Collective Marketing of the Murnau Werdenfelser Cattle
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WP 2 – Identification of Best Practices in the Collective Commercial Valorisation of Alpine Food ICH WP leader: Kedge Business School Activity A.T2.2 Field Study of Relevant Cases of Success: Collective Marketing of the Murnau Werdenfelser Cattle Involved partners: Florian Ortanderl Munich University of Applied Sciences This project is co-financed by the European Regional Development Fund through the Interreg Alpine Space programme. Abstract In Upper Bavaria, a network of farmers, butchers, restaurants, NGOs and a specially developed trade company cooperate in the safeguarding and valorisation of the endangered cattle breed Murnau Werdenfelser. The company MuWe Fleischhandels GmbH manages large parts of the value creation chain, from the butchering and packaging, to the distribution and marketing activities for the beef products. It pays the farmers a price premium and manages to achieve higher prices for both beef products and beef dishes in restaurants. The activities of the network significantly contributed to the safeguarding and livestock recovery of the endangered cattle breed. Kurzfassung In Oberbayern arbeitet ein Netzwerk aus Landwirten, Metzgern, Restaurants, NGOs und einem speziell dafür entwickelten Unternehmen an der Erhaltung und In-Wert-Setzung der bedrohten Rinderrasse Murnau-Werdenfelser. Das Unternehmen MuWe Fleischhandels GmbH organisiert große Teile der Wertschöpfungskette, von der Metzgerei und der Verpackung, bis zur Distribution und allen Marketing Aktivitäten für die Rindfleischprodukte. Es zahlt den Landwirten einen Preiszuschlag und erzielt Premiumpreise für die Rindfleischprodukte, als auch für Rindfleischgerichte in Restaurants. Die Aktivitäten des Netzwerks haben entscheidend zur Erhaltung und Erholung der Bestände der bedrohten Rinderrasse beigetragen. 1.1 Case typology and historical background This case report analyses a network-based marketing approach for beef products and dishes of the endangered Bavarian cattle breed Murnau Werdenfelser. At the center of the network is a marketing organisation that manages the Murnau Wedenfelser brand, MuWe Fleischhandels GmbH, and a restaurant, Der Pschorr; behind both, is the same entrepreneur who has had a central role in federating other supply chain actors and promoting the production and consumption of Murnau Werdenfelser beef. The breed is considered as the only autochthonous cattle breed of Upper Bavaria and is predominantly held extensively in small herds on full-time farms. The ability to utilise sparse pastures, hard hooves and their agility in difficult terrain make Murnau-Werdenfelser cattle predestined to be kept on wetlands and on steep mountain slopes. Even though genetic analysis has been conducted, it remains unclear from which cattle breeds the Murnau-Werdenfelser originally developed. Literature presumes, that the basis were early variants of Oberinntaler Grauvieh, which were imported by the Upper Bavarian monasteries Murnau and Ettal from the Tyrolian monastery Stams. Until the end of the 19th century, the Murnau-Werdenfels region almost exclusively knew Murnau-Werdenfelser cattle that were kept as triple-purpose breed (primarily for milk production and the tractive power of the oxen, slaughtering was limited to older animals). The Murnau-Werdenfelser oxen were renowned through all of Europe for their temperament and force, which had a negative effect on the development of the breed, since many farmers decided to sell their best bull calves as oxen instead of using them for breeding. The resulting shortage of breeding animals was compensated through the use of Ellinger, Murbodner, and Franken bulls, as well as Allgäuer, Montafoner and Schwyzer Braunvieh and several breeds of Grauvieh. However, according to Sambraus (2010), the districts of Garmisch and Murnau remainded largely spared from these practices. In 1901, the “Zuchtverband für einfarbiges Gebirgsvieh in Oberbayern “(Breeding Association for Single-coloured Mountain Cattle in Upper Bavaria) was founded in Weilheim. The association tried to purify the breed in the following two decades. At the beginning of the 20th century, however, the breed started to become more and more displaced by Fleckvieh (Simmental) and Braunvieh, which could produce higher milk yields. Additionally, the two world wars were impeding the work of the breeding association significantly. The breed could only survive thanks to a few strong-willed farmers that stood by the Murnau-Werdenfelser breed nevertheless. In the district of Garmisch-Partenkirchen, the Murnau-Werdenfelser breed still accounted for 93,6% of all cattle in the year 1936. The “Zuchtverband für das Murnau-Werdenfelser Vieh”, a breeding association specifically for the breed, was founded in 1952 and tried to safeguard it despite the accelerating transition to other breeds. Notwithstanding all these efforts, the livestock kept on decreasing and the breed was in critical danger of extinction. Since the 1980s, the safeguarding efforts have been supported by state-funded conservation programmes: Additional to the preservation of gene reserves, a state-owned herd and a support programme for farmers have been introduced. According to one of the farmers, these measurements were taken at the initiative of the Bavarian agricultural minister of the time, Hans Eisenmann (1969-1987). In 1981, the “Gesellschaft zur Erhaltung alter und gefährdeter Haustierrassen” (society for the safeguarding of old and endangered domestic animal breeds) was founded and the remaining livestock could be merged and stabilised. In 2006, less than 160 thoroughbred animals have been listed in the herd book. Through the foundation of a support association and the cooperation of breeders, farmers, authorities and NGOs, the livestock began to recover. 1.2 Methodological Procedures Within this case study, the following data have been collected and analysed: - 1 interview with the chairman of the safeguarding association in Munich who is also owner and manager of the marketing organisation MuWe Fleischhandels GmbH and the restaurant Der Pschorr; - 5 additional interviews with the active Murnau-Werdenfelser farmers in key positions of the network, one of them is simultaneously the chairmen of the breeding association, another the chairman of the safeguarding association in Garmisch-Partenkirchen; - 1 internal presentation of current data regarding livestock and yearly sales by the interview partner; - Financial data published on Bundesanzeiger.de – the German Federal Gazette; - Photo documentation of beef prices at involved supermarket; - Menus of Der Pschorr and six other inner-city restaurants in Munich; - Website, Facebook-, Instagram- and YouTube accounts of the brand Murnau Werdenfelser – Bestes vom Rind 1.3 Evaluation 1.3.1 Key Internal and External Processes Main actors involved, internal processes and network relations While many actors are actively involved in the safeguarding of Murnau Werdenfelser cattle, this case report will primarily focus on the networks for commercial valorisation through collective marketing. The most successful approach that was identified during the desk research is a network for marketing beef, which is centred around Jürgen Lochbihler, his business MuWe Fleischhandels GmbH and his restaurant Der Pschorr in Munich. Figure 1: Graphical representation of the network Source: our elaborations, using organisation logos from respective websites The centre of the beef network is the MuWe Fleischhandels GmbH with its brand Murnau Werdenfelser – Bestes vom Rind. This company currently cooperates with 52 Murnau Werdenfelser farmers who are all based in Bavaria and mostly inside the original breeding area, and three regional butcheries. The cooperation with the farmers includes certain regulations concerning animal husbandry and how the animals have to be fed to comply with the quality standards. Once the cattle are ready for slaughter, the farmers sell the whole animal to the MuWe Fleischhandels GmbH and drive them individually in a small trailer to one of the butcheries, where it is slaughtered. At the main butcher Petermichl in Antdorf the meat is matured, cut, partially processed to sausages, beef ham and burger patties and finally packed. There are several ways of distribution of the meat products, which can be categorized into direct selling, selling through/to gastronomy and cooperation with local supermarkets. Through direct selling, whole cuts, offal meat, burgers and different butchery products are available. The customer can fill out an order form available on the website murnauwerdenfelser.de and pick up his order three days later at the restaurant Der Pschorr in the centre of Munich. This restaurant, which like the MuWe Fleischhandels GmbH is also owned and managed by Jürgen Lochbihler, is situated in the highly frequented inner city of Munich, right on the historic market Viktualienmarkt (which is listed on the Bavarian Intangible Cultural Heritage register) and was also the first to offer specialty dishes from Murnau Werdenfelser beef. To ensure the utilization of the whole animal “nose to tail”, the menu usually does not offer premium cuts, because the demand for these cuts would outweigh the demand for other parts by far and could not be supplied continuously. Instead various traditional dishes (some of them in modern variations) can be found, that are based on other cuts, as well as specialty offal dishes. In 2018, two other restaurants started offering Murnau Werdenfelser beef as burgers, one restaurant at the soccer field in the Munich