Berchtold – Cheese refinement

BERCHTOLD – CHEESE REFINEMENT IN SCHWARZENBERG – BREGENZERWALD

How everything began with Berchtold Feinkost….

Review 1995 – Alpine dairymen at high alps and market driver distribution

In 1995 family Berchtold was at the alp Hintere Bödmen/Faschina. During the summer, Hermann Berchtold produced cheese there – which was then sold during the winter season via the “market driver” sales channel. Mainly the sales took place on different markets in Southern Germany and within a very short time he was able to make a name for himself.

In order to be able to respond even better to customer needs and not just to be on the road with cheese, he cooperated with high-quality local butchers / sausage makers and offered various sausages and hams.

Gradually they had some regular customers and many markets were already almost “obligatory dates”. In addition to the market drivers, Hermann also began to supply various small farm shops and other market drivers with cheese – that they had a second leg to stand on. The business was accepted and developed well.

The Miss Appel Bee Apple Cider Cheese

In 1996 and 1997, Miss Appel Bee Mostkäse was created for a client in southern Germany. This was Hermann’s starting shot for the high-quality cheese refinement.

Subsequently, the Bacchus wine cheese was created for a wholesaler. Miss Appel Bee and Bacchus wine cheese have been delivered to Southern Germany since 1997.

Unfortunately the money was missing to protect the apple cider cheese and the wine cheese. Therefore, after some time there were quite a few imitators. Today the Berchtolg family even make the Spätburgunder wine cheese käse and now the Alma Winzerschatz for the Rupp company.

And the cheese refinement went on. Today the Berchtold family makes its own blossoms cheese, herbal cheese, pumpkin cheese, bear’s garlic cheese, chilli cheese & very important – Hermann’s own handmade mountainThe Vorarlberger Bergkäse (mountain cheese) is a regional cheese specialty from the Austrian province Vorarlberg. » More info cheese.

In 1997 the first delicatesses shopThe purchase of food and cheese via the Internet. A big and very interesting topic in this area will probably be the easy and quick access to specialties such as - for examle - cheese. » More info was opened in Riezlern. It is still run today by Ulrike Berchtold with a lot of heart. In the meantime, the company also had a shop in Lech am Arlberg for more than 8 years. When the building in Lech was demolished, Hermann decided to close the shop.

In 2004 he decided to build his own company building. The space in the rented building for cheese storage and processing became simply too small. One reason was that two of his children (Natalie and Florian) joined the family business.

Throughout the summer, Hermann was on the alps dairy again and again and produced the cheese himself there, which was matured in his own naturalHere in Austria, we call our fresh, natural milk for our cheese production hay milk (hay mild standard) - in Germany it is different. » More info cellarThe alpine cheese is best located in a cellar with high humidity. » More info. The cheese which he produced in summer has not been enough by far in the meantime and so young cheese wheels are now bought by various dairies in the Bregenzerwald in addition, and in his own cellar from young to the optimal cheese maturity maintained. We always took great care to ensure that only handmade mountain cheese was in the assortment.

In autumn 2012, the cooperative dairy Au-Rehmen was bought, as the owners could no longer manage it themselves. This was turned into a traditional alpine dairy again, without a bottling plant. Cheese we used to make – that was the motto.

Refined cheeses from Herman Berchtold in the cheese shop

The first step back then – Hermanns cheese cellar in Lech am Arlberg

The media at the time said:

“When you enter Hermann’s cheese cellar in Lech. It smells seductively of spicy cheese and aromatic ham and sausages. There are mountain cheeses from mild to savoury, must and wine cheeses, Räss and Münster cheese, Camembert and goat cheese. Ham bacon, square bacon, juniper, venison and deer ham enrich the offer. Of course, goods are also bought in, but only from producers whom he knows personally and whom he trusts blindly. The customer can also trust him blindly, because he knows where each individual product comes from, by whom and how it was manufactured. Optimum advice including a little chat is not only fun, you also learn a lot of new and interesting things”.

After several beautiful and successful years in Lech and due to the fact that the building had to give way to a new one, Hermann Berchtold decided to tear down the tents in Lech.

And today – a logical step – several delicatessens in Vorarlberg with regional products

Bregenzerwälder people as a local supplier and attraction for tourists on fire.

Country specialities, delicatessen, souvenirs – these are the cornerstones of Florian Berchtold in Brand’s shop. The principle of regionality stands above almost everything else.

For about six years now, the spotlessly clean shop in the centre of the tourist town of BrandCheese packaging must have certain markings. The purpose of these markings is to protect the consumer from deception and to announce the supply of certain information about the product. » More info has been fulfilling the function of a local supply point and at the same time has been an attraction for tourists as well as a meeting place for locals and workers. They drink coffee at the bar or enjoy a delicious Leberkässemmel. News from the village are exchanged from morning till night.

On the way between Schwarzenberg and Brand

For six years Florian has been commuting daily from Schwarzenberg to Brand and back – in the season up to seven days a week. Because Schwarzenberg in the Bregenzerwald is now the “headquarters” of the family business, which not only runs the shop in Brand. Mother Ulrike runs a similar shop in Riezlern.

Of course: A wide variety of cheeses produced in the traditional way at the “Rehmer Sennhus” in Au are part of the assortment.

Florians Sister Natalie is responsible for the entire purchase of goods and the export of regional products (also alpensepp supply), father Hermann runs the Au-Rehmen dairy. Florian Berchtold originally completed an apprenticeship as a plumber. “After the army I started to salt and deliver cheese for my father. We then wanted to expand and took up the advice of our brandy supplier Prinz to open a shop in Brand,” he says.

The business of the shop was finally intended for him, the change from the craftsman was quickly completed. Florian benefited from the fact that he had accompanied his father on market trips before.

Highlight Forest cheese

The cheese stands out from the extensive range of regional products in the shop. Father Hermann Berchtold produces it in the traditional way in the “Rehmer Sennhus” in Au – purely by hand, without the use of machines. This exquisite forest speciality is hard to miss by any Brandner guest before he sets off on his journey homeRipened cheese likes it cool and moist. The best is a temperature of about 8-10 ° C at about 90% humidity. » More info. Regionality is certainly the trump card for the Berchtolds – whether in Brand or Riezlern.

Bacon and ham come from selected Bregenzerwälder butcher, sausage from the Ländlemetzger from Feldkirch, the bread comes fresh daily from the baker in Bludenz, the schnapps from Hörbranz – the list could be continued. Ländleleberkäse, which is available in several varieties, is also considered a speciality.
Tourists don’t just appreciate this regionality on the last day of their holiday. Florian Berchtold’s shop often represents their first destination in town when they arrive on fire. It does not remain in the consequence usually with a attendance.

Local suppliers

The locals, of course, also like to shop at the “Wälder”, as Florian and his shop are often called in the village. Thus Berchtold also has the important function of a local supplier in the village. Bread, milkCheese milk is the milk intended for the production of cheese, also with the concomitant use of buttermilk products, cream products, sweet whey, sour whey and whey cream (whey cream) » More info, cheese, butter, yoghurt and sausage are at the top of Brandner’s shopping list. Berchtold wants to expand its range of specialities and delicatessen products even further. This will further strengthen the important role of a local supplier in the town.

Delicatesses Florian Berchtold

Mühledörfle 71
6708 Brand

Cheese & bacon cellar Ulrike Berchtold

Walserstraße 67
6991 Riezlern/Kleinwalsertal

Cheese Awards and Successes of Hermann Berchtold Delicatesses