OLD TRADITIONS REINTERPRETED

Artisanal workshops are extremely trendy, as handmade products go hand in hand with top quality. The trendsetters often push the envelope by reviving old traditions. This is exactly what Jakob and Julia Kupfer aspired to achieve upon opening their meat market. In the city of Heilsbronn in Germany’s Franconia region, they have made their vision of a modern shopping paradise a reality while simultaneously putting the spotlight back on the butcher’s trade. In this context, they rely on state-of-the-art systems technology from Schröter.

Tradition, quality, and innovation – these are the values that the Hans Kupfer und Sohn GmbH & Co. KG company stands for. The family-run business has upheld the tradition of master butchers since 1906. Today, the sausage specialist with almost 1,000 employees produces approximately 32,000 tons of meat and sausage products annually at its three locations in Heilsbronn, Nuremberg, and Günthersleben. As one of Europe’s most modern enterprises, Kupfer repeatedly impresses its customers with innovative products. And innovative is the perfect word to describe the company’s latest project: Kupfers Metzgermarkt, which opened its doors in October 2017. Three years of planning and an investment in the single-digit million euros is what it took to create the sausage kitchen and multifaceted shopping and dining experience over a total floor space of 1,625 square meters.

 

Everything under
One Roof

Of this total, 650 square meters is dedicated to a twelvemeter-long service counter, a cozy country bistro with space for 80 guests, and the traditional factory outlet shop. Private consumers and business customers from the hospitality industry will find a wide selection of fresh and grilled meats in a walk-in meat cooler, while packaged Kupfer sausage products, special items, and sale items can be found in a dedicated walk-in sausage cooler. “The heart of the meat market is our own sausage kitchen, which is located directly behind the sales floor,” explains Jakob Kupfer, who runs the company together with his wife Julia. The 27-year-old master butcher belongs to the fourth generation of the family business. With 25 employees, including twelve salespeople, ten butchers, and two cooks, they produce fresh meat and sausage products every day according to age-old traditions – from hearty Franconian specialties to international delicacies, and always with the aspiration to offer products of unparalleled quality.

Artisanal Craftsmanship
Meets High-Tech

In the meat market’s production area, Kupfer relies on state-of-the-art technology, including cold-smoking and hot-smoking systems from Schröter. The equipment manufacturer from East Westphalia supplied two THERMICjet HRKRBA JETsmokers as well as an ARCTICjet DA – both with one wagon each. “We first started working with Kupfer back in 1995, when they opened their new facility in Heilsbronn,” says Klaus Schröter, thinking back to the beginnings of the longterm business relationship. “Our project discussions were always very fruitful and helped us ensure that the systems we supplied were perfectly tailored to their needs. For example, a wheeled undercarriage that fits into the wagons used in the SEMIjets we delivered in 2005 makes it possible to transport heavy blocks of pressed ham. Furthermore, we built new BAKEjet rotating baking systems for the company’s production facility in Heilsbronn that are compatible with its existing racks that are 1,500 millimeters long.” This is how an extremely close and trusting business relationship developed over time, which can also be seen in the fact that Schröter is brought into the process early on whenever the company begins planning a new project. Such was the case with the meat market, which also required custom planning – the result being that Kupfer uses a JETsmoker here for full-fledged hot-smoking, cold-smoking, baking, and cooking processes.

A Focus on
Deliciousness

The meat market near the Klosterwald forest quickly became a shining star of the butcher’s trade shortly after opening. “We want to marry the attributes ‘artisan’ and ‘regional’ and offer a wide range of products for discerning customers,” says Jakob Kupfer‚ describing his goal, and adds: “In doing so, being certain of the origin of the meat is extremely important to us.” This is why the company only produces its sausage specialties using regional ingredients, for example. The raw meat offered at the service counter is supplied by the “Bäuerliche Erzeugergemeinschaft Schwäbisch Hall” (Schwäbisch Hall farm producers association).

Customer Insights

FACTS AND FIGURES

Kupfer’s motto is “solid growth demands strong roots.” Today the family-run business is one of Germany’s most modern sausage and meat producers.

 

  • HEADQUARTERS: Heilsbronn (Franconia)

  • PRODUCTION FACILITIES: Nuremberg (Franconia) and Günthersleben (Thuringia)

  • EMPLOYEES: 960

  • PRODUCT RANGE: High-quality meat and sausage specialties for the German and international market

  • HEILSBRONN: Boiled sausage (Leberkäse and small sausages), poultry products, ham and salami

  • NUREMBERG: Franconian coiled sausage and original Nuremberg sausage, produced according to a recipe passed down from the 15th century

  • GÜNTHERSLEBEN: Original Thuringian sausage, original Thuringian blood sausage and liverwurst, original Thuringian Leberkäse, and other boiled sausages

  • ANNUAL PRODUCTION: 32,000 tons

Schröters Scope of Delivery

THERMICjet®

to the product

ARCTICjet®

to the product

BAKEjet®

to the product

SEMIjet®

to the product

CLIMAjet®

to the product

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