Rügenwalder Mühle Sausage and Plant-Based Alternatives

Rügenwalder Mühle traces its origins back to 1834, when master butcher Carl Müller founded the business in Rügenwalde, Pomerania (now Darłowo, Poland). After World War II, the Müller family fled westward and restarted the enterprise in Bad Zwischenahn, Lower Saxony, where the company's production facilities and headquarters remain located.

While originally renowned for classic German meat products—such as Teewurst, Schinkenwurst, and liver sausage—the brand underwent a historic transformation in 2014 by aggressively expanding into vegetarian and vegan meat alternatives. Today, plant-based products represent the primary driver of its portfolio and revenue.

In early 2024, the family shareholders agreed to transfer majority ownership of Rügenwalder Mühle Carl Müller GmbH & Co. KG to the Pfeifer & Langen I.G.P. group, a German family-owned food conglomerate that also owns the plant-protein specialist endori, while the founding family retained a minority stake. (Note: Other historical Pomeranian butcher names like 'Rügenwalder Teewurst' represent protected geographical indications or shared regional recipes used by different manufacturers, but the distinct red mill brand sold widely throughout German retail is Rügenwalder Mühle).