Who We Are Interessen-Gemeinschaft
Qualitätshopfen
Niederlauterbach
March 11, 1987 –
18 hop growers from Niederlauterbach in the Hallertau decided to do something about the constant deterioration in prices and the continuing decline in hop quality as well as the growing imbalance in the hop market.
IGN was born.
Under the leadership of Georg Breitner, the original founders strived for change in the hop market by imposing the highest quality standards for the hops they cultivated. By forming the association, they could raise the quality standards and could likewise demand fair prices.
This resulted in the creation of “independent quality control” which soon became established as the standard in the industry and is now the standard that determines how hops are traded throughout Germany and around the world today.
What drives us Pioneers in fair hop commerce
Our principle was given to us from birth:
We want to change the hop market, make it future-proof, sustainable and fair for everyone involved. We strive to make this a reality every day. And in doing so, over time, we have initiated, supported and implemented many improvements in the hop industry.
What was once a small, rebellious initiative has now grown into a successful medium-sized company. We have created professional structures, established contacts with the best breweries in the world, and today, we export our hops to over 50 countries.
But our ambition remains the same:
We want IGN to be known for the best hops in the world.
Vision Our goal? To be the foundation and the wellspring
for the best beers in the world.
We want the world’s best breweries to place their trust in our products – and in our approach. We want our hops to serve as the foundation for the world’s best beers.
Our approach How we will achieve our goals
Inspired by hops
Hops are unique. They are not only the soul of beer but have also shaped the Hallertau and its people. And we want to keep it that way well into the future.
The path we have chosen to achieve our goals is to inspire breweries, hop farmers and society at large with the hops themselves, and thus change their perceptions. Hops are not just any agricultural product: We want to bring you closer to the unique world of hops and the culture and traditions associated with them. This will allow you to better understand the strong relationships between hop growers and brewers.
Actively shaping the future
Like all agricultural sectors, the hop industry is undergoing a major transformation. In keeping with our tradition, however, we do not want to simply roll over and accept these changes, but actively shape them – towards a more sustainable, fairer economy with products of the highest quality. To this end, we are once again leading the way and seeking solutions that will also benefit future generations by promoting innovations that are accessible to all and do not create dependencies.
Growing together The Six Pillars of IGN
To this end, we have established our six principles, our six pillars that define us:
- We grew upin thehop garden.
Hops are our passion and our life’s work. The Hallertau and its traditions are our home.
- We takeour destinyby the reins.
We don't wait for others but actively move forward and take responsibility for our actions and everyone involved.
- Qualitypays off.
We hold ourselves and our products to the highest standards, just as we do our actions and our services.
- It has to beworthwhile.
For everyone involved. That's why we are committed to fairness, transparency and respect.
- Talk to us!
We are there when you need us and are open to the concerns and problems of others.
- Hock‘ mauns z‘am. *
(* Bavarian for “Let’s sit down together and talk”)
We seek personal, honest and direct conversation. We build bridges between all parties and create understanding.
The IGN team We are IGN
Whether employees, association members or supporters, IGN is shaped by people whose passion is cultivating hops. Get to know us!
The IGN Team