Bauerliche Erzeugergemeinschaft Schwabisch Hall

Name

Bauerliche Erzeugergemeinschaft Schwabisch Hall

Legal name

Bäuerliche Erzeugergemeinschaft Schwäbisch Hall AG

Website

https://besh.de

Company type

Private

Founded year

1988

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Bäuerliche Erzeugergemeinschaft Schwäbisch Hall is a German farmer-owned cooperative that produces and markets premium organic meat from EU-protected heritage breeds — notably Schwäbisch-Hällisches Schweinefleisch g.g.A. and Boeuf de Hohenlohe — serving roughly 1,450 member farms and end consumers across Hohenlohe, Stuttgart, Berlin, and beyond through owned retail markets, an online shop, gastronomy, and a regional supermarket partnership.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Wolpertshausen

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices8 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Supply Chain, Operations, Personnel, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Premium Organic Meat Products: Sale of Schwäbisch-Hällisches Qualitätsschweinefleisch g.g.A., boeuf de Hohenlohe, and other premium organic meats through own retail markets, online shop, and wholesale to retailers and gastronomy.
2. Processed Meat Products: Sale of sausages, ham, and salami specialties from the Wurstmanufaktur (sausage manufactory).
3. Organic Spices and Herbs: Sale of Ecoland organic spices and herbs from Sonnenhof Gewürzmanufaktur, including products sourced through SEEDS OF HOPE fair trade projects.
4. Retail Market Operations: Direct sales through Regionalmarkt Hohenlohe (950 sqm) and other physical market locations including Bauernmarkt Schwäbisch Hall, Markthalle Kornhausscheunen, and Markthalle Stuttgart.
5. E-commerce / Online Shop: Online sales and delivery service for food products through shop.besh.de with 1-2 day delivery.
6. Gastronomy Operations: Mohrenköpfle Gastronomie at Regionalmarkt Hohenlohe serving prepared dishes and take-away meals.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels9 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Bäuerliche Erzeugergemeinschaft Schwäbisch Hall (BESH) produces and sells premium organic meat products from rare heritage breeds — primarily Schwäbisch-Hällisches Qualitätsschweinefleisch (EU-protected pork), Boeuf de Hohenlohe beef, lamb, game, and traditional sausage and ham specialties — through owned retail markets (Regionalmarkt Hohenlohe, Bauernmarkt Schwäbisch Hall, Markthalle Stuttgart, Berlin outlet), an online shop, gastronomy, and wholesale to regional retailers and HoReCa customers. The cooperative is vertically integrated from heritage breed conservation and organic farming through the Erzeugerschlachthof slaughterhouse and Wurstmanufaktur sausage manufacturing to direct consumer sales, complemented by ECOLAND fair trade organic herbs and spices from international Seeds of Hope projects.

Product overview

Bäuerliche Erzeugergemeinschaft Schwäbisch Hall (BESH) is an agricultural cooperative offering a diverse portfolio of regional food products centered on premium meat from rare heritage breeds. The core offering includes Schwäbisch-Hällisches Qualitätsschweinefleisch g.g.A. (geographically protected pork), Boeuf de Hohenlohe (beef from Limpurger cattle), Hohenloher Lamm, and Wildspezialitäten, complemented by artisanal Echt Hällische Wurstspezialitäten from their sausage manufactory. The cooperative operates integrated vertical supply chains from farm to consumer, including organic herbs and spices under the Ecoland Herbst & Spices sub-brand sourced through fair trade 'Seeds of Hope' international partnerships. BESH operates multiple retail channels including the flagship Regionalmarkt Hohenlohe in Wolpertshausen, farmers' markets, the Hällische Botschaft Berlin outlet, Mohrenköpfle Gastronomie restaurant, and an online e-commerce shop. Supporting infrastructure includes slaughterhouse, sausage, and wild game manufacturing facilities all serving member farmers across approximately 1,450-1,560 farms in the Hohenlohe region with annual turnover of approximately 120 million euros.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Schwäbisch-Hällisches Qualitätsschweinefleisch g.g.A. EU Protected Geographical Indication (g.g.A.) certified quality pork from the Swabian-Hall pig breed.
• Boeuf de Hohenlohe
• Ecoland Herbs & Spices
• Echt Hällische Wurstspezialitäten
• Hällische Botschaft Berlin
• Mohrenköpfle Gastronomie
• Regionalmarkt Hohenlohe
• ECOLAND

Products and services

• Schwäbisch-Hällisches Qualitätsschweinefleisch g.g.A. Premium pork products from the Schwäbisch-Hällisches Landschwein (Swabian-Hall Landrace pig), protected under EU geographical indication (g.g.A.), representing a heritage breed BESH rescued from extinction in 1984.
• Boeuf de Hohenlohe Premium beef from the revitalized Limpurger cattle breed, raised on pasture in the Hohenlohe region, supporting landscape preservation and biodiversity.
• Hohenloher Qualitätsfleisch Quality meat products under the Hohenlohe regional brand from member farms meeting animal welfare standards.
• Hohenloher Lamm Lamb products from the Hohenlohe region, produced by member farms following traditional and animal welfare-oriented practices.
• Wildspezialitäten Wild game specialties from the Hohenlohe region, including products from the Wildmanufaktur (wild game processing facility).
• Echt Hällische Wurstspezialitäten Traditional Swabian-Hall sausage and ham specialties manufactured at the in-house Schwäbisch-Hällische Wurst- und Schinkenmanufaktur, featuring regional recipes and artisan production methods.
• Bio-Produkte Organic products from member farms, including organic meat, produce, and processed goods following ECOLAND organic association standards.
• Ecoland Herbs & Spices Organic herbs and spices sourced from local Hohenlohe cultivation (including heritage varieties such as Hohenloher Senf, Koriander, Kümmel and Leinsaat registered with the Bundessortenamt) and from international fair trade partnerships under the 'Seeds of Hope' initiative in India, Serbia, Romania, Zanzibar, and Ghana.
• Regionalmarkt Hohenlohe Flagship regional market center in Wolpertshausen with 950 sqm of retail space, market hall, restaurant (Mohrenköpfle Gastronomie), seminar rooms, farm tourism, and organic gardens; recognized among the 10 best rest stops in Europe and open 7 days per week including Sundays (court ruling).
• Mohrenköpfle Gastronomie On-site restaurant and catering service at the Regionalmarkt Hohenlohe offering freshly prepared regional dishes and take-away meals made from BESH produce.
• Hällische Botschaft Berlin BESH ambassador location at Markthalle 9 in Berlin, serving as a showcase and sales outlet for regional Hohenlohe specialty foods in the capital.
• Bauernmarkt Schwäbisch Hall Farmers' market in Schwäbisch Hall, Germany's first cooperative farmers market established by BESH in 1994.
• Online Shop Web-based direct-to-consumer sales platform delivering regional BESH products within 1-2 days from the Regionalmarkt Hohenlohe.
• Climate Fair Pork Climate-resilient pork production with CLIMATE FAIR certification label for certified climate-friendly products from organic agriculture, developed under an EU-EIP project.

Quantifiable outcome

• Rescued Schwäbisch-Hällisches Landschwein from near-extinction (1984: 25 pigs remaining)
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• United Nations (ECOSOC)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2017BESH accredited as NGO member to UN Economic & Social Committee in NY/Geneva/Vienna with consultant status for oral and written contributions. Rudolf Bühler delivered statements at UN General Assembly and Human Rights Council.
• Slow Food / Slow Food Youth AcademyminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2016Partnership for World Organic Forum and organic marketing events. Rudolf Bühler presented with Carlo Petrini at Slow Food Messe.
• Donau Soja / Danube FarmersminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2004Founding partner and coordinator for European non-GMO and organic soya initiatives. Led to founding of Danube Farmers association for regional agricultural development.
• Unilever Bestfoods DeutschlandminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2002Implemented quality meat program 'Du darfst' with 52,000 pigs and 2,800 cattle annually, 135 participating farms, from 2002-2010.
• Stiftung Europäisches NaturerbeminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2002Partnership for rescue and revitalization projects of endangered breeds including Baasner Schwein in Siebenbürgen, Romania.
• ECOLAND (Verband für Ökologische und Klimaresiliente Land- und Ernährungswirtschaft)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 1997Founded by Rudolf Bühler in 1997 as organic association with international projects under SEEDS OF HOPE in India, Serbia, Romania, Ghana, and Sansibar. ECOLAND develops organic agriculture and fair trade partnerships globally.
• Akademie für Ökologische Land- und Ernährungswirtschaft Schloss KirchbergcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAcademy under Stiftung Haus der Bauern founded 2016, hosts annual World Organic Forum, Öko-Marketing-Tage, and educational programs. State-recognized educational institution in rural area.
• FAO EU-Focus Group Tiergenetische RessourcenminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerRudolf Bühler appointed member of EU Focus Group on Animal Genetic Resources in 2014, Rome.
• LEL Landesanstalt für Landwirtschaft, Ernährung und Ländlicher RaumminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerPartnership for value chain development seminars and regional sustainability symposiums.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves15 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Neuland: German association/cooperative of farmers raising livestock under defined animal welfare standards and selling branded meat through partner butchers and food retailers. Operates the same 'regional organic farmer cooperative plus premium quality meat' value-chain logic as BESH, only without the heritage breed PGI.
• Herrmannsdorfer Landwerkstätten: Bavarian organic farm and butcher/sausage manufactory running a farm-to-counter model with own retail shops and gastronomy. Highly comparable to BESH's vertically integrated Regionalmarkt Hohenlohe concept, with overlap in sausage manufacturing and direct farmer-consumer sales.
• Ökoland Vertrieb: German cooperative of organic farmers producing and distributing organic meat across Germany. Direct peer in terms of cooperative farmer membership model and wholesale organic meat positioning, though with a broader national brand rather than BESH's regional PGI focus.
• Tegernseer Landwirtschaft: Bavarian dairy and meat producer-brand selling premium regional products through Edeka-Tegernsee and partner retailers, with strong provenance and sustainability narrative. Comparable regional premium-meat brand built around defined production standards in a similar German consumer market.

Emerging players

• Den Prieele (Puten & Hähnchen) / Weidehof / comparable German regional poultry & meat brands: Mid-sized German regional organic/niche meat brands that combine farmer contract production with branded retail. Comparable in scale and premium positioning, though focused on poultry rather than pork/beef.
• Wollschwein / Mangalica heritage pig producers: European heritage pig breeders (Hungarian Mangalica and related woolly pig lines) pursuing breed-conservation plus premium meat positioning. Direct analogy to BESH's Swabian-Hall Landrace conservation effort, though still at an earlier stage of commercial development.

Regional players

• Consorcio del Jamón Serrano Español / Iberico PGI producers: Spanish heritage-breed pig PGI producers (Jamón Ibérico, Jamón Serrano) operating under EU geographical indications for cured specialty meats. Comparable PGI-driven premium heritage pig business model in Iberia, useful as a parallel for how BESH could export g.g.A. positioning.
• Niman Ranch: US network of family farmers raising heritage and antibiotic-free pork, beef and lamb for premium retail channels. Closest US analog to BESH's breed-and-farmer-centred model, useful for cross-checking cooperative economics and specialty meat route-to-market.

Others

• Bioland e.V. Largest German organic farming association, setting production standards its 8,000+ member farms follow. Adjacent rather than competitive: BESH sits in the same organic-and-beyond-organics standards landscape and works with many of the same farmer pools.
• Demeter e.V. German biodynamic agriculture association whose standards and member farms intersect with BESH's Sonnenhof and ECOLAND organic farming network. Relevant standard-setting adjacent player in the same organic/heritage farmer ecosystem.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/besh1988
• Facebookfacebook.com/besh.de
• Xx.com/baeuerliche

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 records

Subsidiaries11 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Bauerliche Erzeugergemeinschaft Schwabisch Hall