Insight Out: Executive Manager Jurek Voelkel on Bold Marketing

Marketing’s boldest voices: how to succeed in food marketing by Jurek Voelkel

DMEXCO 2025 will focus on one thing: courage. The whole world of marketing will gather under the banner of the event’s motto, “Be bold. Move forward.” After all, adopting this mindset is the only way for companies to tackle the challenges we are facing. Bold marketing also defines Voelkel’s strategy. The family business is now almost 90 years old because it’s not afraid of strategic transformation. Jurek Voelkel discusses the company’s approach in this interview as part of our series “Insight Out: Marketing’s Boldest Voices.”

What’s been your boldest marketing move so far – and why would(n’t) you do it again?

Jurek Voelkel: We launched a ginger shot called Good Shit Shot this year. 10 cents from each bottle sold go to the social business Goldeimer, which supports sanitation projects in developing countries. So it’s about promoting healthy conditions for bodily functions. When we launched the product, lots of people thought it was an April fool because we had intentionally broken one of the oldest golden marketing rules in the food industry: ‘Consumers will never understand word play that mentions fecal matter. The product will be rejected.’ But we showed that customers are not as prone to knee-jerk reactions as many people claim. In fact, all the feedback we’ve received so far on the deliberately provocative name has been positive, and we’re pleased to say that many of our major customers were willing to join us on this highly risky experiment. Our success on the shelves is now our reward for being brave.

The Good Shit Shot is the second in what we call our ‘Impact Shots” – limited editions that aim to draw attention to current social issues. Its predecessor was the Multiculti Shot, sales of which went to the anti-right-wing extremism initiative Laut gegen Nazis. That product was also a brilliant success. We’re going to continue the concept with what we call our hot-water bottle, which will support winter aid for the unhoused.

When was the last time you stepped outside your marketing comfort zone – and why was that necessary?

Jurek Voelkel: We’re currently rolling out a new 0.5-liter returnable glass bottle. There are lots of reasons for taking this step, such as the growing number of carless single households. People are going shopping more regularly, but they are buying less. The era of the big weekend shop is over, at least in the big towns and cities. Heavy and large bottles are becoming increasingly unpopular. Sadly, this is leading to a renaissance of the can. We want to offer a more environmentally sound alternative with our 0.5-liter bottle.

A second reason is the enormous increases in the price of raw materials, which are being driven by the global polycrisis. Orange juice isn’t a cheap product that’s available everywhere anymore. It’s become a scarcity item across the world. This results in noticeable price increases. Instead of scaring customers away by charging four or five euros for a one-liter bottle, we would prefer to encourage conscious and pleasurable consumption. Buying less and embracing sustainable consumption are better for humankind and the planet. We already know that the popular press will jump on the topic of shrinkflation; after all, it’s a story that sells well. But it’s the bitter fruit that we have to bite into because we’re convinced that it’s the right path in the long term.

Imagine you had to start your marketing campaign from scratch tomorrow – with an unlimited budget: What’s the first thing you would do differently?

Jurek Voelkel: Although Voelkel is available in almost every natural food store in Germany, and we’re the market leader by some margin in the juice segment of organic food retail, our general brand recognition still has plenty of room for improvement. The quickest way to develop brand recognition is still TV commercials. So, as unoriginal as it may sound, my first move would be a major ad campaign on every channel.

How can you tell whether marketing transformation is really making a difference?

Jurek Voelkel: One of my hobbies is strolling around supermarkets with my kids. That saves me a lot of market research.

When you think ahead to 2026, what strategic challenge keeps you awake at night?

Jurek Voelkel: We see generating fairly remunerated sales for organic agriculture as our core mission. This is the only way to achieve the minimum target of 30 percent organic farming in Germany. And the only way to reach the volumes we need for that is through more growth in food retail. I don’t want this growth to be at the expense of organic food retail. Instead, my strategic goal is to win over lots of new fans of organic products. Genuine fans who then go on to eagerly explore the whole range of products that organic food retailers offer.

Where do your best ideas come from – when you’re not in marketing mode?

Jurek Voelkel: When I’m at the wheel of my old and completely unsustainable Saab driving through the incredibly beautiful nature that we have in our corner of Lower Saxony.

What message would you like to send to your colleagues throughout the marketing business?

Jurek Voelkel: “Don’t tell me that you can’t afford organic!”

Bold marketing strategy with a special purpose by Voelkel

Breaking golden marketing rules, anticipating a shitstorm, and still sticking to your strategic marketing plan: Voelkel shows how courageous companies with a clear purpose can present themselves. And the brand’s success demonstrates that it also appeals to consumers.

Want to hear more bold voices? Then head to DMEXCO 2025 in Cologne on 17 and 18 September. Get your ticket here.

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