When curiosity turns into your own project: A few years ago, Markus Lindken and Saskia Rauner would never have imagined that they would one day run their own oil mill. Today, the couple produce Münsterlandmühle with the support of their family, the couple produce high-quality organic oils, mustard and ketchup and run their own shop in the centre of Greven. Find out more about the founding story in the video.
The decision to become self-employed arose from the desire to set up their own project together and break new ground professionally. "We wanted to set up something of our own - something that we could create together and that we could really get behind," explains Markus from Wahlmünsterland.
They found what they were looking for via the Chamber of Industry and Commerce's succession exchange. There they came across Ruhrmühle, which was looking for a successor. They made direct contact with the owner, Christoph Gläßer, which quickly developed. Several visits on site gave them an insight into the production and the products. In addition to the quality of the cold-pressed oils, the decisive factor was the enthusiasm with which Christoph ran the business.
The decision to take over the company was then made quickly. As the company is essentially an artisan oil producer with the appropriate pressing technology, the equipment and operations were easily relocated to the Münsterland region. Today, the products are marketed there under two brands: Münsterlandmühle for the Münsterland region and Ruhrmühle, which continues the tradition of the original organic oil manufactory. Both brands stand for high-quality, cold-pressed organic oils and other artisan organic delicatessen products from the company's own production.
The move has also sharpened the company's regional focus in the Münsterland region. Co-operation with partners from the Münsterland region plays a central role, particularly in the procurement of seeds, which are sourced from the region wherever possible. Where this is not feasible, attention is paid to transparent and traceable supply chains.
The production follows a clear organic claim: "For us, organic means processing the raw materials as they are - without additives, without frills. The end result should be an honest product ," explains Saskia. The oils are cold-pressed so that the flavour and ingredients are preserved. This takes time. Even small quantities of oil are produced over several hours.
The range includes various cold-pressed organic oils as well as mustards and sauces, which are also made by hand. The range is complemented by products such as vinegars, nut crumbs and nut purée.
Incidentally, almost no waste is produced at the Münsterlandmühle. The raw materials used are largely fully utilised. The press cake produced during the pressing process is not disposed of, but processed further - for example for the company's own mustard and crumbs or as nutrient-rich pet food.
Selected B2B partners are a central distribution channel. These primarily include farm shops and delicatessens throughout the Münsterland region as well as some concept stores in Münster. Through these channels, the products are brought directly into an environment in which quality and origin play an important role.
At the same time, proximity to the end customer remains an important part of the company's philosophy: visitors can sample the products on site in the company's own shop in Greven and receive personalised advice. Markus and Saskia also regularly organise tasting sessions for groups of around eight to twelve people - either in the shop or in production. Guests not only gain an insight into the flavour and use of the high-quality organic oils and delicatessen products, but can also take a look behind the scenes of the artisan production process.
They deliberately do not have any fixed growth plans: "We want to grow step by step. It's important to us that the growth suits us and that we can maintain the quality," Saskia emphasises. There are already many ideas for new products, additional recipe formats and the expansion of online retail.
The couple also receive support for the joint project from their family: Saskia's children, who are now grown up, help out in sales or with individual work steps in production, for example. In this way, the project remains closely anchored in their personal environment and offers space for healthy further development.
