Mautner Markhof AG#

Mautner Markhof AG, food and beverage company with headquarters in Vienna. The company's history can be traced to Bohemia in the year 1690, while operations in Vienna started in 1840, when Adolf Ignaz (see) Mautner leased the brewery of St. Marx. From 1850 dry yeast production came to play an important role in the company side by side with beer brewing; from the 1860s onward the company added to its activities the production of spirits, an important product for the liqueur industry. In 1913 the firm started producing vinegar, rum, mustard, fruit syrups and horseradish preserves at its plant in Vienna-Simmering, which has remained its headquarters to this day. In the 1920s numerous molasses yeast factories were established in successor states of the Austro-Hungarian monarchy. The factory in Vienna was severely damaged during World War II. Reconstruction was completed in 1950, when a new fermentation plant was opened. In the 20th century the two personalities which most influenced the development of the family-owned enterprise were Manfred (see) Mautner Markhof and Georg (see) Mautner Markhof. Non-voting preference shares of Mautner Markhof AG have been listed on the Stock Exchange since 1984. In 1992 the company went international (purchase of Buszesz AG in Hungary, joint venture with Lesaffre company of France). Since the 1990s the company has predominantly expanded in Central and Eastern Europe, with subsidiaries in Hungary, Poland and Croatia. In 1997 the marketing of spirits was spun off and the company has since concentrated on mustard, vinegar, horseradish, fruit syrups and salad dressings. Sales in 1998 amounted to ATS 757 million; in the same year the company had 498 persons on its payroll. Marcus Mautner Markhof (Georg Mautner Markhof's son) has been chairman of the board since 1996.