With Passion for Equestrian Sports, Leaping Into the Future
Interview with Ralf Berger, Managing Director of Pferdesporthaus Loesdau GmbH & Co. KG
Pferdesporthaus Loesdau is one of the most well-known equestrian specialty stores in Germany and Austria, thanks to its strong network of branches and its powerful e-commerce presence. In an interview with Wirtschaftsforum, Managing Director Ralf Berger revealed the vision and values with which the traditional company intends to forge its way into the future, why many of its employees were able to turn their hobby into a career, and which challenges are currently particularly relevant to him.
Wirtschaftsforum: Mr. Berger, for many decades, Loesdau has been one of the leading equestrian sports dealers in Europe, representing the passion for equestrian sports. What mission stands behind your company?
Ralf Berger: We want to offer all equestrian enthusiasts an attractive range of products in all price ranges – both online and in physical stores. This way, our customers can fully concentrate on their hobby, the horse, and equestrian sports. Our range includes everything from paddock fences and equestrian clothing to hoof picks, as well as dog food and accessories – as many horse owners are also passionate dog owners. Our more than 500 employees are particularly known for their comprehensive advisory skills, which include specialized services such as saddle fittings. A large part of our team has been able to turn their hobby into a profession at Loesdau and also enjoys riding passionately in their private lives.
Wirtschaftsforum: Does that also apply to you personally?
Ralf Berger: Before I joined Nils Dehner in the management of Loesdau, I had – openly speaking – no special connection to equestrian sports.
I have previously worked as an auditor in both a corporate environment and in corporate and strategy consulting, and I now bring expertise to the traditional family business that may not have been quite so central before. Our equestrian sports house was founded in the 1960s. The founder remained active in the company until his sudden death a few years ago, consistently driving its growth with considerable success. Today, we operate 18 equestrian sports houses in Germany and Austria, as well as a very successful online shop.
In the coming years, we aim to continuously grow, evolve, and modernize in order to keep convincing our customers with our enhanced expertise and pronounced understanding of service—precisely with the standard that has made us strong in the past. At the same time, we will maintain our values as a grown family business during this process of change—values such as responsibility, trust, and open and honest communication. It is precisely in this combination of proven tradition and new dynamics that I see tremendous potential for success, which we now want to tap into together.
Wirtschaftsforum: What is more challenging – brick-and-mortar retail or e-commerce?
Ralf Berger: Both distribution channels are equally important to us, but they serve different customer needs. The online market has been particularly price-driven since the Corona pandemic. During this period, many providers have entered the market, who - unlike us - do not develop their own products, do not maintain a network of branches, and are therefore significantly leaner in terms of personnel. The resulting price pressure sometimes leads to discount battles, in which we do not wish to participate, but which we cannot ignore either. In brick-and-mortar retail, on the other hand, our advisory expertise is a crucial success factor – especially in dialogue with customers who have little experience in equestrian sports and might feel overwhelmed by the variety of offerings.
Since our equestrian sports houses occupy a considerable area of around 2,000 m2 and must also be easily accessible with larger vehicles including trailers, finding a location is anything but easy. Therefore, we are currently working on alternative branch concepts – because Loesdau wants to be present where the horses are, and that is often in rural areas.