sp portrait: More than marzipan in focus

For over 115 years, the Berlin-based Georg Lemke GmbH & Co. KG has produced marzipan, persipan, and nougat. The company headquarters was originally located in the neighbourhood of Kreuzberg. In 1968 the company expanded and moved to its current production site in the urban district of Britz.

By Dr Jörg Häseler

The Georg Lemke company, led by ­Managing Partner Sven Hell, is primarily known for its marzipan production, but behind the company’s name one will find a large product assortment. Developing customized solutions is one special service for its customers. “Individuality and quality play a major role in all of our products,” says Sven Hell.
Quality assurance begins even before entering the production premises. A large sign at the entrance reads “No peanuts allowed” – and it’s no joke. The reason for this is that primarily almonds and hazelnuts are processed on site. As such, the sign serves as a notice to abstain from bringing in any product containing peanuts. Since peanuts are known for their highly allergic effects, employees and visitors are required to ensure that no peanuts are brought onto the premises. Quality-consciousness is a fundamental responsibility borne by every employee, because Sven Hell – as the third generation leading the company – has made it his goal to meet customer expectations at all times.
The company’s array of products includes much more than just a wide variety of marzipan variations. Hazelnuts and almonds are the main ingredients for the majority of the products they provide. From whole almonds and hazelnuts to slices, slivers, chopped and ground nuts, the company has made a name for itself in creating concoctions.
Those who prefer it sweet and soft go for nougat products. Varying roast grades allow for fine, yet distinctive flavour profiles. Less known, but in the meantime one of the main produc-tion lines, is the manufacture of filling creams; nougat and chocolate cream are amongst the classics. “Almond, yoghurt, coconut, and milk cream round out our palette and enjoy growing popularity,” remarks Sven Hell.
The ability to offer customized products requires adhering to the entire processes and demands of the customers. This entails not only the processing and use of food, but also adhering to international food industry standards. Over the course of quality assurance measures, Lemke has obtained multiple certifications: IFS 6, DIN ISO 14001:2004, DIN EN ISO 50001:2011, Organic (EU-Bio), Organic-Suisse, RSPO, SMETA, Kosher, UTZ Kakao.

Glazes now join the product palette

The family company makes all of its products in the German capital. Germany is the main consumer market with 75 % of sales, while 20 % of the products go to other European countries and 5 % to Asia. This last market in particular is very much up and coming, especially Japan and South Korea. Asian customers and consumers like the taste of marzipan, but usually don’t know how it can be further processed. In this position, a little explanatory work is often necessary. Asian consumers are a welcome sight, as almost every confectionery maker – whether of half-finished goods or final products – has noticed the effect of the Russian embargo in their financial figures.
“In general,” according to Sven Hell, “the sale of marzipan is stagnant, and even the persipan segment offers hardly any growth potential, even in times when there were shortages of apricot pits due to frost in Turkey or reduced yields or total crop failures.” One main difficulty remains the less-than-positive image of persipan, which is perceived by consumers as a substitute for marzipan. As a result, the management has focused on filling pastes. “Innovations must be developed in order to continue our success in the market,” has become Sven Hell’s credo. Since 2016, glazes have been added to the portfolio to complement the filling paste product group. Due to the silky smooth consistency of the chocolate pastes, these are especially well suited for ice cream and baked specialties.

Investment in new production facilities

Even Lemke can‘t retreat from the palm oil issue. In particular, the public pressure due to consumer inquiries, but also the health aspects, played a role in the decision-making process, as European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) made respective statements in May 2016 in a report on the harmful substances in plant-based oils. In general, many recipes were altered, and the company, which has been a member of RSPO (Roundtable for Sustainable Palm Oil) since 2010, uses only certified palm oils.
Lemke is very well equipped for the challenges in the food market. Currently it is increasing investment in new production facilities and quality assurance technologies. For example, a scanning machine, which had still been working with optical recognition technology, has been replaced by the latest generation system, which can recognize and sort out foreign materials more precisely through the use of laser technology. In the marzipan sector, the company is working towards continuous inline production of a sugar-marzipan mixture. Production tests are currently underway, but the equipment should be in regular operation by the third quarter and integrated into the production process.
Sven Hell would like to collaborate with small, innovative producers, as the mutual exchange of information is the basis for establishing new creations in the market. There is also intensive contact with machine makers in the confectionery branch.
Moreover, Sven Hell has dedicated himself especially to educating young people. For him, passing on comprehensive and professional knowledge is the basis for a healthy future for individuals and the industry. Unfortunately, he – like many other companies – has found that many positions cannot be filled due to a lack of quali-fied applicants. He is willing to try out anything, and as a result, the Lemke company has been awarded with an official certificate of young worker training from the German Federal Employment Agency for its intense commitment to education and training efforts. •