Events should be celebrated as they come, as the saying goes. On Monday, Paul M. Müller marked its 70th anniversary. For us, this was a reason to consciously pause, toast together and also dare to look back at the past – at seven decades full of change, courageous decisions, dedicated people and challenging times.
The story of Paul M. Müller did not begin in modern office buildings or large logistics centres, but in a Munich flat. The accounts department was in the bedroom, the typing pool in the children's room, the boss's office in the living room – and the printer found its place on the bathtub. What sounds almost nostalgic today shows that entrepreneurial success rarely begins with perfect conditions, but with people who take responsibility and have the courage to start.
When Paul Müller founded the company in Straßlach in 1956, nobody could have guessed where the journey would eventually lead. But what was already needed back then was courage. Courage was also needed later, when an importer specialising in the Far East gradually transformed into a broader-based food company. My father built up the European business and thus laid an important foundation for the development that we continue to this day. The move from Munich to Oberhaching in 1991 was also a decision that required vision and trust.
Looking back, such steps often seem self-evident. Back then, they were not. Perhaps that is precisely the most important insight from 70 years of company history: every generation faces its own challenges. What matters is not whether changes come. What matters is how we meet them. Today, we live in a time of great uncertainty. Geopolitical tensions, volatile commodity markets, rising demands regarding sustainability and a weak economy occupy our industry every day. At the same time, customers rightly expect quality, reliability and competitive prices.
However, anyone who can look back on 70 years of company history also knows that good years and difficult years are part of it. Challenges are part of it. What is important is that one remains ready to evolve. Exactly for this reason, we want to deliberately look ahead in the coming weeks. Under the title „Courage for the Future“ ("Zukunftsmut"), we will be introducing you in the Food News and on our social media channels to people from our industry who recognise opportunities, take on responsibility and tackle things. And of course, in this issue too, you can once again expect current developments from the international commodity markets and topics that are currently moving the industry.
With that in mind, I wish you an inspiring read of our latest Food News – and always enough courage for the future.
Sincerely,
Yours, Thomas Schneidawind
