In the late 19th and early 20th centuries, Saratov was known as the milling capital of Russia. During this time, the names of the "milling kings," P. P. Schmidt, E. Borel, and K. K. Reineke, were well-known. One of the most famous enterprises in this field was the "Trading House of Brothers Ivan and Kondratiy Reineke."

The founder of the trading house was Kondratiy Egorovich Reineke, who, together with Mr. Schmidt, rented water mills and later shared the business with him. Kondratiy Egorovich passed the business to his sons Ivan and Kondratiy. In 1877 and 1878, they acquired plots for the construction of steam-powered flour mills. In 1878, a trading partnership was established for twenty years under the name "Trading House of Brothers Ivan and Kondratiy Reineke," and in 1879, a steam roller mill was built in Saratov, which began operation in 1880 but burned down in 1889.

After the fire, the Reineke brothers erected a more powerful and beautiful complex of buildings. In 1884, after the death of Ivan Kondratievich Reineke, Kondratiy Kondratievich became the sole owner of the enterprise, but the firm retained its previous name.

On January 1, 1899, to expand the business, Kondratiy Kondratievich included his four sons in the partnership, establishing the firm "Trading House Kondratiy Reineke and Sons." Alexander, Konstantin, Kondratiy, and Vladimir became the owners of the firm. Reineke's products were renowned for their high quality, as confirmed by international recognition: in 1897, at an exhibition in Stockholm, the trading houses of the Schmidts, Reineke, and Skvortsov received gold medals for the best samples of flour products.

Flour was sold in Saratov, Pokrovskaya Sloboda (Engels), Rybinsk, Kamyshin, Astrakhan, St. Petersburg, Moscow, and other cities. The trading house had branches in seven cities, maintained a staff of sales representatives, and owned cargo and tugboats. On the Volga, it had the steamers "Elizaveta" and "Konrad," seventeen barges, and several docks. "Trading House Kondratiy Reineke and Sons" was awarded the state coat of arms of the Russian Empire and had numerous awards.

The Reineke mill operated until the revolution, after which it was nationalized by the Bolsheviks in 1918, and the family emigrated. In 1933, the "Trading House of the Reineke Brothers" was renamed OAO "Saratov Feed Mill."