Eurogast Austria Management f.l.t.r.: Mag. Thomas Waler, Mag.(FH) Alexander Kiennast, Mag. Armin Riedhart

The Eurogast Group is an association of eleven private catering wholesalers with twelve locations throughout Austria. Eurogast is the only wholesale group that focuses entirely on the needs and requirements of the catering, hotel and bulk consumer industries. Eurogast was founded back in 1965 and recorded total sales of more than € 322 million in 2015 - an increase in sales of more than 2.5% compared to the previous year. (Sales Eurogast Austria total 2014 € 314 million). " This is the confirmation that our orientation as a regionally strongly anchored wholesaler with national orientation and international expertise is the right way!" shows Mag. (FH) Alexander Kiennast, management Eurogast Austria, sales and marketing, proudly. " More than 1,160 employees, including 120 apprentices, work every day to ensure that more than 36,000 articles from the food and non-food sectors are perfectly prepared to meet the needs of customers!" reports Thomas Walser, Managing Director of Eurogast Austria, eCommerce, Logistics and Human Resources. " Eurogast is represented in Austria surface covering from the Bodensee to the Neusiedlersee and in the adjacent Bavarian area and can exactly by this regional, owner-led structure perfectly to the different needs and suppliers react!

Eurogast generates around 60% of its sales in western Austria, primarily at its five locations in Tyrol. The provinces of Salzburg and Vorarlberg are also supplied from there. " Our strategic goal for the next few years is to strengthen and expand Eastern Austria. However, expansion is only conceivable for us if someone really fits the Eurogast philosophy 100%!" Thomas Walser gives an outlook.

The Eurogast Group includes:
Eurogast Almauer, Steyr/Upper Austria, Eurogast Grissemann, Zams/Tyrol, Eurogast Interex, Buch bei Hartberg/Styria, Eurogast Kärntner Legro, Klagenfurt & St. Veit/Carinthia, Eurogast Kiennast, Gars am Kamp/Lower Austria, Eurogast Landmarkt, Schladming & Liezen/Styria, Eurogast Pilz, Gmünd/Lower Austria, Eurogast Riedhart, Wörgl/Tyrol, Eurogast Sinnesberger, Kirchdorf/Tyrol, Eurogast Speckbacher, Reutte/Tyrol, Eurogast Zuegg, Nussdorf-Debant/East Tyrol.

Regionality as THE success factor

Demand for regional foods in Germany, Austria and Switzerland continues unabated*. For this purpose, 1,000 consumers in the three countries were surveyed in June 2015, 200 of them from Austria. Compared to the previous year, 35% more consumers bought regional food on a weekly basis. In addition, the percentage of consumers for whom regional foods accounted for 20% or more of the shopping cart increased by 10% in one year. Respondents primarily cite taste and freshness as the most important factors in their purchasing decisions. " Particularly also in the range of the hotel trade and catering trade this fact becomes ever more the criterion: The customer wishes Top quality and the regional touch!
As early as 1965, the three then founding Eurogast wholesalers committed themselves to regionalism, and this value has remained the foundation of the company to this day. (*Data from the latest study by management consultants A.T. Kearney, Further information at: www.atkearney.at)

" Each of the eleven member businesses is deeply rooted in its region and offers its customers a colorful variety of Austrian foods. From our small-structured, farm suppliers we obtain fresh fruit and vegetables, the best local dairy products and first-class meat!" explains Armin Riedhart. " Around 10 years ago, international products were still the non plus ultra in the catering trade, but in recent years there has been a significant change in thinking here, which plays into our hands!" adds Thomas Walser.

Wholesale trends: online and delivery

For several years now, the clear trend towards online ordering has also been emerging in the wholesale sector: " We were very early to focus on online and appropriate delivery, which is exactly what we are benefiting from now. Our delivery business already accounts for around 75% and has shifted significantly in this direction in recent years!", reports Thomas Walser. Here, above all, trust is a decisive factor: " Our customers know that the quality of our products fits 1000%, and the supply is also optimally coordinated. Therefore, ordering online is an absolute relief!" Alexander Kiennast, justifies this increase.
But the C&C stores also still have a great deal of justification, but in the future it will no longer be purely a matter of purchasing here; rather, these stores must become the company's calling card. " As a pilot project, we are currently converting Eurogast Wörgl into a world of indulgence, which is intended to point the way for the future design of C&C stores. At the same time, we also want to develop more in the direction of specialist food retailers in order to be attractive to a broad range of customers!" Armin Riedhart gives an outlook.

High quality private label and strong branded products

The Eurogast quality brand, consisting of around 255 articles from the food and MOPRO sectors, has been on the market for around 25 years and is one of the company's guarantors of success. Last year, Eurogast's share of sales increased to 10%, mainly due to the development of a wide and range of MOPRO articles. AMA seal of approval, local dairies and quality come before price and quantity here. " With this strategy, we have managed not only to ensure consistent quality for the customer, but also to implement stable sales prices on the market, and we can now guarantee the farmers consistent purchase quantities," Alexander Kiennast proudly states. In addition to Eurogast, the company entered the market in 2015 with the discount brand Eurodiskont. This range is much smaller (around 31 products, mainly from the canned food sector) and has replaced Pfeiffer's former own brand Topseller. In 2016, the focus will be mainly on the frozen products segment: a new vegetable line was launched in November 2015, accompanied by high-quality berry blends. Quality is always a priority in this area as well. " We are very successful with our own brands, and we also develop them in-house. Nevertheless, we see our focus on the branded products, which we want to support as a strong partner in the best possible way!" reports Armin Riedhart.

Solution packages for trend topics- Indulgence 360

Genuss 360 is a project conceived by Eurogast in 2015 and stands for international and regional trends, as well as their implementation for the gastronomy and hotel industry: " Under this title, we are developing a range of the highest quality food products, which will enable the catering industry to pamper their customers at the highest level!", informs Thomas Walser.
Genuss 360 kicked off with the theme "The world of the finest burgers", which included Fassona beef, high-quality oils and vinegars, fresh vegetables and fancy sauces. In addition to its own Eurogast trade magazine, the Magalog, which was dedicated solely to this topic and edited it, Eurogast put together special themed areas in the C&C stores for its customers, organized cooking classes and information evenings, and created menus with recipe cards. " This year we will start with a focus on breakfast," reports Alexander Kiennast, because " Breakfast plays an essential role, especially on vacation. Here they take their time, here they want the highest quality and regional, special products. We want to offer added value for our customers, make their everyday work easier as a reliable partner and as a source of inspiration and innovator!" adds Kiennast in conclusion.

Info and pictures on our press portal: https://pressecenter.reichlundpartner.com/eurogast

APA photo gallery: https://www.apa-fotoservice.at/galerie/eurogast

OTS statement: https://www.ots.at/eurogast