Kröswang's development

Kröswang

Owner and Managing Director Manfred Kröswang in the central fresh produce warehouse. It's two degrees plus here.(Bild: Krone KREATIV/Markus Wenzel (3))

In 50 years, Kröswang has developed from an agricultural business in Grieskirchen into the largest fresh food supplier to the catering industry in Austria and southern Germany. An interview with company boss Manfred Kröswang, who employs 600 people, about his life and aspirations. 

On the lawn behind the company headquarters in Kickendorf, traces of the 50th anniversary celebrations can still be seen, where Manfred Kröswang took the opportunity to take a 30-metre view of the site from the fire department's turntable ladder.

First job: branch manager in Böheimkirchen
"That was really cool," says the 47-year-old, who joined the family business in 2002 after completing his business studies. He started as branch manager of the then newly opened location in Böheimkirchen.

"I was told I could go abroad later and work somewhere else," he recalls. Nothing came of it. Kröswang's father quickly retired from the company for health reasons, but he and his mother Elisabeth continued to run it.

When my father started farming, he wanted to do more. He started butchering the poultry and selling it to local inns. Soon we shifted completely to trading in products.

Manfred Kröswang über die Anfänge des Unternehmens in den 1970er-Jahren

From a farm that supplied roast chicken businesses and then acted as a sales partner for the large bakery Ölz for 16 years, delivering brioche and co., Kröswang has developed into the largest fresh food supplier in Austria and southern Germany.

Last year, the Grieskirchen-based company generated a turnover of 377 million euros and employs 600 people. 15,000 hotels and restaurants are supplied with meat, fruit, salads and cheese, among other things.

"Sounds simple, but it can't be taken for granted"
The demand for quality and delivery reliability is high: "The most important thing for the customer is that the ordered goods actually arrive - that sounds simple, but it can't be taken for granted. We are very meticulous in order to achieve this."