Over 200 years of knowledge, experience and tradition
Beginning with the founding of a winery by Pastor Johann Heinrich Lauffs in 1805, Haus Rabenhorst – with a tradition dating back more than 200 years – is a highly specialised supplier of a wide variety of premium-quality, highly-valued juices. The classic children's juice Rotbäckchen, developed in 1952, remains to this day a seal of quality for healthy child nutrition. Finally, the company started biologically-controlled contract cultivation in 1969 and was also a trailblazer in this field. In the intervening years, Haus Rabenhorst has grown into a company with many proven and innovative brands. It employs 180 people and remains 100 % owned by the Lauffs founder family.
The company history
The tradition of the company, which is more than 200 years old, began in 1805. Back then the clergyman Lauffs founded the family-owned company as a winery. Around 93 years later, the family achieves a breakthrough: they pasteurize grape juice and successfully offer it as "alcohol-free" wine. In 1898, the range of long-life juices was considered a world first - and formed the foundation for the highly specialized manufacturer of premium juices.
Today, Haus Rabenhorst is a company with many proven and innovative brands, all of which stand for natural and healthy food of the highest quality.
Join us on a brief trip through time ...
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1805
Pastor Johann-Heinrich Lauffs (1761-1837) founds a winery in Oberwinter.
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1885
When Oskar Lauffs relocated the company to Unkel in 1885, and thereby to the present company site, many ravens were nested there. The nests of certain bird species, including ravens (“Raben” in German), are referred to as a "Horst" (in German). Accordingly, the company was named Haus Rabenhorst O. Lauffs.
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1898
His great-grandson, Alexander Lauffs (1865 - 1951), begins producing "non-alcoholic medicinal natural wine". The "red grape juice", known as "Roter Rabenhorster" in Germany, is born.
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1920
Brothers Günther (1901-1990) and Walther Lauffs (1903-1981) begin their careers in the business. Aligning with the “health reform movement”, they advocate healthy, natural nutrition.
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1952
"Rotbäckchen", the popular juice classic, is bottled for the first time. The first TV commercial is launched at the same time. Rotbäckchen is therefore a pioneer not only in the industry, but also in the media.
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1969
Controlled organic contract farming commences, as well as a research contract and the resulting long-term cooperation with the University of Kassel. Through this, Haus Rabenhorst becomes a pioneer in the organic sector.
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2000
Acquisition of trademark rights of an organic bakery product range under the "Flemming Naturkorn" brand.
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2005
Haus Rabenhorst celebrates its 200th birthday.
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2007
Rotbäckchen starts being introduced into food retail-outlets and pharmacies. Rotbäckchen resumes advertising on radio.
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2008
The German Federal President awards Haus Rabenhorst the title of "Selected Landmark" within the "Germany, Land of Ideas" campaign, and it is celebrated with a large family festival.
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2009
Rabenhorst becomes the official supplier for the Berlin International Film Festival.
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2010
Rotbäckchen resumes advertising on TV. Haus Rabenhorst is awarded the Environmental Prize of the State of Rheinland-Palatinate. It also receives the Federal Prize for Fruit Drinks from the Federal Ministry of Food and Agriculture (BMEL) for the first time - this prize is the highest award a German food producer can receive.
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2011
Rotbäckchen Immune is voted the health-food product of the year 2011. German pharmacists name Rotbäckchen the most recommended fruit-juice brand for the first time.
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2012
Haus Rabenhorst celebrates Rotbäckchen’s 60th birthday. The company also wins the 2012 Brand Award for Rotbäckchen’s brand management. Rotbäckchen is voted as organic fruit juice brand of the year 2012.
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2014
Rotbäckchen is voted as "Fruit Juice Brand of the Year" by German pharmacies, for the third time in a row.
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2015
The first food supplements from Rotbäckchen are launched into the market. Since then, there are now several varieties with different indicators.
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2018
The delivery volume of Rotbäckchen and Rabenhorst juices is rising continuously. For this reason, the company expands into a spacious logistics site in Anhausen.
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2019
Haus Rabenhorst invested more than €20 million in the Unkel site over the last 10 years, and receives the German Federal Award for Fruit Beverages from the Federal Ministry of Food and Agriculture for the ninth time.
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2020
Introduction of the innovative 60 ml shots from Rotbäckchen and Rabenhorst as well as the relaunch of the Rotbäckchen and Haus Rabenhorst websites. The traditional brand Rotbäckchen is “Winner” of the German Brand Award 2020. As a company, Rabenhorst wins the Stern / YouGov sustainability award in the fruit juice segment.
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2021
Our traditional brand Rotbäckchen wins the "Marken Award 2021" for the best brand stretch with the 60 ml "Kraftpakete" range.
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2021
The juice brand Rabenhorst wins "Gold" at the German Brand Award 2021 - after Rotbäckchen in the previous year, this is the second award from the German Design Council.
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2022
For the second time gold and the eleventh time in total, Haus Rabenhorst receives the highest award of the German food industry for outstanding product quality – the Federal Honorary Award in the field of fruit drinks.
