Martin Bauer
Expertise and passion for botanical products
Since 1930 we have tailored our botanical products to the product application needs of our customers from the global tea, beverage and food industries.
All our products reflect our passion and love for nature and come from responsibly sourced, high-quality botanicals that are processed using rigorous certified methods.
> 20
With more than 20 manufacturing sites and sales units worldwide, we keep our finger on the pulse of our local markets and trends.
> 90
We have more than 90 years of experience in herbal products. Each of our products is infused with that expertise.
> 2.500
More than 2,500 employees worldwide — many of them with decades of experience — work at MartinBauer to maintain your competitive edge.
> 550
We generate a consolidated turnover of more than € 550 million.
Ninety years ago Martin Bauer sowed a visionary seed. Thanks to the passion for business and love of nature of Martin Bauer and his descendants, in the meantime that seed has grown into a group of companies with around 4.000 employees.
Bauer's original idea has motivated us to work with our customers and suppliers to inspire people all over the world by providing the best products from nature's garden.
We look back with pride and gratitude – and we look forward with a calm head and a stout heart.
It comes naturally
On the occasion of our 90th anniversary, paper and textile artist Sabine Neubauer presents It comes naturally, an exhibition that takes visitors on a special journey of discovery. Neubauer explores the history of the family business, its precious natural products, and its principles of quality and sustainability. “I feel a connection to the company’s founding father Martin Bauer, with whom I share a love and respect for nature,” says Neubauer. “He was passionate about the essence of plants; I have a passionate interest in plant fibers and how they can be transformed into something new.”
Martin Bauer and his love of herbs
Martin Bauer (middle with hat)
Martin Bauer’s grandsons Adolf (middle) und Martin (left) Wedel on the field of the family.
Martin Bauer discovered his passion for hunting and collecting wild herbs at an early age. A farmer’s son, he was dabbling in herbs in the Bavarian hinterland, when he came up with the idea of turning his passion into a source of income. Riding his bicycle, he delivered his first batches of wild herbs to pharmacies, drugstores, hospitals and health food shops. He soon started growing his own herbs in his fields.
In 1930, at the age of 28, Martin Bauer built an herb processing plant, which later turned into a multinational enterprise. Soon he not only grew herbs, but also started to buy and reprocess them.
Martin Bauer became strongly invested in the quality of his products.
Since business success had outgrown the labor supplied by the family, the company started using a tobacco-cutting machine in the 1930s.
In the 1950s, Martin Bauer’s son-in-law Hans Wedel joined the company, ushering in its expansion. Herbal and fruit infusions became the company’s core products. Later on, the product range was expanded to include medicinal teas and mixtures.
In the 1960s, the company grew rapidly thanks to a special fine-cutting method for tea in bags. The modern cutting system turned out 10 tons of fine herbs every day, enough for filling five million tea bags. The company had come a long way from the early days when the family members laboriously cut small batches by hand.
Even at a ripe old age, the ever modest Martin Bauer lent a helping hand in his company.
His passion lives on in his descendants, adding more chapters to the modern fairy tale of an unassuming youngster-turned-global-entrepreneur.
Our global sites
We operate more than 20 manufacturing sites and sales units around the world.
Subsequent company milestones
1980
Extracts
1980 – Plantextrakt is launched. The company specializes in making extracts for food products
1986 – Birkenweg is acquired. The company specializes in making phytopharmaceutical extracts
1993
PhytoLab
1993 – PhytoLab is formed as a spinoff from the Martin Bauer laboratory
1994
Eastern Europe
1994 – A Polish company is privatized and subsequently renamed Phytopharm Kleka
1994 – The Russian company Krasnogorskleksredstva is privatized
1997 – All Central and Eastern European activities related to development, manufacture and pharmaceutical distribution of herbal medicinal products are grouped in the Europlant Group division
2011 – The Ukrainian company Liktravy is acquired
1996
North America
1996 – Martin Bauer USA is launched
2008 – Kentea USA is acquired
2019 – BI Nutraceuticals USA is acquired
2020 – Core Botanica USA is acquired
2021 – Joint venture with Power Brands, USA
1998
Europe/Middle East
1998 – The Paul Müggenburg group is acquired
1998 – Martin Bauer Alveslohe becomes an important site for botanicals
1998 – Plantafarm Spain becomes an important site for the Group
1999 – The Italian company D. Ulrich, founded in 1854, is acquired and subsequently renamed Martin Bauer Italy
2004 – Martin Bauer Turkey is launched
2019 – Martin Bauer Croatia is launched
2010
Asia
2010 – A joint venture is formed with Chinese tea producer ShanShan Tea. In 2014, a majority stake is acquired in the JV, subsequently renamed Martin Bauer Plant Extracts
2013 – Martin Bauer China is launched
2017 – Martin Bauer Japan is launched
2018 – Martin Bauer Hayleys, Sri Lanka is acquired
2013
Latin America
2013 – Martin Bauer Brazil is launched
2016 – Martin Bauer Argentina is launched
2017 – A stake is acquired in the Brazilian company São Mateus