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Skills and commitment for a better quality of life
Skills and commitmentfor a better quality of life
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OUR TASK
A person's health, wellbeing and ability to enjoy life are closely linked to one another, especially when individual lifestyle restrictions have to be taken into account. What can, at first glance, appear like going without something, can often, upon closer inspection, be seen as an enrich-ment of nutritional awareness. A healthy diet is one of the most important elements that make up a fulfilling and enjoyable life. So it's essential to be aware of the nutritional value of ingredients and their quality when choosing the right foods for a balanced diet.
As a leading food product specialist for people with special dietary and nutritional needs, Dr. Schär offers the consumer a wide selection of tasty and high quality products – ranging from bread, flour, pasta and biscuits to convenience foods.
Our partners know all about our company's extensive expertise in the development and production of gluten-free foods and, above all, they value our uncompromising position regarding the quality of ingredients and compli-ance with dietary guidelines – just like our consumers.
We see it as our task to make the significant progress that has been made in nutrition accessible to consumers and make sure they don't have to miss out on anything.
A happier life without gluten
1922
Gluten-free diet products from Dr. Schär come onto the market for the first time
Production and operational facilities are expanded in Burgstall
Takeover of the Glutano brand. New production facilities open in Germany at Apolda and Dreihausen
New production facilities open in Zaragoza (Spain) and construction continues on production facilities in New Jersey, USA
Takeover of the Glutafin brand. Formation of a subsidiary in the USA
Takeover of Nutrition Point. The DS-gluten free (Dietary Specials) brand becomes the market leader in the UK food retail industry
The first products to promote a healthy diet for young children appear under the Dr. Schär brand
Opening of the research laboratory at the AREA Science Park in Trieste
2007200319961981 2002 2006 2011
An enticing idea takes shape
Products aimed at promoting a healthy diet for young children with digestive disorders were first included in Dr. Schär's range in 1922. The company's assembled ex-pertise gave rise to the first gluten-free products and from 1981, working in close collaboration with doctors and coeliac organisations, this was developed into a full range of gluten-free products.
With frequent new products, ever improving quality and investment in new technology and production facilities, it only took a few years for the company to emerge as market leader in Italy. The European market was opened up soon afterwards. 1998 marked a further significant milestone, with the start of a major quality drive and intensive in-vestment in research and development work. In terms of
enjoyment, gluten-free foods were now holding their own when compared to conventional food products.
Today, with its headquarters in Burgstall (Italy), the Dr. Schär Group presents itself as a powerful market leader in gluten-free products – it has its own research laboratory in the renowned AREA Science Park in Trieste, subsidi-aries in Germany, Spain, UK and USA, and production facilities in Burgstall (Italy), Apolda and Dreihausen (Ger-many) and Zaragoza (Spain) as well as one under con-struction in Logan (USA). It also has over 300 gluten-free products in its range which are available across the whole of Europe and the US.
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THE COMPANY
Headquarters of the Dr. Schär Group Production facility
BURGSTALL SOUTH TYROL – ITALY
Production facility
AREA SCIENCE PARK TRIESTE – ITALY
Research and development
Headquarters of Dr. Schär GermanyProduction facility
DREIHAUSEN HESSE – GERMANY
Production facility
APOLDA THURINGIA – GERMANY
LYNDHURST NEW JERSEY – USA
Headquarters of Dr. Schär USA
ALAGÓN ZARAGOZA – SPAIN
Headquarters of Dr. Schär UK
THELWALL WARRINGTON – UK
What began as a joint project between local Innsbruck doctor A. Schär and Bozen-based entrepreneur Untertrifaller in 1922 was remodelled in 1981 under the leadership of Ulrich Ladurner. By specialising in the production of gluten-free foods, a few decades were all the company needed to become market leader. Today, Dr. Schär is getting ever closer to its goal of becoming the leading food specialist for special dietary and nutritional needs in Europe and America.
From South Tyrol into the world
LOGAN NEW JERSEY – USA
Production facility (under construction)
In 1981, Merano-based businessman Ulrich Ladurner took over Dr. Schär GmbH. Under his leadership, this small company has become the European market leader in the area of gluten-free foods, with a turnover of 145 million euros, a range of over 300 gluten-free products and 450 employees worldwide.
Using and adapting knowledge
The values that characterise our company – safety, health, progress and ambition – also form part of the employee code of conduct at Dr. Schär. Respect for each other, an established learning and mistake-management culture as well as positive relationships come together to create a working environment where creative ideas can thrive. The combined skills and experience of our 450+ employees create a dynamic that helps us meet the de-sires of our customers and develop our company into an international market leader.
Recognising and supporting variety
With flexible work times and family-friendly and moti-vating employer services, we support our employees and provide the freedom they need. In doing so, we promote
exceptional performance and solidarity within our com-pany, as well as personal and professional development.
Discovering and encouraging talents
Many talents come together to make Dr. Schär the company that it is today. It is important for us to cre-ate an environment where everyone feels valued and is encouraged to develop and fulfil their potential. The opportunities that each employee discovers can benefit us all. Every individual feels connected to the company and its ideas, and shares the ambition to help it become an international market leader – firm in the knowledge that personal success and the success of the company as a whole go hand in hand.
It goes without saying that as a company with significant responsibility for the quality of life of our consumers, we must also place particular value on cooperation amongst our own employees. Our employees not only develop innovative and delicious foods for people with special nutritional needs, but they are also much closer to the consumers than may be the norm in other companies. And that is precisely what we see as being especially important. At Dr. Schär people are key: both on the inside and the outside.
Our employees make the difference
Health
The complete health of our con-
sumers is key to the company's
promise to deliver a feeling of
well-being and a positive life-
style. The company also has a
healthy approach to its organi-
sation, activities and financial
opportunities.
Progress
Forward thinking, actions and
operations are the key to the
evolution of Dr. Schär as a
company and allow the growth
of market niches.
Ambition
Employees live out the ambi-
tion of turning Dr. Schär into an
international market leader. The
company fosters self-awareness
and a sense of direction. Am-
bition is a living part of our
corporate culture.
Safety
Our sense of responsibility at
Dr. Schär includes ensuring
maximum safety standards.
This means safe products for
our consumers and secure
relationships with them.
We live by our values
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EMPLOYEES
Any company that is committed to continually improving the lives of people with special nutritional needs cannot afford to be left behind. Close collaboration with universities and research institutes, lively exchanges as part of professional forums and, of course, dialogue with consumers ensure a steady stream of new ideas and solutions.
Leading the way in research and development
New ideas for improved safety and quality of life
The innovations of our research and development teams are what keep driving us forward. They continually gen-erate new and better solutions to improve the lives of people with special nutritional needs. As a pioneer in the area of gluten-free nutrition, Dr. Schär has highly valued well-founded research and development right from the very beginning.
We set a benchmark when we moved our research and development department to the AREA Science Park in Trieste in 2003. As part of this inspiring scientific com-munity with over 1000 scientists, our professional team of food technologists has the chance to work with state-of-the-art equipment. Whilst our research team concen-trates on long-term strategic projects and investigates new raw ingredients and technologies, our development team creates more than 30 new or improved products and recipes every year. This specialist and highly produc-
tive research facility is the reason that today Dr. Schär enjoys a significant competitive advantage in the gluten-free market.
Of course, before any new product goes into produc-tion, it is tested by trained tasters for flavour, perfect texture, aroma and appetising appearance. In recent times, sensory tests have become increasingly important as consumers become ever more discerning. This is an area where people are the best measuring tools. Each of our gluten-free products must always be benchmarked against the tastiest conventional foods in its category. That is the only way to ensure that our consumers don't miss out on anything in terms of taste – from gluten-free flours to a comprehensive range of breads, pasta, biscuits and snacks.
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RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT
Extremely strict checks on each raw ingredient in the Dr. Schär quality laboratory
Carefully selected, high quality raw ingredients
Recipes that work
Safety from the field, through production and delivered to the consumer
1 2 3
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The quality of the raw ingredients chain and its stringent checks are the basis for every-thing. Here we don't leave anything to chance. Every single stage of the production process is monitored. Our highly specialised industrial processes, with sometimes very complex production techniques which we have mostly developed ourselves, ensure gluten levels of under 20 ppm at each of our production facilities.
Progress through unique production operations and quality measures
We have been awarded certification in accordance with the standards ISO 9001:2008 and ISO 14001:2004 for our successful implementation of quality assurance and environmental management procedures. These guaran-tee the comprehensive quality of our operational proc-esses and confirm that we do everything in our power to minimise our impact on the environment. Food safety is top priority for us. This is why all our production facili-ties are certified with the BRC Global Standard for Food
Safety. Furthermore, because we value our employees, health and safety at work are very highly regarded. That is why we have been awarded certification in accordance with the Occupational Health & Safety Advisory Serv-ices standard 18001:2007 for our active safety manage-ment system. An independent “Quality Management” department guarantees that we are never lagging behind in our goal to continually improve standards.
PRODUCTION AND QUALITY
Highly specialised production technology
Continuous checks to ensure consistent product quality
Efficient distribution network4 5 6
FlourFor 30 years the gluten-free flour mix from Dr. Schär has been a classic in gluten-free cooking. Expertly adapted recipes provide the exact same guarantee of success in cooking and baking as traditional flour.
Frozen convenience foods Frozen convenience foods are also an essential compo-nent of a complete range of food products. Our frozen food range includes pizza, pies, pastry, sausage rolls, Cor-nish slices and ready meals. The advantages of these tasty treats are clear: short preparation time, great taste and guaranteed quality that's gluten-free.
BreadAs a specialist in gluten-free bread, Dr. Schär provides the whole spectrum of bread and rolls – from basic sliced bread through to ciabatta, baguettes and seeded rolls. The bread on offer is divided into three categories: ready to eat, part-baked rolls and frozen rolls. With its steadily increasing product range, Dr. Schär also places huge im-portance on its products being in convenient packaging and practical to use.
PastaPasta comes in many different shapes and sizes. How-ever, it always needs to have that "al dente" bite to it to satisfy the connoisseurs. With its Italian roots, Dr. Schär is already a master in the art of creating gluten-free pasta varieties with precisely this quality and, above all, that incomparable taste of Italy.
With its comprehensive range of gluten-free products*, Dr. Schär offers consumers with special nutritional needs a daily diet that is tasty and varied – from breakfast to supper and from main meals to a sweet snack for in between times. The product range is structured in a customer-friendly manner and is arranged into clear product families.
Everything taste has to offer
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Savoury snacksGood quality of life for people with special nutritional needs also includes indulging in the occasional luxury of a little snack in between meals. Dr. Schär has everything you need for tasty treats for sharing with friends or on the move.
CerealsGiving you the energy you need for a long day – that is the goal of Dr. Schär gluten-free cereals. An energy boost that is satisfying, but not too filling, and packed with quality ingredients: there's nothing they don't have – except gluten.
PRODUCT RANGE
Biscuits and sweet treatsEveryone feels good after a sweet treat. Even people with special nutritional needs are still allowed sweet things. That's why the Dr. Schär range also contains a large se-lection of small sweet snacks. Biscuits, wafers, light cakes and sweet bakery delights for all ages are an essential part of the Dr. Schär range.
Gluten is a protein which is found in wheat, rye,
barley, spelt and oats. It aids the baking process by
acting as an adhesive and is therefore found in foods
such as bread, pasta, pastries and cakes. Coeliac
disease is used to refer to an intolerance of the
immune system to gluten.
*
Schär, DS-gluten free, Glutafin, Glutano and Trufree: these are the five brands that Dr. Schär uses to cater for the needs of those affected by coeliac disease and those who have to maintain a gluten, wheat and/or lactose free diet. The availability of the various brands varies from country to country*. The products are available in different countries through different sales channels. The common element across all the brands and products is the unwavering commitment to consistently high quality, proven safety standards and great taste.
Brand quality through and through
Schär "we care": The main brand products are available in
both Europe and America. Schär is the market leader with
the widest range of basic and dried products.
Fast and delicious: refreshing innovative frozen products.
DS-gluten free is retail brand leader in the UK and
also includes a wide choice of flavoursome foods to
cover all meal occasions including bread and pasta.
Market leader for gluten-free dried products
in the German food retail industry.
A wide range of gluten and wheat free ambient products
are available in UK pharmacies.
Wheat and gluten-free sweet treats and
savoury snacks for UK retail.
*Details can be found at www.drschaer.com
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Dialogue and openness as a basis for our brand policy
We are constantly looking to exchange ideas and experi-ences directly with our consumers and, through our ef-fective product sales, to give them the security they need to manage their gluten-free diet wherever and whenever they need. We work with them in daily dialogue to im-prove our products and services. Consumers have access to our brand websites which contain news on gluten-free topics, printable and video recipes, and interactive forums and live chats. A subscription can be made to receive regular samples, e-newsletters and money off
vouchers. Consumers can take advantage of our freep-hone careline with advice from trained experts including an inhouse dietitian. A consumer magazine is also avail-able, which contains case studies on people coping with a gluten and/or wheat free diet, inspiring recipes, prod-uct news and competitions. Our Glutenfree World Days are a great opportunity for consumers to meet our expert team face to face and attend an informative dietitan’s talk and creative cookery demonstration.
BRANDS AND SERVICE
Successful sales as an ethical duty
Probably the most significant restriction for people with special nutritional requirements is the need to complete-ly restructure their diet. The easier it is for these people to get hold of the required foods, the higher their qual-ity of life and the more relaxed and easy they find it to discover a positive way of living, where they are still able to enjoy food and life as a whole. We are taking this jour-ney together with our consumers and so we are doing everything we can to make our comprehensive range of gluten-free products available to our customers whatever they are – from multiple retailers and online wholesalers to independent specialist shops and pharmacies. Close collaboration with our sales partners is key to this process.
In the interests of our customers, it is our desire to make sure that our products are as widely available as possible. To ensure this we have built up an effective sales network, which is active in Europe and the USA, and is firmly committed to establishing gluten-free foods from Dr. Schär in all relevant sales channels.
Global sales partner network and product availability
We want to make the lives of our customers easier – both at home and on the move. We can do this by ensuring the optimal availability of our products.
Multiple retailers and online wholesalers
Our products, which range from bread and flour to
savoury snacks and sweet biscuits, are stocked by
supermarkets and online food retailers all over the
world. Frozen products, in particular, are enjoying
increased demand in these sales channels.
Independent specialist shops and pharmacies
The distribution of our products through inde-
pendent specialist shops and pharmacies ensures
maximum contact with customers and an exten-
sive range, coupled with competent advice and
friendly service.
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SALES
Without committed sales partners, who know and val-ue the market and the special needs of our customers, Dr. Schär would not be Dr. Schär. That's why providing measures that support retailers are a key element of our activities. Carefully adapted and agreed with our part-ners, these measures form the foundation for success of Dr. Schär products on the market and with consumers.
Significant support for product rotations at the
points of sale is provided through comprehensive
market analysis and consumer surveys, the
Dr. Schär plan for marketing gluten-free food
products, guidelines for optimising the range
and shelf layout as well as a wide spectrum of
effective promotional tools.
OUR CATEGORY MANAGEMENT APPROACH
Excellent support services for committed sales partners
Using an optimised supply chain, which is
carefully equipped with EDI interfaces, we
can guarantee that our products are delivered
promptly and cost-effectively to retailers and
then on to the customer.
OUR EFFICIENT LOGISTICS
OUR STRONG BRANDS
Our strong brands generate sustainable growth
with their groundbreaking product quality,
innovative recipes and intensive PR and
advertising marketing communications.
Dr. Schär currently provides a wide range of high quality and tasty gluten-free products to the hospitality industry. Not only do we supply restaurants, pizzerias and cafes, but also hotels, airlines, vending machines and motor-way service stations. The Foodservice product range guarantees consumers safe, high quality, gluten-free products in practical portion packs.
The extensive range of products alone offers those work-ing in the hospitality industry the opportunity to gain a competitive advantage and to satisfy the rising demand in a professional manner. We are often asked for specially refined restaurant recipes by our gastronomic partners
and these represent a very valuable element in our de-velopment. Additional support for these partners comes in the form of information and training provided by us, the market leader. This is also accompanied by targeted communications, such as direct marketing to customers and the web-based platform www.glutenfreeroads.com.
The Foodservice initiative from Dr. Schär offers the hos-pitality industry and wholesale retailers the opportunity to be part of a growing market segment and also the chance to seriously consider their social responsibility towards people with special nutritional needs.
Whereas there is a wealth of high quality gluten-free products for the home, there are still major untapped opportunities in the hospitality industry. The Foodservice project represents our best efforts to exploit these gaps in the market. The chance to eat out or travel without worrying about food is vital to improving the quality of life of people with special nutritional needs. At the same time this is a new business area that is opening up for committed professionals in the hospitality industry and we are keen to do our bit.
Eating out – improving service and developing a new market
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FOOD SERVICE
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All the information in one place
Professional management of specialist knowledge is essen-tial when dealing with a food intolerance such as coeliac disease. Our Professionals department consists of nutri-tional advisors and scientists from around the world, who are responsible for providing the required information and ensuring the correct labelling of nutritional values on prod-ucts. It's about creating an expert service for all profession-als working in the health sector and dealing with balanced gluten-free nutrition. We support institutions, research projects and advice initiatives. Drawing on our daily ex-perience in research and development, we have compiled comprehensive information and created a database of an-swers to almost every possible question.
A milestone in the company history of Dr. Schär was the forming of a scientific committee. The committee is made up of paediatricians, gastroenterologists, nutritionists and
other experts from all over Europe and seeks to promote dialogue with the scientific community, increase awareness of coeliac disease and special nutritional needs and, most of all, improve the quality of life for the consumer.
For the benefit of our consumers and in close collaboration with scientists, universities and organisations, our website (www.drschaer-institute.org) provides everyone involved in advisory work with an open expert platform to exchange any experiences, concerns and observations they may have. Once they are registered, anyone who's interested can make observations, offer solutions, point out new areas that might be problematic and provide a valuable insight into their day-to-day advisory activities. Case studies, in-terviews with professional scientists and discussion forums come together to create a comprehensive picture of coeliac disease, intolerances and gluten-free nutrition.
Dr. Schär is not only the leading developer and producer of gluten-free foods in Europe, but also a well-organised and open network of experts that deals with all questionsconcerning coeliac disease and special nutritional needs. With our wide range of services we are able to support the challenging and important advisory services provided by doctors, dietitians and nutritional experts.
Exchanging experiences for even higher quality advice
PROFESSIONAL SERVICES
Understanding the specific expectations of people with special nutritional needs as well as their ability to stick to their particular dietary requirements is essential to helping them lead an informed and enjoyable life. In future Dr. Schär will continue to play its part by offering a wide range of innovative products and supporting consumers through an extensive spectrum of services. Using our skills to actively improve an individual's quality of life – that is our unwavering commitment.
Because we are committed to a more informed and enjoyable life
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COMMITMENT
Dr. Schär GmbH / SrlWinkelau 9I - 39014 Burgstall / PostalTel. +39 0473 293 300Fax +39 0473 293 [email protected]
Dr. Schär Deutschland GmbHSimmerweg 12D - 35085 EbsdorfergrundTel. +49 6424 303 0Fax +49 6424 303 [email protected]
Dr. Schär UK Ltd. Station Court442 Stockport RoadWarrington, WA4 2GWTel. +44 (0)1925 865100Fax + 44 (0)1925 [email protected]
Dr. Schar USA, Inc. 1050 Wall Street West, Suite 370Lyndhurst, NJ 07071 USATel. +1 201 355 8470Fax +1 201 355 [email protected]
www.drschaer.com
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