moodboard zur ‘Seraphic Frame’ Kollektion. Collage: © Danny Reinke, 2019

Inspiration for the collection are original goddesses, who have been worshipped for many centuries in different societies and whose stories have been passed on in legends and writings. The theme is reflected in the choice of materials and colours.

Thus opulent tulle and dresses made of brocade meet tweed suits and virgin wool coats. This contrast conveys a strong and sensual image of women and thus reveals the typical business look of Danny Reinke.

The delicate colour palette of the collection consists of light blue in various shades, combined with white, a vanilla tone and metallic colours such as gold and silver. Pearl embroidery and fabric modelling are reminiscent of paintings with sacred putti illustrations. These are a symbol of love goddesses and symbolize the heavenly love as well as the natural sensuality of every woman.

Runwayshow

The pictures of the catwalk can be found in the gallery below or you can watch the official YouTube™ video [please scroll to the top of this blog post!

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NOTE OF THANKS

A big thank you goes at this point to Danny Reinke and Julien Kelch, who have been cooperating with us, WEBER Packaging GmbH, since 2018 - especially with regard to sustainability issues concerning natural fibres as a trend in fashion as well as in product design – and who have provided us with the probably sustainble Coffee to go cup ever – have provided their high-quality collection pieces.

The following picture shows such a motive.

Flight attendant and model Laura Pittana in fashion of Danny Reinke Kollektion from high-quality natural fibres together with the novel Graspapierbecher in Olympiapark Munich. Photo: Christina Kapl for © WEBER Packaging GmbH, 2018

Learn more about our partnership with the fashion label Danny Reinke [ here ].

Support for coffee farmers

The sentence on the banner means: Support for the development of the coffee culture in El Salvador. Photo: © WEBER Packaging GmbH, 2019

My travel report

Part 7 – A fund for farmers

Today we were allowed to accompany coffee farmer Andrés Quintanilla at a bank event. The bank has set up a fund to support coffee farmers, in order to provide information events for further training. At these events the farmers can exchange their experiences and help each other. The bank's support measures consist of financial resources, technical assistance and guidance on sustainable coffee cultivation. Just one example of the technical assistance is drones, which the bank acquired from a Berlin-based company in 2015.

Networking the farmer

Today's event focused on the fertilization of coffee farms. First, employees of the ecoBusiness Fund, the bank's fund, gave a presentation on their work: there, customers can make information from their farm available to other farmers. The ecoBusiness Fund also has the task of collecting data. With the help of drones, the size of the farm, the exact location and even the amount of plants can be determined. It also makes it possible to identify certain soil characteristics. The soil plays an important role for the farmers, as it varies from area to area and thus offers different bases for cultivation.

Minimum factor trace elements

This is where fertilization comes into play: If the coffee farm is located in an area that offers little sodium, for example, this trace element must be added. Otherwise, the plant - similar to humans - could show signs of deficiency or, in the worst case, it would not grow. An important rule in fertilization is Liebig's Law of the Minimum, which states that the growth of a plant is limited by the relatively scarcest resource. Farmers have the possibility to "order" a soil diagnosis from a company and then use the results to plan their fertilization, planting and cultivation. The advantage of such an analysis is that the farmer then knows exactly what he needs to supply the plants for optimal growth and thus does not spend money on unnecessary means.

Read part 8 here in the WEBER News blog!

The 2019 presidential election

Quintanilla family on the way to the polling place. Photo: Andrés Quintanilla for © WEBER Packaging GmbH, 2019

My travel report

6. Teil – Election Day 

On 3 February 2019 the election of the president took place in El Salvador. For weeks, each party tried to convince the voters of their candidate by means of posters, television appearances and advertising campaigns. Since Andrés Quintanillas father is not only a lawyer but also a former vice president of the country, the election preparations were of course followed closely. In this way, we too quickly got a picture of the candidates and their election promises.

In the colors of the party

On election Sunday we went to the polling station together. Here it is customary to dress in the colors of the party logo or to draw attention to it through accessories. This way you can quickly see who votes for which party and many Salvadorans are fully behind their party. In order to be allowed to vote, one has to be 18 years old and present one's identity card. Then the fingerprint is taken to prevent voters from voting in two polling stations. The ballot papers themselves are very simple and contain only the logos of the parties. Andrés explains to us that many people can neither read nor write and therefore only the logos are shown, which are then ticked off.  

The polling stations were open until 5 pm and then the counting started. Every single ballot paper is presented by an election worker in front of a camera and he has to recite the name of the party out loud. There is a representative from each party who receives all the ballot papers from his party and has to count them.

Read here in the WEBER Nachrichtenblog the 7th part!

Step by step to paella

Die Paella – Schritt 1. Foto: Noemi Gerhäusser für die © WEBER Packaging GmbH, 2019

Mein Reisebericht

Part 5 – A devilishly good paellaa

Today my hosts had a birthday party. Of course, such a party cannot be without delicious food. So Alexandra, Andrés' mother, decided to cook paella. She showed us step by step how she cooks it and what to pay special attention to.

 STEP 1

(Picture at the top) First the diced meat is fried in olive oil. Today it was chicken and pork, but you can also use other meat. Or you can exchange the meat for seafood.

 STEP 2

The paella - step 2 Photo: Noemi Gerhäusser for © WEBER Packaging GmbH, 2019

Then add carrots, colorful peppers, onions and tomatoes and let the mixture simmer a bit.

STEP 3

The paella - step 3 Photo: Noemi Gerhäusser for © WEBER Packaging GmbH, 2019

When the vegetables are half cooked, put the meat-vegetable mixture on one half of the pan and spread uncooked rice on the other half. Make sure that the rice is evenly distributed. Then broth is added and everything is mixed together.

STEP 4 

The paella – step 4 Photo: Noemi Gerhäusser for © WEBER Packaging GmbH, 2019

After about 5 minutes, sugar snap peas and olives are spread on the almost finished paella. Then it just has to simmer until the rice is ready. To speed up the cooking process Alexandra uses banana leaves to cover the pan. Afterwards the leaves are used to keep the rice warm.

And as Alexandra likes to say:

“Every woman has to know the devil to know how to cook.”

Read here in the WEBER Nachrichtenblog the 6th part! 

Over rough and smooth

Fully equipped with hiking boots, functional clothing and a cap against the sun. Photo: © WEBER Packaging GmbH, 2019

My travel report

Part 4 - At 30° Celsius in the highlands

How long does it take for a coffee plant to bear cherries and thus produce a yield? Coffee plants need about five years before you can pick them for the first time. We were allowed to explore a whole farm of such plants cross-country! Five years ago, coffee farmer Andrés Quintanilla bought an old plantation and replanted it. About 25,000 coffee plants were planted and tended here. Now they are carrying the first cherries, which is of course a reason for Andrés to be happy!

Learning to read coffee plants

We started our trip at an altitude of 1.200 meters and started at 30 degrees. With us were two advisors and the Foreman (the Foreman is the deputy of Andrés on the farm, which means he coordinates the work etc.) of the plantation. They explained to Andrés how to cut the plants in the best possible way to get the best possible yield. For us it was exciting to see what you can see in the plants. For example, you can see from the branches whether the last months were rainy months or dry months.

The dark areas grew during the dry months and the light ones during the rainy season. Photo: Noemi Gerhäusser for © WEBER Packaging GmbH, 2019

You can also compare the branches with the rings on trees, by which you can tell how old the plant is.

After we had visited the plantation for two hours and meanwhile we were quite exhausted, we reached our destination: the house of the Foreman. From there we drove back to the nursery and started to enter all shadow plants in tables. Why this is so important, I will explain in the following article!

Our way through the plantation. Photo: Noemi Gerhäusser for © WEBER Packaging GmbH, 2019

Read part 5 here in the WEBER Nachrichtenblog!