HealthyGrowth - From Niche to Volume with Integrity and Trust. FULL CASE STUDY REPORT for Bohlsener Mühle – Germany

Summary

Most local organic market chains have inherent problems in moving from niche to volume, and mainstream large-scale market chains have inherent difficulties in securing and advancing organic values. The project “Healthy Growth: From Niche to Volume with Integrity and trust” investigated a range of successful mid-scale organic value chains in order to learn how they are able to combine volume and values, and to use this knowledge to support the further development of organic businesses, networks and initiatives. Research teams from 10 European countries contributed with 19 case studies. Bohlsener Mühle is one of the German case studies. The organic mill and bakery is a medium-size enterprise with around 200 emploayees in the rural area or Lüneburger Heide in Lower Saxony. The case study report presents the development of the mill since the 1980s, the related value chain of organic grain and flour and the stakeholder network around the mill business. The in-depth analysis focuses on six tasks or perspectives: governance and organisation, business logic, quality and market differentiation, communication of values, transnmission of values and qualities, and risk and resilience.