The Entrepreneur Ernst Freiberger

Ernst Freiberger

The food industry’s innovator, founder and owner of the Freiberger Holding is
Ernst Freiberger25 years old when, having completed his business studies at the Ludwig Maximilian University in Munich, he takes his first steps as an entrepreneur. Instead of entering the family’s business, however, he decides to start his own company. In 1976, he acquires a small pizza bakery in Berlin that faces insolvency. Back then, 20 employees produce 6.000 frozen pizzas per day.

Within a very short period of time, Ernst Freiberger, together with his young and highly motivated team, succeeds in restructuring the company and in developing innovative production and marketing strategies. Co-packing, i.e. selling the product under the name of a third party, allows him to “democratise” prises. Thus, frozen pizza becomes affordable for everyone, turning it into the most successful frozen food product. Leadership in price calculation and efficient production flows form the basis for the company’s market success. In addition, counter-cyclical investments in Berlin after the fall of the wall help turn the company into Europe’s leading producer of frozen pizza, baguette and pasta – with a daily output of 1.5 million articles.

In 1983, giving credit to his achievements as an innovative and exemplary entrepreneur of the food industry, Freiberger receives the “Golden Sugar Loaf”, the food industry’s highest award. The Humboldt University acknowledges his achievements for agricultural economics by means of the “Albrecht Thaer Medal”. In 1998, Ernst Freiberger sells Freiberger Food Ltd. to Südzucker AG. Today, this European market leader is one of few production units that retain their seat in Berlin.

Modernising and Redeveloping Architectural Heritage

Early on, starting in 1988, Ernst Freiberger extends his entrepreneurial
Humbolt-Mühleactivities towards real estate, focusing on buildings that are listed for preservation which he seeks to retain and develop. Conservation and renewal thereby find an equilibrium that is economically reasonable. The acquisition of the Humboldt Mill on Lake Tegel is the kick-off for a series of projects in which historically significant sites are redeveloped. For this commitment he receives the “Bauherren”-Prize as well as the Alexander-von-Humboldt-Medal.

In 1990, Ernst Freiberger conceives of a new, cosmopolitan setting for the historical Bolle dairy production site in Moabit: the “Spree-Bogen Project” is a modern office and facility centre, and, at the time of its construction, it is the largest privately funded real estate project after the fall of the wall. In Kitzbühel, Austria, he buys the historic Grand Hotel and, by means of careful modernisation, turns this architectural jewel into an international training centre.

Another major project is the “Forum Museumsinsel”. Right in the centre of Berlin, on the culturally most prominent site of Germany’s capital, Ernst Freiberger revives a unique architectural ensemble. Buildings that are up to 300 years old interact with selected works of modern architecture that are added to the ensemble. Thus the whole site is reawakened to contemporary urban life.

Forum MuseumsinselAnother major project is the “Forum Museumsinsel”. Right in the centre of Berlin, on the culturally most prominent site of Germany’s capital, Ernst Freiberger revives a unique architectural ensemble. Buildings that are up to 300 years old interact with selected works of modern architecture that are added to the ensemble. Thus the whole site is reawakened to contemporary urban life.

Modernising Health Care

The health care reform put an abrupt end to the traditional system of medical cure and restoration. Shortly before it came into effect, in 1995 Ernst
Medical Park St. HubertusFreiberger buys the EFA Health Clinic owned by his family. Whereas many clinics specialising in medical cures and restoration have to shut down, Ernst Freiberger opts for anti-cyclical investment. He develops “Medical Park”, a successful business model apt to meet future challenges in health care. Not unlike his beginnings as an entrepreneur, this is another situation where Ernst Freiberger swiftly finds a way out of a crisis.

Social Commitment

Having gained valuable experiences as a successful entrepreneur and being very much alerted to the problems of today’s society, Ernst Freiberger, who
Die Ernst Freiberger Stiftungfirmly believes that his entails certain responsibilities, decides to pay society back by setting up a foundation in 1994. Exclusively pursuing charitable aims, the foundation is dedicated to memorialisation, looking after the needs of the older generation and supporting academic research concerning fundamental issues of society.

Two Homes: Berlin and Chiemgau

Since 1976, the focus of Ernst Freiberger’s entrepreneurial activities had rested on Berlin. Following a suggestion of the Federal State of Berlin, the
AmerangPresident of Germany awards Ernst Freiberger with the Federal Cross of Merit for his achievements as an entrepreneur and his commitment to developing the city and founding a charity. A few years ago, Ernst Freiberger has shifted his company’s headquarters to Amerang, Chiemgau, thus moving back to his home town where his family has been based since the 15th century. The management of the Freiberger Holding, for which the manifold activities of Ernst Freiberger have laid the foundation, is controlled by Hartmut Hain and Roland Seebauer .