1896
Willy Kündig is born in Zurich on the 12th of April. After completing school he becomes an apprentice at a large Zurich-based bank. He soon gives up his apprenticeship and provides himself with equipment for grain trade at Karr & Cie AG. Shortly thereafter Willy Kündig starts working independently as an inspector for trading goods at the swiss harbor of Sète in Southern France.
1920
On the 10th of May Willy Kündig establishes the company Kündig & Kälin together with Erwin Kälin who soon leaves the business. The firm is continued as a new commercial partnership named W. Kündig & Cie.
1925
Establishment of a subsidiary in Vienna. From there, Willy Kündig starts building the procurement markets in Eastern Europe. During the Second World War he is appointed advisor for the Department of Warfare Nutrition. This enabled him to obtain corn even through the battle lines in Eastern Europe. Many established contacts to Hungary, Poland and former Yugoslavia still exist to date.
1942
Establishment of the Personnel Providence Fund of W. Kündig & Cie.
1948
Willy Kündig meets his future wife Rosa Stürzinger. After the marriage they have two children: Beat Willy Kündig (*1952) and Brigitte Kündig (*1956).
1961
Transformation of the limited partnership into W. Kündig & Cie AG.
1963
The strong and amicable business relations of Willy Kündig remain through the turbulent post-war times. He receives the general agency over the Hungarian companies Agrimpex (grain), Mirelite (frozen foods) and Hungarofruct (dry products and tinned food).
1972
Company founder Willy Kündig dies at the age of 76. His long-standing employee and friend Ferdinand Tobler takes over the management.
1978
Establishment of the Willy Kündig foundation in Zurich as a supplement to the now state-owned Personnel Providence Fund.
1982
Beat W. Kündig enters the company as a trained grain trader. He lays the foundation for the second generation.
1991
The W. Kündig KFT is founded in Budapest after the collapse of the Eastern Bloc. Together with employees of the former state trading organisations Agrimpex, Mirelite and Hungarofruct the company takes over responsibility for quality control and procurement of goods in Hungaria.
1992
Beat W. Kündig becomes CEO of the W. Kündig & Cie AG. His vision is to gain essential control over the entire supply chain of Kündig products - from plantation to delivery. Especially in regard to organic farming in Hungaria.
1993
Expansion of organic expertise in Hungaria with the help of former leading Migros/Sana agronomist Dr. Andras Palasthy. Foundation of the Kündig Service KFT in Budapest (quality control, real estate and services).
1995
Establishing of the Willy Kündig-Foundation in Budapest. It aims to further support organic farming in Hungaria by aiding the newly formed Biokultura and Biokontroll Hungária KFT and awarding grants.
1996
Take over of the Tomato-Powder Company from H.J. Heinz & Co. in Kecskemet (later named Kündig Food KFT).
1997
Formation of the W. Kündig GmbH Hamburg (frozen products).
2004
Purchase of the first stake (20%) in BGM-Gruppe in Ritschenhausen.
2006
Kündig KFT Kecskemét is sold to a Hungarian real estate investor. Ceasing of powder production due to market liberalization in Hungaria (EU accession).
2008
W. Kündig & Cie AG takes over 80% of BGM-Gruppe. The company changes its name to Kündig Nahrungsmittel GmbH & Co KG. The associated BioSteril GmbH & Co. KG remains unchanged.
2009
With Marc-Remo Kündig the third generation enters the family company. Establishment of Kündig China in Peking and the BTZ for production of German dried onions (Joint Venture).
2010
Purchase of Interoma AG in Zurich (Import of medicinal plants, flavours, nuts etc.).
2012
Full acquisition of the processing facilities for dry goods in Ritschenhausen, Germany.
2015
Investment into production and quality control in Ritschenhausen. Construction of the Kündig Food Safety Tower (Kündig Nahrungsmittel GmbH & Co. KG) in Ritschenhausen.
2016
Sandro Kündig enters the company.
2017
Merger between BioSteril GmbH & Co. KG and the Kündig Nahrungsmittel GmbH & Co. KG. The name BIOSTERIL ® remains registered trademark of the Kündig Group. Restructuring of BIOSTERIL ® in view of the GMP recertification and doubling of the capacity for food sterilization. Strategic partnership with Bühler Uzwil in the field of sterilization technologies (ebeam).
2018
Establishment of the Kündig Bio Agrarprodukte GmbH in Berlin.
2020
Anniversary: 100 Years Kündig