Pfeifer & Langen: The sweet years are over - How Chio chips and Ültje save the sugar dynasty through the crisis
"White gold" made Pfeifer & Langen big. But the sugar business is in crisis. Salty snacks now bring in three times more sales. Exclusive insights into a secretive family business.
Pfeifer & Langen, a 156-year-old German sugar manufacturer, is facing a crisis in the sugar industry, described by its CEO Michael Schaupp as a "perfect storm" of market pressure, low sugar prices, increased costs, and regulatory challenges. The company, valued at €2.6 billion, has diversified its business and now generates most of its revenue from its snack business, Intersnack, which is set to acquire US-based Utz Brands for $2.9 billion.
Despite the challenges, Pfeifer & Langen reported a revenue of €6.5 billion in 2025, with its sugar business no longer the largest contributor. The company's strategy of diversification has helped it navigate the crisis, but the sugar industry as a whole is struggling with high costs and low prices.
Written by urgent.news from Handelsblatt's report — not a translation of it. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
