Bode Naturkost - Our History

Old glass label from one of the first own imports

The founders Horst and Gisela Bode

The beautiful Deichstraße in Hamburg

In 1960, Horst Bode founded the family business in the famous Deichstraße in Hamburg, today a museum-seeming alley, the goods are classically lifted with pulley in the floors of the brick-timbered houses. The founders trade conventional delicacies and spices. These come from Germany and Europe and from the spice market. Until 1985, only Horst and Gisela Bode were working in the company with some temporary staff. After that they additionally employ a full-time office worker.

1980, move to Wentorf near Hamburg. The topic of organic food is still in early stages, but the organic idea develops in the family and so private consume and business changes. Customers are health food shops and health-food producers.

1990 the company moves to the Lohbrügge district of Hamburg. In the east of Hamburg, on the city's green belt, the company has an ideal location with proximity to the port of Hamburg.

Since 1993, the son, Frank Bode, leads the successful second-generation organic trading house. When the now
53-year-old takes over the small business in 1993 at the present location, he is 23 years old. Three employees and a 300-square-meter warehouse without pallet racks are sufficient. With a car and trailer and later a small van, he delivers the ordered goods to the customers in the area.

In 1999, the warehouse is extended for the first time, compared to the current storage capacity, for the small area of 180 square metres. The building costs of 150,000 D-Mark were a considerable but necessary investment in order to follow the service idea, which is still valid today, of shipping as many orders as possible on the day they are received.

At that time there were no navigation devices, only paper maps - and here Frank Bode seems to have gotten lost...?

Extended warehouse, production and office

The new plasticfree packaging

In 2000, a second hall is added. With increasing sales, the stock requirement also increases.

In 2001, the first packaging line goes into operation, both for BODE NATURKOST brand bags and for the private label business. An own organic shop opens on the factory premises. It will have to give way to new offices a few years later, as more employees are recruited due to growing sales and tasks.

In 2002, customers can order via the first online shop. New focuses are raw food, raw materials and a Fair Trade line is added.

As of 2010, warehouses must be rented or bought in the area, since the capacities in Lohbrügge are not enough.

In 2016, new production facilities and a more modern automated packaging system are ready. The employees move into a new office building, because the success also reflects in more employees. Today, around 80 employees work at the growing company headquarters.

In 2017, the largest warehouse no. 12 is completed. It meets the latest logistics requirements. The hall is 65 m long,
35 m wide and 16 m high and holds a volume of 36,400 cubic meters. This adds a capacity of 7,000 pallet spaces. Frank Bode: "With 2.5 million euros, this is the largest investment since the founding of the family business. Our customers benefit from expanded storage capacity as more products are available for immediate delivery."

In 2018, Bode Naturkost is one of the largest organic importers in Germany with 400 containers per year plus a high amount of truck accesses. Further professionalization in all the trade levels accompanied and the higher import impact rate lead to increasingly safer, more reliable, fresher and even cheaper raw materials. Meanwhile, Bode ship more than 12,000 pallets to the customers every year, and the number is rising.

In 2020, even in this difficult year, the company is still on course and now employs over 100 people.

In 2022 New challenges such as the war in Ukraine, inflation and shortages of raw materials also determine the everyday business life at Bode Naturkost. Climate change is omnipresent. That is precisely why it is time for a courageous and important step: Move away from the single-use plastic of consumer packaging and take off with a plastic-free alternative! The solution is a 100% garden compostable film. Currently, this is the most environmentally friendly and sustainable answer to the plastic problem, if packaging cannot be completely eliminated. Step by step, the conversion of all articles in the consumer package assortment to the innovative material takes place.

At the end of the year, the team celebrated the renewed achievement of the IFS Food certifications

Old glass label from one of the first own imports

The founders Horst and Gisela Bode

The beautiful Deichstraße in Hamburg

At that time there were no navigation devices, only paper maps - and here Frank Bode seems to have gotten lost...?

Extended warehouse, production and office

The new plasticfree packaging

On the left picture you can see the current office building.

The picture on the right shows the modern high-bay warehouse no. 12.

Old glass label from one of the first own imports

The founders Horst and Gisela Bode

The beautiful Deichstraße in Hamburg

At that time there were no navigation devices, only paper maps - and here Frank Bode seems to have gotten lost...?

Extended warehouse, production and office

The new plasticfree packaging

On the left picture you can see the current office building.

The picture on the right shows the modern high-bay warehouse no. 12.