Simply Delicious!
Interview with Ingmar Fritz Rauch, Managing Director of R&S Vertriebs GmbH
Not least due to the pandemic, the consumption of meat and sausage products has changed. Generally, fewer meat and sausage products are consumed, while consumers place more emphasis on quality and taste. R&S Vertriebs GmbH is the market leader in Germany for the import of sausage and ham specialties as well as fresh meat.
Wirtschaftsforum: Mr. Rauch, your product range is extensive. What are the most important brands and product groups at R&S?
Ingmar Fritz Rauch: Our flagship brands definitely include Vikingyr, Aoste, and Merano Speck. Under the Vikingyr label, we market lamb from Iceland. Iceland is known for its very pristine nature. The island has almost twice as many sheep as people. The lamb is very pure and has a distinct flavor. Aoste is a very popular brand in Germany. Under this label, we market high-quality French air-dried salami and ham products. These specialties are made in France according to time-honored recipes and mature in the Alps. We combine modern innovations with traditional classics. Merano Speck represents ham specialties from South Tyrol. A highlight is certainly the original South Tyrolean Speck. It is characterized by its combined maturation process, which integrates air-drying and smoking. The highly aromatic flavor is partly created by refinement with herbs, flowers, and spices.
The products are particularly popular at the service counter and on the self-service shelf. A special feature in our range are certainly our Sanpareil liver pâtés from Belgium. Sanpareil is one of the largest producers of fresh liver pâtés with traditional and original flavors. Only the finest raw materials and coordinated natural flavors are used, such as plums, cranberries, or pepper.
Wirtschaftsforum: What trends and topics are you currently identifying in the market?
Ingmar Fritz Rauch: According to public discussion, one would have to assume that there is a significant trend towards meatless products and meat substitutes. In reality, however, these products account for just 2% of the market. The topic of organic, which has been experiencing quite a hype for some time, is still a marginal topic. Organic does not automatically mean that a product tastes better. It is about breed and breeding. Much more important is the actual animal welfare behind it. The term organic is just another sales argument to the customer.
Wirtschaftsforum: How have the coronavirus pandemic and the war affected your market?
Ingmar Fritz Rauch: These are difficult times due to the cost explosion. Normally, the meat and sausage market follow wave-like trends. Consumption is higher in summer and lower in winter. Traditionally, slaughtering took place during the cold season. Then, the products matured until summer. These learned wave patterns have been disrupted. Due to the surplus in the market, farmers are increasingly facing losses. More and more are stopping production. The market has shifted from a buyer's to a seller's market. I would have never thought this possible. This development began with the disruption of supply chains during the coronavirus pandemic. Unfortunately, this was not a short-term trend. The supply chains are sustainably disrupted, which fuels inflation and the price spiral even further.
Wirtschaftsforum: What sets R&S apart from other providers in the market?
Ingmar Fritz Rauch: We stand for animal welfare, taste, specialties, and innovative products. Through us, our customers have consolidated access to assortments they could never procure themselves. In addition, not least due to our long-standing experience, we can communicate at eye level with our customers and provide knowledgeable advice, tailor assortments individually for them. We explain the products to them and, if desired, also handle on-site marketing and staff training. Currently, for example, we are training the counter-specialist staff of around 600 food markets on our products.
Wirtschaftsforum: Who are your customers and where are they located?
Ingmar Fritz Rauch: Our primary target group is the retail food industry. Here, we supply 70% to traditional supermarkets. Additionally, specialty retailers, butcher shops, and catering companies are among our clients. Our main markets are Germany and Austria. With our specialties, we are also present in the Czech Republic, Poland, and Hungary.
Wirtschaftsforum: How long has the company existed and how did it become what it is today?
Ingmar Fritz Rauch: R&S is a merger of three family-operated businesses that pooled their skills and strengths in 1988. One of these companies is Albert Rauch, which my father, a skilled master butcher, founded in 1964. The other two founding partners were Oberland and Fleigro GmbH. The merger allowed us to offer regional service with national distribution. From the outset, we were always seeking specialties from all over Europe that were unknown in Germany, and we quickly engaged with new trends, such as self-service products at the counter.
Wirtschaftsforum: What are your expectations for the year 2023?
Ingmar Fritz Rauch: Due to the general cost situation, we expect declining sales. We also need to look at how we can realize our prices. But especially with regard to our future strategy and concepts, we will consistently expand our commitment to animal welfare. We have been working with the Initiative Tierwohl for some time now. For us, animal welfare is not just a marketing slogan. We truly care about this issue.
Wirtschaftsforum: Do you have a vision or a long-term goal for R&S?
Ingmar Fritz Rauch: In the medium and long term, we aim for a sales volume of 250 to 300 million EUR. We are already among the top 50 companies in the German sausage and ham manufacturing industry. Our goal is to be among the top 25. But we will get there gradually, step by step. That has always been our strategy.