Innviertler insolvent

Sausage producer fights back: “Kletzerl is here to stay”

Josef Kletzl with his invention, the snack called "Kletzerl".(Bild: Daniel Scharinger)

Around 5.6 million euros in debt ultimately made the reorganization application for Kletzl Fleischwaren GmbH from the Innviertel region unavoidable! The family business is fighting to continue. Long-term boss Josef Kletzl struggles for words. "So much has simply come together," he says, and is combative.

A visit to the Kletzl sausage paradise, including the butcher's showroom in Wildenau, is advertised as a tourist attraction - but it is now in serious trouble. On Thursday, Kletzl Fleischwaren GmbH filed for restructuring: the family business, which specializes in the production of meat and sausage products, is insolvent. Amount of liabilities: around 5.6 million euros.

More meatless, more costs
Kletzl suffered from the trend towards a meat-free diet and cost increases, as well as the loss of a major German customer. The business had been scaled back and had 36 employees when insolvency proceedings were opened. Before that, the company had employed up to 50 people in some cases.

Time is pressing for a decision on the future
What happens now? A continuation is planned, but according to creditor protection associations, time is of the essence. The company has already announced on its Facebook page that factory sales will be closed from March 27 until further notice.

"We are working on a solution"
Josef Kletzl, who had managed the business for a long time, went through a rollercoaster of emotions on Thursday. In the morning, he was unable to put his thoughts into words; by the afternoon, he had composed himself enough to be combative. "We're working on a solution," he revealed. The invention of the snack raw sausage called "Kletzerl" had brought him a lot of attention: "Kletzerl is still here," he assures us. The managing director is his son, Günter Kletzl.