Dying business

Only 20 left: Vienna’s last butchers

Master butcher Herbert Klaghofer with Maria Neumann, head of WKW's crafts division(Bild: David Bohmann)

Around 20 remaining butchers are passionately holding on to their tradition, while more and more businesses are closing. A butcher talks about the good sides of the profession.

Local suppliers in the neighborhood are increasingly dying out. Butchers in Vienna are also affected by this. While 133 butchers (including supermarkets with their own meat counters) were registered last year, ten years earlier there were 154 businesses.

Of the traditional butchers, only around 20 remain. One of these is the Klaghofer butcher's shop. Herbert Klaghofer is the second generation to run the business. Originally opened in Stammersdorf, the butcher's shop has been located in Rankgasse in Ottakring since 1962 and offers deliveries to businesses and catering services in addition to traditional counter sales.

Appreciation in dealing with the animals
With currently eight employees at two locations, Klaghofer continues to focus on craftsmanship and high quality. For the entrepreneur, appreciation is a core value, both in dealing with the animals and in working with his team. "I am lucky enough to work with high-quality ingredients and to continue the art of meat refinement," says the butcher proudly. His creativity is evident in the development of new sausage and meat specialties that are not only tasty but also aesthetically pleasing. He also appreciates the direct contact with his customers: "I enjoy explaining the quality and value of our products to my customers." For Klaghofer, entrepreneurship means above all freedom and responsibility.

Maria Neumann, head of the trade and crafts section of the Vienna Chamber of Commerce, who recently visited the business, emphasizes: "In times when small businesses are increasingly being squeezed out by large chains and global suppliers, it is all the more important to raise awareness of the importance of these local structures and give them support."