Julius Schuelein

The eldest son, Julius (1881–1959), did not join his father’s business, but rather set himself up in an affiliated field. After receiving a doctorate in law and chemistry, he began researching the reutilization of brewing yeast, which until then had been seen as simply a waste product of the beer-making process. The Schülein family eventually established the Cenovis-Werke GmbH, with Julius at its head.[6] Cenovis, located on the premises of the former Münchner Kindl brewery, developed into the biggest yeast processing business in Germany; in time it operated processing plants in several other brewery centers in Europe. The yeast was used to manufacture food products and vitamin supplements, among which “Cenovis-Extrakt” became especially well known. Rich in vitamin B1, other vitamins, proteins, and mineral salts, it is still popular as a spread and condiment. The company also produced meat extracts, soup flavorings, instant soups, oat flakes, malt coffee, baking powder, custard powder and chocolate as well as pharmaceutical products and animal feed. In the Nazi period, the family had to reduce its share in the business and finally, in July 1938, Cenovis was sold—and thus “Aryanized”— to its biggest competitor, the largely Swiss-owned Maggi GmbH based in Berlin. It seems that Julius Schülein continued to be involved for some time in the export of bouillon cubes, granulated beef stock, the yeast concentrate philocytin, hops and beer-coaster cardboard from France to the United States.[7] He emigrated to the United States prior to the November pogroms, joining his family in New York on November 4, 1938.[8] There he worked in an executive position for the food producer Standard Brands, Inc. in Peekskill, New York, which had been formed in 1929 as a result of a merger, and manufactured food products developed by Schülein. He then directed the Vegex Company in New York until his death.