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A compelling vision stood at the beginning:
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It all began in the year 1907. Inspired by the idea of offering East Frisian tea blends beyond the borders of East Frisia, Laurens Janssen founded the Ostfriesische Tee Gesellschaft. At the beginning of the Fifties, a grandson by the name of Laurens Spethmann assumes that task of managing the company with the same determination as his grandfather. Thinking ahead and planning for the future, he transfers the registered seat of the company to the free harbour. Here the "doors to the world" and entrepreneurial success were opened.
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His wife Marianne supports him with a high level of commitment, and joins him in decisively influencing the development of the enterprise. Together they built up the OTG Ostfriesische Tee Gesellschaft into a successful national and international supplier of teas. During the company’s initial years, the production of private-label teas shaped the business, however, by the end of the 1960s OTG took the first steps in the direction of brandname products. Laurens Spethmann followed his intuition creating the MILFORD brand.
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In 1988, OTG acquired the traditional East Frisian brand OnnO Behrends, adding the reputed Meßmer brand just two years later. With this quality range of products, OTG established itself as the leading tea supplier on the Germanlanguage tea market.
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Establishment of OTG - Ostfriesische Tee Gesellschaft - by Laurens Janssen, a classic tea trader.
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Laurens Spethmann, the grandson, takes over and develops the company into a tea packaging company.
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The limited liability company (GmbH) is transformed into a limited partnership (KG).
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Having shaped the business primarily through private label teas, OTG takes the first step into branded products by creating the MILFORD brand.
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First international expansion. Acquired Grosch Tea (Austria) which later became Milford Tee Austria. |
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The HUXOL-Teegesellschaft is acquired. |
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Acquired Veelmann production plant, Bad Salzuflen. Established second division "Health and Nutrition" - the diabetic brand Veelmann and the OTC brand HUXOL.
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The food factory MEDIN, in Faulbach, the later Veelmann Produktionsgesellschaft mbH, is acquired.
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Acquired OnnO Behrends Tea GmbH & Co. (East Frisia).
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Acquired Ludwig Schwarz & Co. (Tea packaging - Buchholz) which later became Milford Tea GmbH.
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Acquired Ed. Meßmer GmbH & Co. (Tea - Frankfurt and Grettstadt).
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The OTG International Warenhandelsgesellschaft mbH, Hittfeld, is established.
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Acquired tea companies PAGÈS S.A. (France) and KEITH SPICER Ltd. (England). The OTG Lager- und Frachtkontor GmbH & Co. KG, Buchholz, is founded.
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Reorganized the group and established the Laurens Spethmann Holding AG & Co.
The fourth family generation assumed responsibility. The company ZAO MILFORD, Russia, is established.
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Acquired Tea production of Marvelo, Netherlands.
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Founding of the Kornline Vertriebs GmbH for the marketing and sale of cereals.
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