Forty-five percent of the meat processing company Tönnies Holding belongs to Clemens Tönnies, a German entrepreneur whose net worth was valued at 1.6 billion US dollars by Forbes in 2022. Operating primarily out of Rheda-Wiedenbrück, he ascended to lead the family business following the 1994 death of his brother, Bernd Tönnies, who died from a lung infection.
Corporate Operations and Legal Challenges
The business underwent significant scrutiny throughout the 2010s. In 2012, German tax investigators executed a search of his office regarding tax evasion allegations. Shortly thereafter, in 2013, the Federal Cartel Office issued a 90,000 euro fine after Tönnies failed to disclose his stake in the Zur Mühlen Group during a proposed merger with the slaughterhouse operator Tummel. Additionally, Tönnies secured public funds through CumEx transactions, claiming tax refunds for levies that had never been paid.
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Subsidiaries including Böklunder, Plumrose, and Karl Könecke Fleischwarenfabrik were implicated in price fixing, incurring fines totaling 128 million euros from the Federal Cartel Office. These penalties were avoided through the liquidation of these specific subsidiaries after their operations were moved to the Zur Mühlen Group. This event prompted the German government to amend relevant legislation in September 2016 to close the legal loophole that allowed such maneuvers.
Public Controversy and Football Leadership
Tönnies served as the chairman of the supervisory board for the football club FC Schalke 04 between 2001 and 2020. During the COVID-19 pandemic in June 2020, an outbreak at his Rheda-Wiedenbrück plant resulted in at least 1,500 positive SARS-CoV-2 tests among 7,000 employees. This triggered local protests and public outcry. Following a human chain demonstration by approximately 1,000 fans, he resigned from his role at the football club on 30 June 2020.
Political Statements
During the Tag des Handwerks Paderborn conference in August 2019, Tönnies spoke against climate-related tax increases. He suggested that minister Gerd Müller should fund power plants in Africa to prevent deforestation and population growth, remarks which Der Spiegel and other observers condemned as racist.
Fast facts
- Born: 1956, Rheda, Germany
- Primary business: Tönnies Holding
- Net worth: 1.6 billion US dollars (2022 estimate)
- Schalke 04 board tenure: 2001-2020
- Reported COVID-19 cases at Rheda plant: 1,500
Questions readers ask
How did Clemens Tönnies acquire his business?
He took control of the family meat processing firm in 1994 after the death of his brother, Bernd Tönnies.
Why did he resign from FC Schalke 04?
He faced mounting pressure from fans and the public following a significant COVID-19 outbreak at his meat processing facility in June 2020.
