The Thuringian Hidden Championscampaign has now been able to honor the company Astaxa GmbH from Ritschenhausen near Meiningen as its newest member. With the Hidden Champions campaign (hidden champions) in Thuringia, the Free State and its state development company (LEG Thüringen) honor world market and technology leaders based here. Astaxa GmbH may now also call itself such a “Champion“. Representatives of the LEG Thüringen visited the company headquarters to present the certificate of appointment. The company from Ritschenhausen near Meiningen is part of the Salzbrücke competence center and, as such, is a heavyweight in the industry. It is the European market leader in the processing of dried plant raw materials into high-quality products for the food industry and for wholesalers.
Founded in 2006, Astaxa GmbH is the number one in Europe in the segment of pre-cooked pulses. The innovative products are dry pulses that are ready to eat. This clearly distinguishes them from the usual canned goods in jars or cans. The company's competencies range from germ reduction to cleaning, storage protection, cutting, mixing, sieving, compacting, and also roasting, pre-cooking, and grinding. In addition, the company has cutting-edge technologies such as the particularly gentle infrared germ reduction process as well as special refining processes for dried plant-based raw materials. Astaxa holds the patent for the mobile photobioreactor made of glass tubes, with which microalgae are produced in hygienically closed tube systems.
The product range includes, in addition to pulses such as lentils, peas, beans, and chickpeas, dried herbs, tea, and dried fruits, mushrooms, and vegetables. Through innovation and development, a former horticultural business has become an established food company group that is now active both regionally and around the globe. Through contract farming, the company makes an important contribution to sustainable soil improvement, strengthens regional agriculture, and expands its portfolio with regionally sourced raw materials.
Currently, 65 employees are working at the Ritschenhausen site.
Background:
Thuringia operates at the top of the world – with high-performing medium-sized companies that have achieved market or technology leadership through innovative products and services as well as leading technologies.
Nearly one hundred such Thuringian companies rank among the best in their respective fields on the global market. Through its campaign, the Free State of Thuringia aims to increase the visibility of these Hidden Champions , not least to make Thuringia better known as a place to work and live.
Further information at: https://www.hidden-champions-thuringia.de/
