With yeast dumplings and co.

How a company from Wolfern satisfies hunger at ski huts

Gerald Spitzer has been Managing Director of frozen food manufacturer Weinbergmaier since 2020.

(Bild: Krone KREATIV/Markus Wenzel (2))

Käsespätzle, Kaiserschmarrn and yeast dumplings - these classics are often featured in photos of perfect skiing days on social media. What hardly anyone knows is that if you eat a yeast dumpling at a ski hut in Austria, there is a 90% chance that it was made in Wolfern (Upper Austria).

Holidaymaker shift change - this is also the motto on the country's main traffic routes this weekend. The semester break ends in Vorarlberg, Tyrol, Salzburg, Carinthia and Burgenland, and begins in Upper Austria and Styria.

The weeks in February are an important time for the ski and tourism regions in Austria - and also for the Weinbergmaier company. The frozen food manufacturer from Wolfern produces around 50 million semolina dumplings and 15 million yeast dumplings every year, as well as eight million portions of Kaiserschmarrn, which are then prepared ready to serve in restaurants and hotels. Pancakes are also produced not far from Steyr.

Many people spend the semester break enjoying winter sports on the ski slopes. Hunger needs to be satisfied in between - good for the company from Wolfern.

(Bild: Pressefoto Scharinger/Daniel Scharinger)

And despite the growing mood of crisis in the industry and other sectors, the hunger is as great as ever. "Business is going well, we were able to increase our turnover nicely last year," says Gerald Spitzer, who has been Managing Director of the company, which is part of the Vivatis Group, since 2020.

Apple and curd cheese strudel from Austria popular in Romania
Demand for Weinbergmaier products is increasing abroad in particular. Where do they see potential? "We have a huge market in Germany in particular and still have a lot of untapped potential," says Spitzer. The Upper Austrians are also targeting Eastern Europe: "In Romania, apple and curd cheese strudel are doing extremely well."

The coronavirus pandemic was a tough time. Some of us were in lockdown for six months, which was dramatic. But these are also times when you have to look for your opportunities - nothing has ever gotten better from complaining.

Gerald Spitzer, Geschäftsführer Weinbergmaier

Weinbergmaier's frozen foods take a lot of work off the kitchens of restaurants. Does this benefit from the rampant shortage of skilled workers in the catering industry? "The industry is undergoing a huge upheaval and the shortage of skilled workers in particular is still a hot topic, as is the economic environment, of course. What is the bottom line for restaurateurs? Many are struggling. That's where we come in with our offerings. We deliver Austrian cuisine conveniently - and with high quality," says the manager, who runs the Wolfern-based food producer together with Christian Kübek.

Eight million portions of Kaiserschmarrn are produced in Wolfern every year.

(Bild: Wenzel Markus)

What is Weinbergmaier calling for? On the one hand, the trend towards increased out-of-home consumption and the fact that snacks are becoming increasingly popular. On the other hand, the diverse eating habits of today also need to be taken into account. "They are changing. And we're thinking about the use of other flours, as well as the vegan issue. For example, we use fresh beaten egg whites in our Kaiserschmarrn, just like at home," reveals Spitzer.

Speaking of Kaiserschmarrn: it is also increasingly being served for breakfast. "As an Austrian version of pancakes."