The organic sector is booming. Despite the economic crisis and consumer reticence, Germans are once again reaching for organic food more frequently. At the forefront is the organic veteran Voelkel, which is currently flooding the shelves of retailers like Rewe and Kaufland with its smoothies and juices, while continuously setting new revenue records.
We speak with Jurek Voelkel, the great-grandson of the company founders and the current marketing director, about how Voelkel, a pioneer of the organic industry, intends to conquer the mainstream. We discuss why Voelkel's mission is neither growth nor profit; what the vegan chef Attila Hildmann, who drifted into conspiracy theories, has in common with FC St. Pauli and Deutsche Bahn; and how the Voelkel brand is attempting to open up new markets without alienating its original fans from the organic niche.