Page 15 - Port of Hamburg Magazine 02.24

Beancut: Well-trained em- ployees cut the beans and check colour, odour and taste.
Iwona Markowska is a food industry technologist special- ising in grain processing and tests the quality of the cocoa in the laboratory.
Where does cacao come from?
Cacao grows close to the equator and most comes from West Africa. The plants need high humidity and plenty of rain. They also require constant temperatures between 25 and 30 degrees Celsius – like the prevailing climate on the Ivory Coast and in Ghana, where two harvests per year are possible. However, cacao also grows in tropical regions in Central and South America as well as Asia.
gally marketed in Europe or exported from the EU if they were produced deforestation-free and the laws of the producing country have been observed.
But that’s not all. The company specialised in raw food materials manages a further 40,000 square me- tres of storage space for spices including cardamom, pepper or paprika as well as nuts and ginger. It also stores rice and prepacked spice mixes that are sup- plied to Asian food stores in Germany. “Just like with cacao, we take good care of our customers’ goods, check the quality and complete customs clearance,” Fabian explains.
The employees are extensively trained so they know how to take samples and to prevent any contamination with goods in the warehouse, such as with peanuts which can trigger allergies. “We often walk the tight- rope between a traditional port warehouse and the standard of hygiene applicable to the requirements of the food processing industry,” he says. The employees understand that they bear a tremendous responsibility.
The company likewise handles general cargo such as rubber or wood as well as consumer products. Gener- ally, business runs well. This is also reflected by the fact that H.D. Cotterell is planning to invest in existing properties and to construct a new, bigger hall at the headquarters at Ellerholzdamm. The topic of sustaina- bility is also not overlooked. “We are a carbon-neutral company because we want to be, not because we have to be,” Fabian proclaims.
The owner Thomas Cotterell is among the very first to adopt electric cars. The company’s vehicle fleet is en- tirely electric, and most employees now use electric cars. The company has been producing electricity it- self for some time – thanks to the photovoltaic instal- lation on the hall roof, which can generate 500 kilo- watt peak. This means the company can largely meet its own energy needs in the sunny months of the year. The company has installed 19 charging points for charging electric cars. H.D. Cotterell currently em- ploys around 65 people, who perform challenging and varied work. “And it always smells good here,” Fabian concludes.
PORT OF HAMBURG MAGAZINE 2/24 ALL-PURPOSE PORT
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© Nicole de Jong
© Nicole de Jong