On April 1, 2025, the two wholesale companies Rogge and WecoFrucht, both based at the Mainz wholesale market, merged to form the newly founded Weco-Rogge Fruchthandels GmbH. With this latest acquisition, the parent company, Josef Stapf GmbH from Frankfurt, is continuing its expansion course (FreshPlaza reported). With two locations in the local fresh produce center, one in Rosbach and the other in Mainz's wholesale market hall, which was expanded to around 2,000 square meters as part of the merger, the company has further increased its clout and created new synergies, confirms Uwe Sakowski, who, together with Miguel Chavero, is at the helm of the growing group of companies.
© Hugo Huijbers | HortiDaily.comThe façade of the Mainz wholesale market hall, built in 1989. The majority of the hall now belongs to the new Weco-Rogge Fruchthandels GmbH. A modern, central cold storage facility is to be built by the end of the year to ensure an uninterrupted cold chain.
Sakowski emphasizes that the company structure now allows it to serve several market segments. "Josef Stapf GmbH in Frankfurt is primarily a point of contact for resellers and traditional wholesale customers. The two companies in Mainz devote up to 80 percent of their business to supplying restaurants and commercial kitchens in the same catchment area, so there will be clear synergies in terms of logistics. It is also worth mentioning that Wecofrucht already has a professional cutting facility, which we were also able to integrate into our group of companies as part of the takeover. Unlike the large cutting facilities, which close at noon, we can accept orders until midnight. This is a significant advantage, as the commercial kitchens we mainly supply often have to reorder goods."
The management of Josef Stapf GmbH: From left to right: Uwe Sakowski (Managing Director), Christopher Römer (Purchasing and Sales Wholesale Market), Miguel Chavero (Managing Director), and Denis Piper (Managing Director Fa. Uhlemann). "With Mr. Römer and Mr. Piper, the new generation is already represented in management, which is why we are well-equipped for the future," says Sakowski.
The majority of cut produce (up to 70 percent) is currently processed by hand. "The top sellers include lettuce mix, diced peppers, and julienned vegetables such as carrots and the like. We aim to further expand the existing cutting operation. On the one hand, we want to expand machine processing, and on the other hand, we also intend to increase product diversity and regionality. We have the advantage that the parent company, Josef Stapf, already has a broad network of producers, so we can source many products directly from the region," says Sakowski, referring to the higher volume turnover and the associated guarantee of freshness.
© Josef Stapf GmbHLeft: Christopher Römer and Miguel Chavero from Josef Stapf GmbH. Right: Jan Greschatz, Jürgen Neher (Weco), Stephan Unter-Ecker, and Uwe Sakowski (Rogge)
Forward-looking succession solution
The previous management of Wecofrucht is also satisfied with the takeover solution, confirms Heinrich Pohl (76), who has guided the company's fortunes for many years together with Hans-Jürgen Neher. "We started in 1983 in what was then the wholesale market hall. At our current location, we were able to continue growing, especially in the fresh-cut sector, and we most recently employed 38 people." Due to his age, Pohl had been looking for a forward-looking succession solution for several years, which has now been confirmed with the takeover on April 1. "We already had good relations with the management of the Josef Stapf Group, and we wish Mr. Sakowski and his colleagues a good start here in Mainz."
For more information:
Uwe Sakowski
Weco-Rogge Fruchthandels GmbH
Robert-Bosch-Straße 42
55129 Mainz (wholesale market)
Tel: +49 173 3167999
sakowski@josef-stapf.de