New innovative logistics and marketing cooperation launched in Thuringia

Strong partnership for the last mile: Thuringian Products Agency (Agentur Thüringer Produkte) and LEAFR want to improve B2B food logistics in rural areas of Thuringia.

Gotha, 29 October 2025. A new partnership between the Thuringian Products Agency and LEAFR, Nagel-Group’s first corporate venture, marks a milestone in small-scale food logistics to support the marketing of regional products in Thuringia. The aim is to install collection solutions at the manufacturer’s premises and then carry out the final transport via an existing logistics centre to B2B customers, thus making the logistics sector more efficient, sustainable and economically viable as a whole.

In rural areas of Thuringia in particular, the reliable and economical delivery of regional food products has been a major challenge to date. Small and medium-sized producers often have no access to professional logistics structures – deliveries to restaurants, retailers or tourist facilities involve a great deal of effort, expense and time. At the same time, demand for high-quality regional products is growing in urban areas of Thuringia, such as Erfurt, Weimar and Jena – but there was no bridge between supply and demand.

Kick-off for new cooperation at the end of September 2025: Thuringian Products Agency and LEAFR to collaborate in Thuringia in future. From left: Elisabeth Eberlein (Thuringian Food Network Association), Thomas Rockstroh (Nagel Group), Jörg Seifert (Thuringian Products Agency), Nico Lerch (Nagel Group), Max Klostermann and Sören Loeck (LEAFR)

With the start of the collaboration between the Thuringian Products Agency and LEAFR, a start-up specialising in sustainable and digital logistics solutions, attempts will now be made to close this logistics gap bit by bit. LEAFR brings state-of-the-art technology, an infrastructure specialising in food and an innovative concept for micro-hubs and bundled supply chains. As a cooperation between interest groups and marketing initiatives, Thuringian Products Agency ensures close links with regional producers, marketing partners and companies in the tourism and catering industry. The Ministry of Economics, Agriculture and Rural Areas (TMWLLR) supports the project through the Thüringer Aufbaubank as part of its cooperation promotion programme (ZFL) in the agricultural, forestry and food industries, which promotes cooperation to strengthen regional value chains.

‘We create solutions for regional value creation – efficient, digital and sustainable,’ says Jörg Seifert, project manager at the Thuringian Products Agency. ‘Our producers gain access to marketing and logistics structures that open up new markets for them – in both urban and rural areas.’

The new partnership will implement a platform-based logistics solution that coordinates collection, temporary storage and delivery. Bundled delivery routes will enable food to be delivered to restaurants, farm shops, hotels and regional retailers more efficiently and in a more climate-friendly manner. At the same time, recipients will benefit from fresh regional products that are now reliably available.

Benefits for businesses throughout Thuringia:

• Regional producers gain access to new sales channels without having to bear the logistics costs themselves.
• Tourism and catering businesses can work more easily with regional specialities – a clear competitive advantage in terms of profiling.
• Marketers benefit from reliable supplies of products from the surrounding area.
• The environment is protected thanks to short food transport distances and e-mobility.

‘LEAFR does not see the last mile as a problem, but as the key to effective regional value creation,’ emphasises Max Klostermann, Venture CEO of LEAFR. ‘Our business concept enables regional products to be delivered where they are needed – quietly, with low emissions and without additional packaging waste.’

The pilot project will start as soon as the new vehicles arrive and suitable drivers are on board. The plan is to start around Gotha, i.e. in the Erfurt and Weimar areas and towards the Thuringian Forest. There are plans to expand the project to cover the whole of Thuringia. The first partners from the catering, retail and direct marketing sectors are already on board.

With this cooperation, the parties involved are sending a strong signal for the future viability of rural areas, which can participate in urban developments through smart solutions in logistics and marketing – and vice versa.

About the Thuringian Products Agency

As a project funded by the Free State of Thuringia, the agency supports regional producers, artisans and food companies in the development, marketing and distribution of their products. It acts as an interface between producers, retailers, restaurants and tourism. The main project manager is the Thuringian Forest Landscape Conservation Association.

About LEAFR

LEAFR is the Nagel-Group’s first corporate venture and has specialised in the sustainable supply of food to city centres since 2023. With its own fleet of fully electric refrigerated vehicles equipped with active cooling and digitally controlled logistics processes, LEAFR provides a quiet, low-emission and reliable solution for last-mile delivery. In metropolitain areas such as Hamburg, Cologne and Düsseldorf, LEAFR has already successfully delivered over 20,000 shipments, establishing flexible pick-up and delivery times as well as real-time tracking for its customers. As part of the Nagel-Group, LEAFR, together with B+S GmbH Logistik und Dienstleistungen, is part of a strong network that covers the entire food supply chain. LEAFR plays a crucial role in the sustainable and innovative delivery of small shipments in urban areas.

About the Nagel-Group

The Nagel-Group is one of Europe’s leading food logistics providers. With a turnover of €2.3 billion and around 11,000 employees at more than 130 locations, the family-owned company connects producers and retailers along the entire food supply chain. The Nagel-Group moves over 105,000 shipments of dry and frozen food every day and ensures the highest quality and efficiency with tailor-made transport and contract logistics solutions. The subsidiary B+S Logistik und Dienstleistungen has been part of the Nagel-Group since 2022. B+S Logistik focuses on contract logistics and e-commerce fulfilment. As a specialist in temperature-controlled food logistics, the Nagel-Group stands for reliability, innovation and sustainable action. With initiatives for decarbonisation, investments in digital processes and the corporate venture LEAFR, the group is actively shaping the future of food logistics. Further information about the Nagel-Group is available at: www.nagel-group.com