Miller Magazine Issue: 120 December 2019

GERMANY 93 MILLER / DECEMBER 2019 to record growth. However, as Germany is embracing the health and wellness trend, more consumers are opting out of white bread in the favor of wholewheat, multi-grain and even gluten-free bread with seeds and other additives, which present the best growth opportunities. Other, although less common alterna- tives favorited by the health-conscious consumers include bread of oat flour and chickpea flour. THE STRUCTURE OF THE MILLING INDUSTRY The mill landscape in Germany is extremely diverse. Mill companies of all sizes are competing on the mar- ket, whether they grind grain on a large scale or oc- cupy their niche. Despite its central importance to the food industry, the structure of the milling industry has changed dramatically over the past few decades: in 1950 there were around 19,000 mills, and their num- bers have since steadily declined. There are currently about 550 active mills in Germany, 196 of which grind more than 1,000 tonnes a year. Despite the trend to- wards larger operating units, the industry remains small and medium-sized. Almost all companies are family-owned and have been for many centuries and for many generations. The German mills process over 8.9 million tons of grain every year. Of this alone, 8.5 million tonnes are accounted for by wheat and rye bread. On average, a mill grinds about 43,400 tons of bread grain per year. The 13 largest mill companies in Germany cover more than 40 percent of the market. The 60 largest mills reach a share of almost 90 percent of the mar- ket. It is estimated that 30 percent of the products go to craft bakers, 55 percent to bakeries and food processing companies, 10 percent to specialty pro- cessors such as pasta manufacturers, and about 5 percent in small packages directly to the end-user.