Company History

Rapunzel is one of the leading organic food producers in Europe. It all started very small: In 1974, Joseph Wilhelm and Jennifer Vermeulen started a self-sufficiency commune on a farm with a small natural health food store in the city of Augsburg in Bavaria.

From these humble beginnings an international company with more than 500 employees developed during the last 45 years. The idea behind it all remained the same since 1974: to manufacture certified organic, natural and untreated, vegetarian foods.

Where does the company name 'Rapunzel' come from? In Southern Germany, lamb's lettuce is also called 'Rapunzel' - a strong, deep green plant that grows even when the ground is covered with snow. This symbol and the Rapunzel founders' strong desire for healthy food - similar to the pregnant woman's lust for lamb's lettuce in the beginning of the Rapunzel fairytale - were the reasons why Jennifer Vermeulen named the company Rapunzel.

Two friends - one vision

1974	Joseph Wilhelm and Jennifer Vermeulen rent a farmhouse in the village of Pestenacker (Upper Bavaria) with the goal to grow healthy food
1975	Opening of the natural health food store „Rapunzel Naturspeisen“ in Augsburg. Start with the production of muesli, nut creams and fruit bars
1976	First contacts to farmers in Italy and Turkey. Move into the former guest house „Zur Post“ in Tegernbach, in the county of Fürstenfeldbruck
1977	First nationwide delivery of products
1979	Move to the village of Kimratshofen in the Allgäu region
1985	Purchase of the former dairy in the village of Legau and renovation of the building that serves as headquarters until today
1987	Rapunzel markets the first organic chocolate in the world. Construction of a new nut cream plant
1989	Opening of a first office in the city of Izmir, Turkey

1990	SAMBA introduced into the market
1992	Foundation of the Fair-Trade-Programm HAND IN HAND
1997	Foundation of the Turkish subsidiary Rapunzel Organik Tarim Ltd. Development of the OXYGUARD® process for cold-pressed edible oils
1998	Start of the HAND IN HAND fund
2003	Opening of the Rapunzel logistics center in the town of Bad Grönenbach with fully-automated high bay warehouse
2004	Certification as Demeter manufacturer
2007	Sustainable energy supply with Rapunzel biomass heating plant and photovoltaic panels on all roofs. "Genfrei Gehen" - march for a GMO-free world from Lübeck to Lindau
2008	Joseph Wilhelm initiates the One World Award, award ceremony at the IFOAM World Congress in Modena, Italy
2009	"Genfrei Gehen" – second march for a GMO-free world from Berlin to Brussels

2010	Construction of a new roasting plant for nuts and seeds. New company tour concept with glass production walkway, museum and cinema. Presentation of 2nd One World Awards
2012	Introduction of innovative breakfast porridge into whole food trade. Presentation of 3rd One World Awards. Remodeling and renovation of Turkish subsidiary
2013	New raw material warehouse in Legau
2014	Production expansion with second nut cream plant, packaging plant for bulkware and automated palletizer. Presentation of 4th One World Awards. Construction and opening of the Rapunzel Tower at headquarters in Legau
2015	Construction of a thermal power plant and a drying plant
2016	First palm oil meeting in Legau. Rapunzel certification pursuant to EU Eco-Regulation EMAS
2017	Presentation of 5th One World Awards
2018	Handover of 108,000 votes from the FOODprint campaign to Environment Minister Svenja Schulze in Berlin
2019	Leonhard Wilhelm becomes managing director Ground-breaking ceremony for the Rapunzel World Visitor Centre Ground-breaking ceremony for the expansion of the Bad Grönenbach logistics centre
2020	Publication of the study on pesticide pollution in the air “Ackergifte? Nein Danke!” (Poison on the fields? No thanks!)
2022	Establishment of the RAPUNZEL One World Organic Foundation Opening of the Rapunzel World Visitor Centre