Robert Tönnies sued his uncle Clemens to take back a 5 percent gift in the family meat group

Bernd Tönnies founded a meat trading business in Rheda in 1971. His brother Clemens joined him, and in 1982 Bernd gave Clemens 40 percent. Bernd died on 1 July 1994, aged 42, after a kidney transplant. His 60 percent went to his teenage sons Robert and Clemens junior. In 2008 each son transferred 5 percent to their uncle, reportedly at their father's deathbed wish^†. Clemens then held 50 percent and a double vote that decided ties. In 2011 Robert bought his brother's 25 percent. At the end of 2012 he sued to recover his 5 percent, citing gross ingratitude^†. In 2014 a Bielefeld court stripped Clemens of the double vote^†. In 2016 Bernd's widow Evelin sued the former trustee of her sons' shares, tax adviser Josef Schnusenberg. On 21 April 2017 uncle and nephew announced an out-of-court settlement with equal holdings; Clemens's son Maximilian entered as a shareholder. In June 2020 more than 1,300 workers at the main plant tested positive for Covid-19^†. Robert demanded that his uncle step down. Clemens kept the company but resigned as Schalke 04 chairman on 30 June 2020. In March 2021 Handelsblatt reported a possible sale worth up to €4 billion. Later that year the two ended their dispute and kept the company^†. In 2026 the group, renamed Premium Food Group in 2025, is owned 50 percent by Robert, 45 percent by Clemens and 5 percent by Maximilian^†. Its 2024 revenue was €7.77 billion.