Shareholders Meeting 2025
The 22nd Annual Meeting of the Holding Company Emsland-Stärke AG took place on January 30, 2025. Around 300 shareholders gathered at the Wilhelmshöhe in Lingen to find out about the company’s development. In addition to the shareholders and representatives of the Emsland Group, the meeting was attended by Management Board members Gerrit-Jan Wesselink and Dr. Jens Hausmann, Supervisory Board members Dr. Norbert Partmann, Gerhard Deuling and Lambert Vette, representatives of auditing firm Rödl & Partner GmbH and Managing Directors Christian Kemper and Stefan Hannemann.
The meeting was opened by Supervisory Board Chairman Gerhard Deuling, who welcomed the attendees and presented the Supervisory Board’s report for the past 2023/24 financial year. CEO Gerrit-Jan Wesselink then took the floor, presenting the Group’s annual results and emphasizing the company’s positive development. Dr. Jens Hausmann, member of the Executive Board of the Emsland-Stärke AG, then explained the Group’s current legal affairs.
The discussion of the reports was followed by the votes on the appropriation of net profit for the 2023/24 financial year, the discharge of the members of the Executive Board and Supervisory Board and the election of the auditor and group auditor for the 2024/25 financial year. Rödl & Partner GmbH was once again elected.
In the second part of the event, the Management Board provided an insight into the key developments in the current 2024/25 financial year. CEO Gerrit-Jan Wesselink began with a financial analysis focusing on budget targets, results to date and the forecast. He then spoke about the challenges in the procurement of raw materials. Although rainfall was high overall in 2024, a better distribution of this led to a more stable potato harvest compared to the previous year. Overall, the starch content of the harvest provided a solid basis for production. Wesselink praised the flexibility of the Emsland Group’s raw materials department and the cooperation with the farmers.
CSO Christian Kemper then spoke about market developments. He analyzed the price development of the various products and emphasized the Emsland Group’s position as a quality leader. At the same time, he pointed out that the competition is not resting and that continuous adjustments are necessary.
COO Stefan Hannemann then reported on current projects in the production area. Important investments include the construction of a new reaction vessel (ROxy) with planned commissioning at the end of 2025 and the construction of a fully automated logistics hall, which is scheduled for completion in summer 2026. Together, these projects represent an investment volume of more than 50 million euros. In addition, a new potato washing and grating station is to be built at the Emlichheim plant. Significant investments are also planned or have already been implemented at other plants, including a large silo in Kyritz, a wastewater treatment plant in Golßen, a new food retail line and raw material collection troughs in Hagenow, the modernization of bagging in Wittingen and new roller dryers with an improved heating concept in Cloppenburg.
At the end, Gerrit-Jan Wesselink thanked everyone involved and highlighted the solid position of the Emsland Group. At the same time, he mentioned that future challenges should not be underestimated. As a token of appreciation, the farmers received a small gift.
At the end of the event, the participants enjoyed a buffet together, which provided an opportunity for discussion and exchange.