“As far as the profession of butcher is concerned, many people still have the wrong image in their heads,” says Wolfgang Hochreiter, Managing Director of the Hochreiter Group based in Bad Leonfelden (Urfahr area). “It is the most important link in the diet with meat. For this, an animal has to be killed, released, butchered.”
Butcher is a profession of the future, and in order to have enough young people for it, Hochreiter has invested 6.5 million euros in a training campus. It opens today, Saturday. The young people learn the butcher’s trade, production development and industrial manufacture.
There are eleven apprentices at the moment, and there are plans for 40 a year. There is also the possibility of a double apprenticeship (butcher and cook or food technician). More than 1000 employees work at the Mühlviertler Leitbetrieb. In the past financial year (as of February 28), sales of 195 million euros were achieved in the group, an increase of 16 percent. The centerpiece is Hochreiter Fleischwaren GmbH: salami, bacon, ham, hot dogs and meat loaf are produced in Bad Leonfelden: according to the company, 36,000 tons a year. As reported, since the beginning of the war, the price of pork has risen by 50 cents to a good two euros per kilo of pigs for slaughter. Hochreiter is ambivalent: “The price used to be too cheap, now the farmers get something for their goods.” But you’re struggling with the situation: “We need 350 tons of meat every day. Contracts with suppliers suddenly don’t count anymore. Then it says: That’s what the goods cost, take them or not.” It is similar with packaging material. The prices for the customers would have to be adjusted accordingly.
Cures are in demand again
In addition to Condeli GmbH (second-largest lasagne producer in Europe), the Quality Meat Factory and Yummhy Austria (snacks, pasta dishes), the group also includes the rehabilitation health facilities Vortuna (Bad Leonfelden), Am Kogl (St. Georgen/Attergau) and St. Lambrecht (Styria): The rehabilitation area is doing well, and the demand for cures is also picking up again, says Hochreiter. The healthcare companies contribute 16 million euros to sales.
Source: Nachrichten
