Bremen-based coffee operations are set for a major capacity scale-up as independent German family business the Melitta Group announces a multi-million-euro investment package. The company will invest more than one hundred million euros to expand and modernise its key roasting site in Bremen, Germany.
This capital expenditure represents a foundational pillar of the company's long-term internationalisation and growth strategy, aimed at doubling corporate sales by 2033. The capital program will be implemented gradually over the next five to six years, securing the long-term viability of the regional roasting hub.
Boosting Production Capabilities for European Demand
The primary objective of the investment is to increase the production capacities of the coffee roasting plant in Bremen by approximately fifty per cent. This expansion is designed to enable the company to meet the steadily rising demand for roasted coffee across its primary European markets with maximum reliability and quality.
According to Jero Bentz, member of Corporate Communications and great-grandson of company founder Melitta Bentz, the European coffee business represents the central driver for the group's overall expansion plans.
Bentz noted that the goal of Strategy 2033 is to at least double group sales by the end of the planning horizon. He explained that this capital injection establishes the critical operational conditions necessary to serve individual customer and retail market requirements more effectively, thereby securing the group's internationalisation targets.
Infrastructure Expansion and Process Modernisation
To achieve these ambitious capacity goals, the Melitta Group plans to acquire two adjacent plots of land in Bremen, invest in a new building, and undertake the comprehensive expansion and modernisation of existing physical structures.
From a manufacturing and process engineering perspective, the capital will be directed towards several key high-output areas:
Advanced Roasting Technology: Installing state-of-the-art roasting systems to ensure consistent heat transfer, optimal colour development, and precise flavour extraction.
Upgraded Packaging Systems: Integrating modern, high-speed packaging lines to improve throughput velocity and accommodate diverse retail packaging formats.
Expanded Silo Infrastructure: Investing in expanded raw and roasted bean silo storage systems to manage material flow and inventory logistics with greater flexibility.
Process Control Systems: Implementing advanced digital process control and automation systems to standardise quality metrics and improve overall operational efficiency.
By upgrading these processing and control technologies, the Melitta Group aims to significantly enhance the flexibility, sustainability, and quality control of the Bremen roastery. This modernised framework allows the plant to adapt dynamically to shifting consumer packaging demands and changing green bean sourcing profiles.
Melitta Group Global Footprint
The capital commitment highlights the enduring market power of independent, family-owned enterprises within the European consumer packaged goods sector. Founded in 1908, the Melitta Group has transitioned from a localised innovator into a highly diversified international brand portfolio.
The group currently operates across seventy-five countries worldwide, employing approximately five thousand five hundred people. In the 2025 fiscal year, the company registered an annual turnover of two point five three billion euros. Beyond its core coffee roasting and filtration divisions, the group develops, manufactures, and distributes branded products for food storage, food preparation, and household cleanliness.
By executing this major upgrade in Bremen, the company is ensuring that its upstream production capacity matches the retail velocity required to meet its long-term financial targets.
