About us

Blossoming since 1927

How do you become the German market leader for high-quality honey? We’ll give you a hint: we were inspired by the hard work of our winged “co-workers”.

Highest quality for the greatest enjoyment

 

As the most popular brand of honey in Germany, Langnese Honig, a traditional company, has always felt it is extremely important to offer the best pure bee honey in a consistently high quality.

The honey farms selected by Langnese Honig supply natural honey from Europe, as well as Central and South America, providing a broad range of the world’s best honey products.

Langnese Honig’s quality control begins from the source itself. All the honey farms inspect the honey according to strict criteria before delivering it to Langnese Honig.

All the batches delivered to Langnese Honig in Germany are carefully tested again and only approved after this. We use the latest scientific findings and state-of-the-art technology to ensure that the quality of Langnese Honig satisfies our own high standards.

 

 

“Brand of the Century” since 2012

 

In 2012 the Deutsche Standards “Brand Prize” was awarded to our company as part of a major gala event in Berlin. This places Langnese Honig among an exclusive group of about 250 German brands, which are allowed to call themselves the “Brand of the Century” in their respective product category.

 

 

Our history

 

Langnese Honig now bears the title “Brand of the Century”.

The history of this traditional company began in 1925, when the young importer Karl Rolf Seyferth purchased 5,000 kg of Californian honey on the Hamburg Commodities Exchange. After a few initial setbacks, the demand for good honey rose steadily and trade flourished.

 

 

A genuine product of  Germany was born

 

With the rising demand, the time had come for a brand name designed to whet the consumers’ appetite for honey. In 1927 Seyferth was therefore looking for a shell company. Viktor Emil Heinrich Langnese made him the most interesting offer, because this name was already associated with a biscuit factory in Hamburg with an excellent reputation.

When they met in a Hamburg restaurant, the elderly Langnese made it clear that he only intended to entrust his name to someone who would look after it well. Seyferth passed his stringent test. ‘For you, young man’, Langnese said, ‘300 marks and the bill for today’s meal’. That was quite a gift for that time! In 1927 Mr Seyferth acquired the company V.E.H. Langnese, which had been founded in 1888.

The ‘Langnese Honig’ brand was born: a genuine Product of Germany.

 

 

On the way to becoming a branded item

 

A branded product needs an unmistakable image, which is why Seyferth developed the typical 6-sided jar and the golden lettering which are still used today.

After the end of the war in 1948, Seyferth worked from a temporary filling plant he had constructed in a cellar. The real expansion work began in 1950. Langnese Honig was to become a branded product with consistent high quality and flavour. No easy matter with a natural product like honey. Langnese acquired its own honey farms in Guatemala, El Salvador and Mexico and conducted a comprehensive series of quality checks and months of taste tests. This is how the optimal Langnese Honig formula came about.

The investment was well worth it; as early as 1958 Langnese Honig was the market leader, producing 6,500 tonnes and generating annual turnover of DM 20 million.

 

 

Innovative products for discerning costumers

 

In 1985 we introduced our first honey specialities and the ‘Flotte Biene’ (the ‘lively bee’) followed in 1997 – the first honey ever sold in a practical dispenser.

In 1998 new company premises with a modern filling and packaging plant were built near Hamburg. Today Langnese Honig remains Germany’s best-known and most popular pure bee honey and the likeable brand has not lost any of its original vitality and charisma.