Buss article in the Weser-Kurier

In a comprehensive company portrait on April 22, 2024, the Weser-Kurier presented Buss Fertiggerichte GmbH in Ottersberg near Bremen and the history of its products and their highly professional production process

Founded in 1938 by Dietrich Buss as a small butcher's shop in Bremen, the company has been part of the heristo Group since 1975 and is now a leading manufacturer of ready meals in tins, trays and chilled ready meals. "Basically, we are nothing more than a large kitchen," says heristo CEO Marc Sodeikat in an interview with the Weser-Kurier. A large kitchen nonetheless - with 1200 items in the range, which are based on 450 of the company's own recipes. These include canned classics and canned soups in traditional German or Asian styles. Beyond the can, "leisure makers" in the bowl such as chili con carne, gratins, casseroles and rice pudding snacks meet the current trend for quickly prepared ready meals. Buss has also been producing street food ready meals for a deliberately younger target group under the "YOUCOOK" brand for around ten years. Heristo sees particularly high growth potential in the concept of the young brand.

"We follow the modern trends in eating habits," says Andreas Witte, Managing Director of Buss for 14 years. With 450 employees, the company produces exclusively in Ottersberg. The company's customers include Germany-wide discounters and full-range food retailers with their own brands. In addition to the German market, the company also supplies customers in France, Austria and Switzerland. Buss achieves an annual sales volume of 210 million units, 160 million of which are canned goods. 

During the tour of the production facility, we were impressed by the variety of fresh foods that are processed to produce up to 400 cans per minute. In addition to ingredients such as tomato paste from Italy and Portugal and coconut powder or pineapple, which have to be imported for Mediterranean or Asian dishes, Buss prefers to work with regional suppliers, such as a greengrocer in Twistringen. In addition to contract products for retail partners, Buss also has its own development center. "We always try to develop our products to meet the needs of our customers," explains Andreas Witte. Despite a shortage of skilled workers, the company is planning to expand and make targeted investments in space, machinery and new technologies in the double-digit million range.