100 Years Südzucker Group
In 2026, H&C Stader supported the Südzucker Group with its communications campaign to mark its 100th anniversary. The collaboration began with a joint workshop, which defined the thematic focus of the campaign. At the heart of the campaign is the anniversary chronicle ‘100 Years of Südzucker. Part of your Life’, complemented by interviews with contemporary witnesses and an accompanying podcast. The result is a multifaceted presentation that brings history to life and connects perspectives for the future.
The Südzucker Group was founded in 1926 through the merger of sugar-manufacturing companies in southern Germany and developed into Europe’s leading sugar producer over the following decades. Having consolidated its market position in the sugar sector, the company began to systematically expand its portfolio and tap into new business areas from the 1990s onwards.
Today, the Südzucker Group is an internationally active SDAX-listed group with around 19,000 employees in over 30 countries. The company combines its traditional strength in sugar production with a wide range of food, beverage and ingredients solutions, and is increasingly focusing on sustainable and forward-looking developments in the global food industry.
Workshop: Laying the foundations for the anniversary
The anniversary project was launched in 2023 with a workshop attended by the CEO and all the departments involved. During the workshop, objectives and expectations were clarified, a shared understanding was developed, and the strategic direction for the 100th-anniversary celebrations was defined.
Anniversary chronicle: "100 Years of Südzucker. Part of your Life"
Interviews with Eyewitnesses
- Planning and preparation of the interviews
- Identification of relevant eyewitnesses
- Development of the interview guide
- Conducting the interviews
- Documentation of personal memories and experiences
- Preparation of the content for podcast production
Highlight: Live Presentation of the Chronicle
A highlight of the anniversary year was the festive ‘100 Years of the Südzucker Group’ anniversary gala on 21 March 2026 at the Rosengarten in Mannheim. As part of the stage programme, Dr Ingo Stader and Dr Max Schlenker, together with the Mayor of Mannheim, Christian Specht, spoke about the history of the Südzucker Group and highlighted examples of the partnership with the city of Mannheim.
Podcast
Building on the anniversary project, a podcast on the history of the Südzucker Group is currently being produced. We have been responsible for the historical research, the development of the storyboards, and the conceptualisation of the content and narrative structure. Interviews with contemporary witnesses complement the format by offering personal perspectives and bringing key developments in the company’s history to life.
The podcast has not yet been released.