Skills and commitment for a better quality of life
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OUR TASK
A happier life without gluten 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 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 enrichment 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 glutenfree foods and, above all, they value our uncompromising position regarding the quality of ingredients and compliance with dietary guidelines – just like our consumers.
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 expertise 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 investment in research and development work. In terms of
The first products to promote a healthy diet for young children appear under the Dr. Schär brand
1922
1981
Production and operational facilities are expanded in Burgstall
1996
Gluten-free diet products from Dr. Schär come onto the market for the first time
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2002
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, subsidiaries in Germany, Spain, UK and USA, and production facilities in Burgstall (Italy), Apolda and Dreihausen (Germany) and Zaragoza (Spain) as well as one under construction 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.
Opening of the research laboratory at the AREA Science Park in Trieste
2003
Takeover of Nutrition Point. The DS-gluten free (Dietary Specials) brand becomes the market leader in the UK food retail industry
2006
Takeover of the Glutafin brand. Formation of a subsidiary in the USA
2007
Takeover of the Glutano brand. New production facilities open in Germany at Apolda and Dreihausen
2011 New production facilities open in Zaragoza (Spain) and construction continues on production facilities in New Jersey, USA
THE COMPANY
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.
From South Tyrol into the world 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.
BURGSTALL SOUTH TYROL – ITALY Headquarters of the Dr. Schär Group Production facility
DREIHAUSEN HESSE – GERMANY Headquarters of Dr. Schär Germany Production facility
THELWALL WARRINGTON – UK APOLDA THURINGIA – GERMANY
Headquarters of Dr. Schär UK
Production facility
AREA SCIENCE PARK TRIESTE – ITALY Research and development
LYNDHURST NEW JERSEY – USA Headquarters of Dr. Schär USA
LOGAN NEW JERSEY – USA Production facility (under construction)
ALAGÓN ZARAGOZA – SPAIN Production facility
Our employees make the difference 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. 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 desires of our customers and develop our company into an international market leader.
Recognising and supporting variety With flexible work times and family-friendly and motivating employer services, we support our employees and provide the freedom they need. In doing so, we promote
exceptional performance and solidarity within our company, 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 create 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.
We live by our values Safety
Health
Progress
Ambition
Our sense of responsibility at Dr. Schär includes ensuring maximum safety standards. This means safe products for our consumers and secure relationships with them.
The complete health of our consumers is key to the company's promise to deliver a feeling of well-being and a positive lifestyle. The company also has a healthy approach to its organisation, activities and financial opportunities.
Forward thinking, actions and operations are the key to the evolution of Dr. Schär as a company and allow the growth of market niches.
Employees live out the ambition of turning Dr. Schär into an international market leader. The company fosters self-awareness and a sense of direction. Ambition is a living part of our corporate culture.
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EMPLOYEES
Leading the way in research and development 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. 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 generate 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 community with over 1000 scientists, our professional team of food technologists has the chance to work with stateof-the-art equipment. Whilst our research team concentrates 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-
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tive research facility is the reason that today Dr. Schär enjoys a significant competitive advantage in the glutenfree market. Of course, before any new product goes into production, 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.
RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT
Safety from the field, through production and delivered to the consumer
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Carefully selected, high quality raw ingredients
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Extremely strict checks on each raw ingredient in the Dr. Sch채r quality laboratory
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Recipes that work
PRODUCTION AND QUALITY
Progress through unique production operations and quality measures The quality of the raw ingredients chain and its stringent checks are the basis for everything. 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. 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 guarantee the comprehensive quality of our operational processes 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 facilities are certified with the BRC Global Standard for Food
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Highly specialised production technology
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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 Services standard 18001:2007 for our active safety management system. An independent “Quality Management� department guarantees that we are never lagging behind in our goal to continually improve standards.
Continuous checks to ensure consistent product quality
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Efficient distribution network
Everything taste has to offer 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.
Bread
Flour
As 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 importance on its products being in convenient packaging and practical to use.
For 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.
Pasta
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Pasta comes in many different shapes and sizes. However, 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.
Frozen convenience foods Frozen convenience foods are also an essential component of a complete range of food products. Our frozen food range includes pizza, pies, pastry, sausage rolls, Cornish slices and ready meals. The advantages of these tasty treats are clear: short preparation time, great taste and guaranteed quality that's gluten-free.
PRODUCT RANGE
Savoury snacks
Biscuits and sweet treats
Good 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.
Everyone 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 selection of small sweet snacks. Biscuits, wafers, light cakes and sweet bakery delights for all ages are an essential part of the Dr. Schär range.
Cereals Giving 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.
* 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.
Brand quality through and through Sch채r, DS-gluten free, Glutafin, Glutano and Trufree: these are the five brands that Dr. Sch채r 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.
Sch채r "we care": The main brand products are available in both Europe and America. Sch채r 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 14
BRANDS AND SERVICE
Dialogue and openness as a basis for our brand policy We are constantly looking to exchange ideas and experiences directly with our consumers and, through our effective 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 improve our products and services. Consumers have access to our brand websites which contain news on glutenfree 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 freephone careline with advice from trained experts including an inhouse dietitian. A consumer magazine is also available, which contains case studies on people coping with a gluten and/or wheat free diet, inspiring recipes, product 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.
Global sales partner network and product availability 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. Successful sales as an ethical duty Probably the most significant restriction for people with special nutritional requirements is the need to completely restructure their diet. The easier it is for these people to get hold of the required foods, the higher their quality 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 journey 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.
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 independent specialist shops and pharmacies ensures maximum contact with customers and an extensive range, coupled with competent advice and friendly service.
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SALES
Excellent support services for committed sales partners OUR STRONG BRANDS Our strong brands generate sustainable growth with their groundbreaking product quality, innovative recipes and intensive PR and advertising marketing communications.
OUR CATEGORY MANAGEMENT APPROACH Significant support for product rotations at the points of sale is provided through comprehensive market analysis and consumer surveys, the Dr. Sch채r 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 EFFICIENT LOGISTICS
Without committed sales partners, who know and value the market and the special needs of our customers, Dr. Sch채r would not be Dr. Sch채r. That's why providing measures that support retailers are a key element of our activities. Carefully adapted and agreed with our partners, these measures form the foundation for success of Dr. Sch채r products on the market and with consumers.
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.
Eating out – improving service and developing a new market 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. 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 motorway 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 working 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
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and these represent a very valuable element in our development. 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 hospitality 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.
FOOD SERVICE
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PROFESSIONAL SERVICES
Exchanging experiences for even higher quality advice Dr. Sch채r 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 questions concerning 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. All the information in one place Professional management of specialist knowledge is essential when dealing with a food intolerance such as coeliac disease. Our Professionals department consists of nutritional advisors and scientists from around the world, who are responsible for providing the required information and ensuring the correct labelling of nutritional values on products. It's about creating an expert service for all professionals working in the health sector and dealing with balanced gluten-free nutrition. We support institutions, research projects and advice initiatives. Drawing on our daily experience in research and development, we have compiled comprehensive information and created a database of answers to almost every possible question. A milestone in the company history of Dr. Sch채r 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, interviews with professional scientists and discussion forums come together to create a comprehensive picture of coeliac disease, intolerances and gluten-free nutrition.
Because we are committed to a more informed and enjoyable life 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.
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COMMITMENT
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Dr. Sch채r GmbH / Srl Winkelau 9 I - 39014 Burgstall / Postal Tel. +39 0473 293 300 Fax +39 0473 293 399 info.it@drschaer.com
www.drschaer.com
Dr. Sch채r Deutschland GmbH Simmerweg 12 D - 35085 Ebsdorfergrund Tel. +49 6424 303 0 Fax +49 6424 303 105 info.de@drschaer.com
Dr. Sch채r UK Ltd. Station Court 442 Stockport Road Warrington, WA4 2GW Tel. +44 (0)1925 865100 Fax + 44 (0)1925 865101 info.uk@drschaer.com
Dr. Schar USA, Inc. 1050 Wall Street West, Suite 370 Lyndhurst, NJ 07071 USA Tel. +1 201 355 8470 Fax +1 201 355 8624 info.us@drschar.com www.drschar.com