| Type | Privately held company |
|---|---|
| Founded | 1958 |
| Founder(s) | Karl Düsterberg |
| Headquarters | Rheine, Germany |
| Employees | 6,000 |
| Website | http://www.apetito.com |
apetito is a European frozen food company which started in post-war Germany. They currently serve markets in Germany, the Netherlands, the United Kingdom, Canada and France and employ over 6,000 people. They are the main providers of "meals on wheels" for local authorities in the UK,[1] and were given a Queen's Award for Enterprise in 2005.
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The company was founded by Karl Düsterberg in 1958 in Rheine, Germany as "apetito Ready Meals" producing frozen ready meals for retail and business canteens, schools, nurseries and the German Meals on Wheels service. The company started expanding out of Germany in 1989 when "apetito B.V" was founded in the Netherlands. In 1991 the company set up "apetito (UK) Limited" in Sevenoaks, UK, and by 2001 had acquired "Nord Restauration S.H." and "Orlysienne du Nord" in France. Business outside of Germany now accounts for approx 25% of apetito’s total turnover,[2] though the company's headquarters are still in Rheine, Germany.
The meals on wheels schemes organised by local councils in UK deliver 40 million or 77,000 meals every week to 200,000 people.[3] Of these, apetito produces 900,000 meals and puddings a week or 47 million a year.[4]
apetito operates a private frozen meal delivery service — Wiltshire Farm Foods. The company, originally named "The Waldens Wiltshire Foods Limited" and based in Trowbridge, was purchased by apetito in 1995. Wiltshire Farm Foods specialise in delivering frozen ready meals to private customers throughout the United Kingdom.[5]
The company offers over 200 different ready to reheat frozen meals, including vegetarian, gluten-free, and diabetic. The service is intended mainly for elderly or disabled people, but can be used by anybody who would prefer to have meals delivered direct to their home.[6]
Wiltshire Farm Foods deliveries are largely carried out by franchisees.[7]
apetito's first TV marketing campaign started on 6 November 2006, showing commercials on every private television station in Germany. Advertisements in England have also been aired.
The company were given a Queen's Award for Enterprise in 2005 for outstanding achievements in innovation in regard to provision of food to the elderly.[8]
They were nominated for two awards in 2008, one for corporate responsibility from ICAEW, the other for business innovation from IMechE.[9]