History

1923 First coffee roasting

The first Meyer & Horn coffee was roasted with a small coffee roaster in order to extend the offered goods in 1923. This first roasting went down very well with the public wherefore the expansion of this sector started.

1943 First relocation

In 1943, due to destruction caused by war, the company headquarters moved from Pelzerstraße 11 in Hamburg to Blücherstraße 37-41.

1946 First membership

Max Meyer & Max Horn has been a member of the Deutsche Kaffeeverband e.V since 1969. In former entities you can even track the membership back to 1946.

1952 Max Horn joins 

On 1 October 1952 Max Horn, the twenty-year-old son of the company founder Fritz Oskar Max Horn, joins the company.

1954 Death of the company founder

Max Ludwig Gottlieb Meyer dies in 1954. His wife Elsa Meyer accedes his position.

1955 Death of the company founder

Fritz Oskar Max Horn dies in 1955. His wife, Anna-Louise Horn joins the company and runs the business until her death in 1961.

1957 From school bench to professional life

In 1957 Max Peter Meyer, son of the company founder Max Ludwig Gottlieb Meyer, starts his apprenticeship as wholesaler and export merchant at Max Meyer & Max Horn.

1959 New boss

Due to the death of his mother, Elsa Meyer, Max Peter Meyer becomes co-owner of a successful wholesale grocery with an attached roasting house.

1961 Another new boss

In 1961, Max Horn becomes new co-owner due to the death of his mother Anna-Louise Horn. He runs the company with Max Peter Mayer in second generation.

1968 Purchase of ´Hagenbeck Ceylon Tee`"

In 1968 the company Max Meyer & Max Horn had the opportunity to buy the company ´Hagenbeck Ceylon Tee` including a roasting house, staff and customer base. With this purchase, both owner planned to extend the coffee business.

1974 Purchase of “Südkaffee”

Until 1974 the company Südkaffee was the biggest customer of Max Meyer & Max Horn. Up to today Südkaffee has been supplying retail customers with fresh roast coffee every month.

1983 The company grows

Both owners decide to rebrand the company into a GmbH owing to the increased demand for coffee and the associated enlargement.

1985 Leaving Hamburg

Until 1985 the company headquarters were located near Hamburg’s main station in Böckmannstraße. A lack of room in the hanseatic city led to the relocation of Max Meyer & Max Horn to Kaltenkirchen.

1988 The end of an era

The roasting of coffee and marketing increased steadily. For that reason both executive directors decided to terminate the wholesale grocery. Their intention was to concentrate fully on the coffee business.

1991 The roasting house gets to small

Due to the increased demand for coffee, a second roaster is taken into operation. After six years in Kaltenkirchen an annex became necessary. Through the new building, the room for packaging machines and for the warehouse could also be extended.

1993 The third generation is coming

Cornelia Meyer and Christian Max Horn start working at their parents’ business.

1993 Organic, organic, organic

As the demand for organic coffee increases, one decides to get the organic certification. The certification enables the processing of green coffee of certified organic farming.

2008 Another attachment

Owing to the great demand, the production and storage areas get too small. It follows the enlargement through a new construction.

2009 Introduction of a new management system

Since 2009 we have been running our business according to a management system based on the International Food Standards ( IFS ) and have proven our capability through a certificate at a higher level. Thereby we can guarantee a consistent quality of our products and product safety.

Since 1993 we possess the organic certification. This certification enables the processing of green coffee from certified organic cultivation. Both certificates (Bio and IFS Food) are maintained by annual audits by independent renowned certifier.

Due to the increasing demand for kosher coffee we yearly acquire a processing permission as well and are therefore able to fulfil specific customer requests.

2011 Koscherzertifizierung

Aufgrund steigender Nachfrage nach Koscherem Kaffee, lassen wir uns auch hier seit 2011 jährlich zertifizieren.

2013 Lack of space

In Mai 2013 we laid the foundation of our new construction. In spring 2014 we could move into our new building after a construction period of only eleven months. On an area of more than 5.800 square metres situated on the outskirts of Kaltenkirchen, we can meet our customers’ requirements for quality and larger quantities.