Our history
Things have changed significantly since Heinrich Kühlmann first opened his agricultural trading business in East Westphalia in 1912, yet one thing has always remained the same: our insistence on quality. Today, more than 100 years down the line, Heinrich Kühlmann GmbH is managed by the fourth generation of the family and is one of Germany’s leading producers of gourmet foods.
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1912
Heinrich Kühlmann Senior opens an agricultural trading business on a farm in Rietberg-Westerwiehe in 1912. The proximity of this farm to a freight depot gives the farmer, also a gifted businessman, the idea of delivering hay and straw from East Westphalia directly to the slaughterhouses of the Ruhr region.
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1930
As the years go by, Heinrich and Elisabeth Kühlmann renovate their farm and expand the range of agricultural products they offer. They now sell locally grown grains, which they process in their mill, as well as vast quantities of potatoes.
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1950
Ewald Kühlmann, son of Heinrich and Elisabeth, takes over his parents’ business and marries Antonia Borgmeier, a courageous and dynamic woman with a background in the food industry. The couple is united by their love of the region, nature and farming. They go on to have four children.
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1960
Ewald and Antonia Kühlmann become very successful in the production of French fries. The company continues to expand and acquires new customers in the form of specialized wholesalers throughout Germany.
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1975
Elisabeth Borgmeier with grandson Antonius Borgmeier (left in the photo), who is the current managing director of Production, Quality Assurance, Logistics and Purchasing.
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1979
One of the couple’s four children, Heinrich Junior, joins his parents’ business and charts a new course. The production of French fries is ramped down until it is finally discontinued.
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1988
The production of delicatessen salads begins and is expanded over the years. New production facilities are built.
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1990
Heinrich’s wife Andrea Kühlmann joins the company. Together, they develop new concepts for the retail sector and new delicatessen recipes. They also launch the “little plastic bucket” – an unconventional form of packaging for delicatessen products at the time.
Various retail product packages are also lovingly hand-decorated – another ground-breaking innovation.
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2009
Beginning of antipasti production: The first antipasti delivery takes place in October 2009.
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2013
Although the third Kühlmann generation slowly pulls out of the company’s operations, they continue to work closely with the fourth generation. Hendrik Kühlmann joins the company.
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2014
Beginning of hummus production: Initially, hummus is produced for the private label sector, later also under the Kühlmann brand.
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2016
Senta Kühlmann, sister of Hendrik Kühlmann, joins the company. The brother-and-sister team of Hendrik and Senta can be sure of one thing: the future success of the family-run business relies on a combination of innovative ideas and the very best quality.
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2022
In 2022, a subsidiary under the name Pimenta is founded in Poland. Here, high-quality antipasti and hummus ranges are produced.
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2024
Founding of the independent company Zentrik Maschinenbau.
At Zentrik Maschinenbau, systems and machinery for the food industry are manufactured. The company provides a range of machine services including the production if first-class spare parts for machines as well as a reliable plant and machine repairs.
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2025
Today, there are three members on our management board:
- Hendrik Kühlmann is in charge of Sales & Marketing (Retail), Finance, IT and New Business Development
- Senta Kühlmann is responsible for Marketing & Sales (Food Service), Human Resources, Controlling and Supply Chain Management
- Antonius Borgmeier continues to head up Production, Quality Assurance, Logistics and Purchasing, as he has done for over 30 years
Our Philosophy
When farmer Heinrich Kühlmann opened his agricultural trading business over a century ago, he focused on what was to become the guiding philosophy of our family-run company today – a company now led by the fourth generation. The cornerstone of this philosophy was – and still is – the production of premium-quality, natural foods while upholding values such as reliability, honesty, long-term relationships and a commitment to human dignity and compassion.
Our aim is to make people happy with our outstanding delicatessen products. Everything we do, whether we do it for our customers, our employees or our partners, is driven by our desire to produce delicatessen foods with diligence, passion and responsibility.
Our high-quality products bring together tradition and innovation. While preserving classic recipes, we embrace emerging trends to create delicatessen foods that satisfy the tastes of today’s consumers and anticipate those of tomorrow. Our ultimate aim is to unite delicious flavors, exceptional quality and culinary mastery – ensuring we maintain a subtle distinction on all levels.
As a family-run company, we fully assume our responsibility towards future generations, our employees and our partners. Sustainable resource management is an integral part of our identity. This is why we are committed to both sustainable operations and a sustainable mindset, from the careful sourcing of raw materials and efficient use of water and energy to eco-friendly production processes and packaging solutions.
This mindset allows us to look confidently towards the future – honoring the roots of our past, yet ready to embark on new paths. And as we do, our goal will never change: to bring happiness with our high-quality delicatessen products and create shared moments of indulgence.
Our Sites
We’re focused on growth! We are delighted about our continuous development and the success of our high-quality products in the marketplace. As a result, the Kühlmann Group has enjoyed consistent growth over the years.
Rietberg – Westerwiehe, Germany
Our administrative offices are located in Westerwiehe. This is also home to our factory, where a lot of our process steps are still done by hand. In 2017, we inaugurated our Innovation Center – occupying around 2,000 square meters – in Westerwiehe.
Delbrück – Westenholz, Germany
Our production facilities in Westenholz are where we manufacture the vast amount of products we supply to traditional retailers and discount outlets. In 2018, we also built an 11,000-square-meter logistics center on this site to ensure that our customers benefit from an even better and faster supply chain.
Dörentrup, Germany
An additional production site was built in Dörentrup in spring 2022. These facilities are used exclusively for the production of hummus.
Enschede, the Netherlands
Enschede is the site of another of our sales offices.
Łowicz, Poland
New production facilities were built in Poland in 2022. This site belongs to Pimenta, which is an independent company within the Kühlmann Group.
