Study trip to regional products and workshop – Eastern Styria

On 07 September 2022, a study trip (infocafe) to Eastern Styria took place, where participants not only learned about regional best practices, but were also able to learn about the current state of the store concept during a workshop (partnerforum).

First, they visited the operation of Rauers Ernte, a family business now in its fifth generation. The multifunctional company deals not only with food, but also with natural aids and fuels (biomass). They mainly produce organic vegetables that are supplied to Austrian restaurants, and some of their products can be found on the shelves of Billa and Hofer. They go by the season of the lettuce and sell both whole and ready-to-cook products. What is new is that they also deal with sprouts and seedlings. For them, the important thing with food is that it is practical and durable, so they also have processed products. In addition to oils and vinegars, they also preserve sprouts, for example, in the form of cereals or shots. You can also buy their products in the store next to the farm, and they like to show people around because they want to be authentic.

The second stop was the Fischerauer Essigmanufaktur, where they produce high-quality vinegars as well as mustard, mayonnaise, ketchup and other special sauces. They only sell products that they have personally tested and can fully stand behind. When it comes to ingredients, attention is paid to regionality, although in the case of some special spices such as turmeric, the product may come from small farms in distant countries, but here too the manager knows the small producer personally. The products are available in family-run delicatessens around the world, and again, personal connection and direct contact with the small traders is important.

In the end, a workshop was held where both the Hungarian and Austrian sides presented the results achieved so far and discussed the next steps. The current status of the store concept was presented, which sees the store as a full-service store. On the Austrian side, five companies have already decided on the establishment of a joint limited liability company. In addition to a lot of preliminary work, the Regional Management Oststeiermark will also support the store financially in the starting phase.