1902 Foundation of Fruchthandel Gesellschaft mbH (fruit trading company) on 24 June in Bremen. Gustav Scipio is appointed the company’s managing director. In addition to imports over land, the company also focused in particular on the import of bananas from the Canary Islands, oranges from Spain and lemons from Italy. Regular tropical fruit auctions since the company’s foundation.

1908 Inauguration of the first fruit yard in the Breitenweg street in Bremen in close proximity to the city’s main and goods station, the company has its own railway siding.

1909 Foundation of the Jamaica-Bananen-Importgesellschaft m.b.H in Bremen, which was later renamed Jamaica Bananen- und Früchte-Vertrieb GmbH, with fruit trading branches in the former Reich territory.

1913/14 Construction of an additional building on the Breitenweg premises due to the company’s expansion. The former fruit yard is converted into a warehouse. Daily fruit and vegetable auctions begin in Bremen based on the Dutch system with an auction clock.

Fruit yard on the Breitenweg premises (1908)        New building (1913) 

1919 Foundation of the “Atlanta-Gruppe” Allgemeine Handelsgesellschaft m.b.H in Bremen, which initially operated exclusively as an export company. The name of the company was later changed to Atlanta Handels-AG. 

1920 Fruchthandel Gesellschaft m.b.H. changes its name to Fruchthandel Gesellschaft Scipio & Fischer GmbH. The company is built up again.

1936 Development of the company’s own banana fleet with the “U” of the UNION Handels- und Schiffahrts-Gesellschaft mbH with six reefer ships. JAMAICA-Bananen- und Früchtevertreib GmbH, which was formerly known as Jamaica Bananen-Importgesellschaft mbH, changes its name to Harder, Meiser & Co. (or Hameico for short). Foundation of ATLANTA Handelsgesellschaft Harder & Co.

1944/45 Destruction of the “old” fruit yard in the Breitenweg street in Bremen as well as the loss of the second building and further port warehouses after the end of the war. The trade in fruit comes to a temporary halt.

1950 The first goods are imported, bananas are once again regularly traded.

1952 The trademark “1 x 1” is registered in the trademark register by the German Patent Office, after being registered in Spain back in 1942.

1955 Development of the “new” fruit yard in Bremen, Breitenweg. Imports no longer have to be licensed. The reefer ship fleet is built up again.

1962/63 Introduction of electronic data processing (EDP).

1966 Far-reaching change in the banana trade. Up to now, the banana stems had been transported unprocessed across the ocean. This change, however, means that bananas are now cut into smaller bunches in the tropics and packed into crates before being brought here to ripen. This development was the prerequisite for the spread of brand bananas. Significant participation in the development of the Israeli business and the trade in Moroccan fruits.

1967 The “Chiquita Banana” is born in the Republic of Germany and is marketed first and foremost by the Scipio Group. Exotic fruits are imported for the German market by the Scipio Group for the first time. Scipio is the first wholesaler to offer fruit and vegetables packaged specifically for the self-service sector.

1969 The Scipio Group introduces kiwis to the German market at the ANUGA trade fair.

1970 Olff, Köpke & Co., Hamburg, a leading fruit retailer, becomes part of the Scipio Group together with its affiliated companies. The 70s saw the expansion of the international fruit business with the setting up of sales branches in Austria, Italy and the Netherlands. Fruit agencies were also established in France, Spain, Italy and Greece.

1975 Harder, Meiser &Co. and Olff, Köpke &Co. merge to form Scipio Fruchtvertrieb KG with the sales offices Hamecio and Olfko in the Federal Republic of Germany.

1983 Development of the EAN standard article numbers for weighed goods by the Scipio Group. Today, this method is used throughout Germany for the pre-                                                            packaging industry. 

1988 Foundation of ATLANTA Beteiligungs AG on 28 June; today the company goes by the name of ATLANTA Gruppe. The branches were reorganised for the most part into five regional companies located in Bremen, Hamburg, Dusseldorf, Frankfurt and Munich. 

1993 Introduction of the EU banana market regulation on 1 July. “Import licences” and further planning measures place major restrictions on free trade within the EU. As a direct result of the banana market regulation, eight sales branches are closed in Germany.

1995 Reorganisation to make the Group more flexible, dynamic, efficient and stream-lined. Structures are more closely aligned to customer and service requirements. Initial measures for the introduction of a quality management system as per DIN EN ISO 9000 ff. get underway.

1996 Further company divisions become independent. Increased independence and individual responsibility guarantee maximum flexibility and customer proximity. Scipio GmbH & Co. takes over holding functions. ATLANTA is responsible for the operational business.

27 Nov. 1996 Successful certification of the QM system in accordance with DIN EN 9002 by Lloyd’s Register Quality Assurance Ltd.

1998 Foundation of DFM Direct Fruit Marketing GmbH as a direct import agency for fresh fruit from overseas with its headquarters in Bremen.

1998/99 The forwarding and transhipment companies of the Heuer Group (Heuer ISG, SSG Bremerhaven) and the “Union” Kühl-Schiffahrt GmbH are spun off from the Group.

2001 The Atlanta Fruit Academy is launched. The academy serves to assist customers from the Group with staff training by providing specialist fruit seminars.

2003 The involvement of Chiquita Brands, Cincinnati, is announced to the public. The announcement is followed by a period of restructuring. The European agencies are integrated into DFM. The Group ceases its operations in Eastern Europe.

2005 Reorganisation of customer service with the introduction of national Key Account Managers for key customers in the Univeg Deutschland Group.

2006 The ATLANTA Group is QS certified. Restructuring of the IT infrastructure with controls performed by third-party service providers.

2007 Creation of the “Innovation” division and foundation of a Quality Assurance department.

19. August 2008 UNIVEG acquisition of ATLANTA AG. The UNIVEG group of companies is a worldwide supplier of fresh produce and is active in the fields of fruits and vegetables, bulbs and flowers, Convenience, logistics and transport. The Group is operating in 23 countries, the Belgian-based UNIVEG group employs 8,500 employees worldwide.

11. November 2008 The corporate form of Atlanta AG changed into a GmbH.  At the same time we rename our company in UNIVEG Deutschland GmbH.

1. Januar 2009 Foundation of UNIVEG Convenience Deutschland GmbH in Bremen. UNIVEG Convenience launched the first vegetable smoothie in Germany.