A fresh partnership between Fredman and ROSSMANN quickly turned into a close collaboration. After introducing Finnish-made coffee filters under ROSSMANN´s own brand to the German market, a visit to Fredman’s factory in Rauma, Finland, helped form a vision of shaping the future together.
The two companies have a lot in common. ROSSMANN is a German drug store chain with over 4,700 stores in Europe. Just like Fredman, it has a strong family legacy, dating back to 1972 when Dirk Roßmann opened the first store. Today ROSSMANN is one of the largest drug store chains in Europe, offering a wide selection of private label and brand products in the health, beauty, and home categories. The company remains majority-owned by the ROSSMANN-family.
A similar set of values, rooted in quality and collaboration as well as a shared commitment to sustainability brought the companies together for a private label partnership. The story started with coffee filters.
Two Rossmann team members visited Fredman in Finland to get an introduction to its sustainable production processes and product development. How was the experience?
Since September, 2023, German coffee drinkers (appr. 50% of whom prefer filter coffee!) have been able to brew their coffee with sustainably made, unbleached coffee filters from Finland. ROSSMANN selected Fredman’s product for its private label project based on several criteria that it applies to its supplier selection. Fredman’s ability to produce coffee filters at the required volume was a major factor.
“Reliability comes first. Specifically, delivery reliability must be at a high level and product quality must be 100%. Good ratings in consumer tests are important to us”, says Jan Escher, Product Manager, ROSSMANN Quality Brands.
According to customer surveys, Fredman is known for extremely high delivery reliability among its customers in Finland. Top quality results from its commitment to sustainable raw materials, close supplier relationships, and rigorous quality certifications.
Headed by Fredman’s International Sales Director, Alex Lindholm, and other Fredman sales and factory team, Escher and colleague Mandy Barfigo were taken on a tour at Fredman’s Lappi factory. This is where over 70% of its kitchen products, including Rossmann’s private label coffee filters, are made.
Escher reported that the sustainable production process impressed them, as well as the Fredman production team in Rauma and the administrative team in Espoo.
Alongside getting to know each other better, joint processes were defined to ensure fruitful collaboration. At the end of the “expedition-tour-like visit” Escher said: “I am grateful for the Fredman team’s flexible and solution-oriented way of working”.
ROSSMANN aims to foster long-term partnerships with its private label suppliers where any challenges are solved together. This matches Fredman’s solution-oriented approach to close international partnerships.
Concluding on the visit to Finland, Escher said: “I believe that Fredman is well-positioned to successfully shape the future with us”.
Fredman is extremely excited to be working with international private label customers, such as ROSSMANN, to strengthen their own-brand product portfolios with high-quality Finnish craftmanship.