German dairy giant Müller has agreed to acquire local plant-based milk pioneer Berief Food, which will continue to operate as a largely independent unit.
One of Germany’s oldest plant-based food companies is changing hands to accelerate its international expansion efforts.
Berief Food, which has been owned by its founding family for over four decades, is being snapped up by German dairy behemoth Theo Müller Group.
The acquisition will see the plant-based milk and tofu producer continue to run as a largely independent business unit, and marks Müller’s most earnest push into a category it has had little experience in.
“I am placing the company and its employees in safe hands. The Theo Müller Group offers the best conditions for successful further development,” said Marcus Berief, the company’s current owner. “This partnership not only enables further growth, but also secures the long-term stability and development of the Beckum location.”
Acquisition the most ideal growth option for Berief Food
Berief Food has been around since 1985, starting with tofu before expanding into the non-dairy milk category. It is one of the leading suppliers of plant-based foods in what is Europe’s largest market for these products.
The company’s portfolio today includes an organic tofu line and an extensive range of oat, almond and soy milks, from unsweetened and barista varieties to flavoured options like pumpkin spice, peach and banana.
It employs around 350 people and operates a facility in Beckum. Last year, Berief Food posted a turnover of around €113M, with an EBITDA (earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization) of €12M.
The plant-based firm has been looking for a buyer for months, following a structural review that identified a greater capital need, driven by expanding demand for plant-based products and its concrete expansion plans, particularly into Benelux and Eastern Europe.
Berief Food evaluated various options to finance its growth, including minority stakes and strategic partnerships, but ultimately settled on a full takeover by Müller as the optimal option.
The acquisition is subject to regulatory clearance; it should boost the stability of the Berief Food’s Beckum location in the long term and fuel its overseas expansion.
Müller’s global footprint will allow the plant-based business to pursue its growth strategy by significantly expanding export activities and further strengthening its innovation capacity.
Müller eyes plant-based growth with Berief Food purchase
For Müller, the purchase of a legacy vegan food producer would give it access to “an attractive product range, additional expertise, and production capacities”, with a particular focus on non-dairy milk and yoghurt products.
The company has dabbled with plant-based alternatives before, having launched oat milks, vegan yoghurts, and dessert pots in certain markets – but it has failed to gain a foothold. This deal lays the foundation for further growth in this segment, especially in the private-label business, Müller said.
“With Berief, we are gaining an experienced team and strong brand and production expertise in the field of plant-based foods. This is an important strategic step with which we intend to complement our activities in this future market,” said Stefan Müller, chairman of the dairy giant.
As forays into the plant-based sector go, there’s no time like the present, at least in Germany – vegan shopping baskets, on average, are now cheaper in most supermarkets as “climateflation” bites, and half of adults want to change their diets by either reducing meat or eating more plant-based foods. This aligns with the latest dietary guidelines, which recommend a 75% plant-based diet.
The move reflects the continued consolidation trend in the alternative protein sector, which has seen over 70 companies be bought out or acquired, merge, file for insolvency, or close down since September 2024.
Some of the most notable deals include Unilever’s sale of The Vegetarian Butcher to JBS-owned Vivera, Livekindly Collective’s acquisition of Tindle Foods’s US, UK and German business, Chobani’s takeover of Daily Harvest, Danone’s purchase of Kate Farms and Huel, and Maple Leaf Foods’s acquisition of Yves Veggie Cuisine.
