COMPANY INFORMATION

Tradition, quality, variety, innovation, baking competence, flexibility – these are the words describing the family business from Halle the best way. Founded in 1951 by Kaethe and Kurt Thiele, the parents of the company owner Rainer Thiele, 2006 the Kathi Rainer Thiele GmbH can look back on 55 years of an emotional and successful company and trade mark history. After condemnation in GDR times and reprivatisation in 1991, Kathi is run successfully by family Thiele in the third generation and is market leader in the segment of baking mixes in the new Bundeslaender today. The trade mark Kathi had been protected in 1951 and is known better than ever today.
The high-capacity management team attaches great importance to career advancement. The company engages 89 employees including 13 trainees at the moment. Furthermore the Kathi Rainer Thiele GmbH fathered the education award "The Golden Kathi" endowed with 1,500 Euro in 2001 and doubled it in 2003.
Kathi is furtherer of youth and culture of the region and gets involved with several foundations and associations.
The close connection of the Kathi Rainer Thiele GmbH to Halle, birth city of Händel, as well as the high innovative force of the company produced the special product "Händel cake" in 2004 presented to the people of the city in the course of a festival on 5 June 2004.
High quality of the products as well as the engagement of family Thiele has been honoured with several prices during last years, e. g. CMA "Golden ribbon of quality" and CMA "Specialty award" as well as the economy-award "Grand Pice for medium-sized businesses by the Oskar-Patzelt-Foundation", the Innovation award and the marketing award east Germany.
Also in 2006 the company provides for surprises on the market. On the occasion of the FIFA soccer world championship 2006 in Germany, the Kathi-Soccer Cake has been created, a dark biscuit with curd cheese cream and fruits as well as the obligatory soccer hexagons made of chocolate. Not only soccer enthusiastic men will like it!

BUSINESS DATA

Field of Activity:
Development, production and distribution of baking mixes, distribution of ingredients, licensing of bread mixes and flour

Employees:
92 (including13 trainees)

Market position:
Market leader in the new Bundeslaender
Number 2 of more than 10 suppliers in Germany

Quality and environmental management:
1995: Certification according to DIN EN ISO 9001
1998: Certification according to DIN EN ISO 14001

Export:
Austria, Italy, Island and USA

Turnover:
2004: 18 Mio. Euro
2005: 17.5 Mio. Euro

Market Report
Kathi is with 40 % in the segment of baking mixes without bread market leader in the New Bundeslaender (NBL) and shows nationwide the 2nd place with 13 %.
In the field of basic mixes Kathi stays with 38 % ahead of the competitors and dominates ¾ of the market in the NBL.
With Kathi’s Favourite cakes the company maintains with 26 % the 2nd place in premium mixes in the NBL.
Kahti’s Cake mixes make the manufacturer of baking mixes in this segment with 40 % to the unchallenged market leader in the NBL.
Kathi owns with 99.7 % nationwide monopoly position in the segment Sugar reduced mixes.
With the launch of the new Christmas cookies Kathi enlarges the sales in 2005 and keeps 17 % of the market shares in the field of Cookies in the NBL.

Source: A. C. Nielsen 2005

PRODUCTS 2006

Also in 2006 the company provides for surprises on the market. On the occasion of the FIFA soccer world championship 2006 in Germany, the Kathi-Soccer Cake has been created, a dark biscuit with curd cheese cream and fruits as well as the obligatory soccer hexagons made of chocolate. Not only soccer enthusiastic men will like it!