When Fresh Pasta Meets Savory Roast

Interview with Anja Steinhaus-Nafe, Managing Director of Steinhaus GmbH

Managing Director Anja Steinhaus-Nafe hopes to be able to pass on a solidly positioned company to the next generation

Vegetarian, vegan, Clean Eating, Paleo, Low Carb – there are various ways to eat. The industry is in constant flux; what remains is the desire to eat healthily. And to do so in the simplest way possible. At Steinhaus GmbH, it is believed that the demand for healthy convenience products will increase, and they are preparing accordingly: with high-quality products that taste good.

European Business: Ms. Steinhaus-Nafe, you are the managing director of a family business with a history of more than 180 years. Is there something that has characterized the company since its beginnings?

Anja Steinhaus-Nafe: Steinhaus stands for tradition on one hand, and on the other, for the willingness to continually renew itself, introduce new products to the market, and work on innovations that pick up on and reflect trends. This openness to change is a key characteristic.

European Business: How can this attitude be seen in the company's history?

Anja Steinhaus-Nafe: The origins go back to the year 1841 when Johann-Peter Steinhaus founded an ox-butcher shop, laying the groundwork for today's company. Over time, many new aspects and developments have been adopted, so that today we offer, in addition to our range of meat and sausage products, primarily fresh pasta, but also products like sauces and Japanese dumplings. We produce branded and private label products. Both product lines adhere to identical standards in terms of safety, control stages, reliability, and quality; however, we work with customer-specific recipes. The recipes are implemented in Remscheid, where 800 employees work. We were fortunate to be able to acquire surrounding properties here, allowing us to continue our growth in the future.

European Business: Can you provide examples of proven classics as well as new products?

Steinhaus GmbH Meat and Sausage Products — It all started with meat and sausage products; the pork crust roast is still a classic in the range

Steinhaus GmbH Pasta Rustica — Pasta Rustica – new packaging, proven quality

Anja Steinhaus-Nafe: In the meat and sausage range, the roast pork is a flagship product. It is now available in various new variations such as truffle or rosemary. Also new is our thinly sliced cooked salmon ham. With the fresh pasta products, it's hard to highlight individual products; here, the entire range has become a showcase.

European Business: You represent the 5th generation of the family and form the management together with your husband. What market developments do you see?

Anja Steinhaus-Nafe: The trend is towards health-oriented convenience products, while the meat and sausage market is rather declining. However, because we consistently offer high-quality products, we are growing in our niche positioning here against the trend. In everything we do, we have the highest quality standards.

Wirtschaftsforum: Is this standard the reason for the company's sustained success?

Anja Steinhaus-Nafe: Quality products are a prerequisite for success. Additionally, we are a reliable partner of the trade and can rely on an excellent team. Our employees are passionate about the company, identify with it, and have fun together. A good working atmosphere is especially important in difficult times. We also train extensively and support our employees. This also proves to be successful.

Wirtschaftsforum: Many companies complain about difficult economic conditions. How do you see this with a view to the future of Steinhaus?

Anja Steinhaus-Nafe: We do not wait for political decisions but act proactively. It's not enough to wait for others to solve problems; sometimes you just have to try things, even if they don't work. If the conditions were better, if there were fewer bureaucratic obstacles, work would definitely be more enjoyable.