Despite extremely challenging weather conditions, especially in the first and third quarters, Landgard once again achieved further sales growth at Group level last year. According to the provisional figures for the financial year 2018 - the final figures will be presented at the Representatives' Meeting in June 2019 - the Producer Cooperative continued to increase its gross revenue at Group level to € 1.99 billion compared to the same period of the previous year. Despite lower gross profit, EBITDA and 
EBT also developed positively compared to the strong prior-year results. EBT is expected to be the best in the company's history. An important factor was further optimization of process, material and personnel costs.
In the Fruit & Vegetables business segment, the overall market in Germany remained stable in 2018. With unconsolidated sales growth of almost 3 percent, Landgard also recorded a significantly more positive development here. This positive, exclusively organic sales development took place despite further consolidation and the further streamlining of the portfolio by the core business Flowers and Plants and Fruits and Vegetables.
'Extremely difficult conditions'
"The year 2018 was far from easy for the whole industry. The lack of a spring season, a late winter in March, extreme dryness and heat in the summer and a too hot autumn had a negative impact on the market almost throughout the year. We could not completely avoid these circumstances. However, thanks to the joint efforts of our member companies and employees, we were able to develop significantly better than the market as a whole, despite extremely difficult conditions and negative market developments," said Armin Rehberg, CEO of Landgard eG.
For more information: www.landgard.de