WECH

What WECH does

WECH (Wech – Geflügel GmbH) is an Austrian family-owned poultry company founded in 1958 in Carinthia by Hermine WECH, specializing in the integrated breeding, slaughtering, processing, and distribution of chicken and turkey products. The company operates from six locations across Austria (St. Andrä/Lavanttal headquarters, Glanegg, Pöttelsdorf), Slovenia (Slovenj Gradec), and Hungary (Pécs — eFeF Kft.), employing roughly 800 people and coordinating approximately 200 contract farming families that supply chickens and turkeys under the QGV (Austrian Poultry Health Service) traceability system. Roughly 2 million Austrian consumers eat at least one WECH product weekly, with the company processing approximately 25,000 turkeys per week at its Glanegg facility and offering a portfolio of 265 SKUs.

The product range spans fresh and frozen chicken, fresh and frozen turkey, and a convenience line (sliced and smoked sausages, prepared items like Cordon Bleu, Schnitzel, and Pulled Chicken), supplemented by premium sub-brands Sonnenpute and Edelpute and an organic BIO line. Production uses fully automated portioning and packaging systems with container, shrink-bag, and vacuum-skin options, supported by energy-recovery shrink tanks and a 1,200 kWp photovoltaic / industrial heat-pump infrastructure. All WECH poultry is GMO-free and certified under AMA Gütesiegel, AMA Bio, IFS Food, and Halal, with the AMA seal guaranteeing 100% Austrian origin on turkey products.

WECH generates revenue through B2B sales of poultry products across four channels — supermarket chains and discounters (daily fresh delivery), major wholesalers (Kröswang, Eurogast, Metro, Karnerta Co.), gastronomy/horeca, and a direct-to-consumer WECH Shop at St. Andrä. The company is led by Managing Directors DI Dr. Karl Feichtinger and DI Paul Pötz, with controlling ownership retained by the WECH family following Hermine WECH's 2009 succession to Mag. Jakob Sintschnig. The 2024 founding of WP Tiernahrung GmbH (animal feed) and a €4 million renewable-energy investment signal continued operational modernization rather than transformational growth.

Name

WECH

Legal name

Wech – Geflügel GmbH

Website

https://wech.at

Company type

Private

Founded year

1958

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

501–1,000 employees

Short description

WECH is an Austrian family-owned poultry company specializing in integrated breeding, slaughtering, and distribution of chicken and turkey products, serving retail, wholesale, gastronomy, and direct consumers across Austria, Slovenia, and Hungary.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Poultry Production & Processing

NAICS

Poultry Processing (311615), Meat Processed from Carcasses (311612), Animal Food Manufacturing (3111)

SIC

Poultry Slaughtering And Processing (2015), Sausages & Other Prepared Meat Products (2013), Food And Kindred Products (2000)

akta.pro primary industry

Broiler Processing (Whole Bird, Parts, Further Processing) (AFANACAI)

akta.pro secondary industries

Turkey Processing (Whole Bird, Parts, Further Processing) (AFANACAH), Further Processed Poultry (Cooked, Breaded, Nuggets, Patties, Wings) (AFANACAC), Poultry Cured/Smoked & Deli Products (Turkey Ham, Deli Slices, Bacon-Style) (AFANACAD), Poultry By-Product Meal Production (Poultry Meal, Feather Meal) (AFANAGAD)

Keywords

• Poultry processing
• Chicken products
• Turkey products
• Convenience poultry
• Austrian poultry farming

Headquarters

HQ city

Sankt Paul Im Lavanttal

HQ country

Austria

HQ region

Europe

Offices5 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Poultry Product Sales: WECH generates revenue through the production and sale of Austrian quality poultry (chicken and turkey), including fresh, frozen, and processed/convenience products. Products are sold through retail, wholesale, gastronomy, and direct-to-consumer channels.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

WECH breeds, slaughters, processes, and distributes Austrian-origin chicken and turkey products for retail, wholesale, gastronomy, and direct consumer channels. Its portfolio spans fresh and frozen whole birds, cuts, fillets, and a full range of convenience products (sliced and smoked sausages, Cordon Bleu, Nuggets, Pulled Chicken, Schnitzel), supported by automated portioning and packaging, full QGV traceability, and certifications including AMA G\u00fctesiegel, IFS Food, Halal, BIO, and Non-GMO.

Product overview

WECH is an Austrian poultry company offering a comprehensive range of chicken, turkey, and convenience poultry products. The portfolio includes three core product lines: chicken products (fresh and frozen whole chickens, parts, fillets, wings, and ready-to-cook options), turkey products (steaks, legs, breasts, schnitzel, and whole birds), and convenience products (sliced sausages, smoked sausages, prepared items like Cordon Bleu, Nuggets, and Pulled Chicken). The company also offers BIO organic chicken products and premium sub-brands including Sonnenpute (premium turkey through Kröswang) and Edelpute (premium turkey prepared products). WECH operates a physical retail shop at their St. Andrä location for direct consumer sales. With 265 items in the product range, products are distributed through retail, wholesale, and gastronomy channels.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Sonnenpute: Premium range of turkey products where turkeys enjoy even more space, fresh air and sunshine from Austrian family-run farms, fed a natural diet and benefit from even more stringent requirements for animal welfare and freedom of movement.
• Edelpute
• Bauernhofgarantie

Quantifiable outcome

• 2,000,000 consumers eat at least one WECH product per week
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Ten partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Land schafft LebencoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2014WECH has been a partner of 'Land schafft Leben' for many years. Founded by Maria Fanninger and Hannes Royer in 2014, the organisation works to make the origin and production of Austrian food transparent to consumers. Both WECH Managing Directors (DI Paul Pötz and Dr. Karl Feichtinger) actively participate in the initiative alongside Maria Fanninger and Hannes Royer. The partnership involves co-marketing, educational content, and advocacy for regional value chains.
• KröswangcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorKröswang is a major wholesaler partner of WECH. Together, they offer the 'Sonnenpute' premium turkey range — a brand featuring turkeys raised with even more space, fresh air, and natural diet from Austrian family-run farms, with stringent animal welfare requirements.
• EurogastminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorEurogast is a major wholesale company partnered with WECH for the distribution of poultry products.
• MetrominorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorMetro is a major wholesale company partnered with WECH for the distribution of poultry products.
• Karnerta Co.minorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorKarnerta Co. is a major wholesale company partnered with WECH for the distribution of poultry products.
• ~200 Austrian Poultry FarmerscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerApproximately 200 Austrian poultry farming families are active as long-term partners supplying WECH with chicken and turkey. The WECH farm guarantee ensures full traceability from birth to finished product. Farmers operate within the QGV system and comply with strict WECH guidelines on animal welfare, feeding, and transport. Farmers are organised in producer rings (Lavanttaler Geflügelring, Kärntner Truthahnproduktionsgemeinschaft, Geflügelgenossenschaft Österreichs).
• Pöttelsdorfer Putenspezialitäten GmbHcoreOthersThe second turkey slaughterhouse in Austria, joining the WECH Group in 2007. These are the only true Austrian turkeys provided by WECH. Now a wholly-owned subsidiary operating under the WECH umbrella.
• EFEF Kft. (Pécs, Hungary)minorOtherseFeF Kft., a Hungarian poultry processing company, was acquired by WECH in 2001. As a purely processing operation, it serves as a strategic partner to the slaughtering and processing operations within the WECH Group in Austria.
• WP Tiernahrung GmbHminorOthersWP Tiernahrung GmbH was founded in 2024 to consolidate WECH's animal feed activities under one entity. Products available at www.hundejause.at. Located at Edelputenweg 1, 7025 Pöttelsdorf.
• LichtblickhofminorOthersWECH supports Lichtblickhof, an EQUOTHERAPY centre for children with serious and life-limiting illnesses. The organisation provides animal-assisted therapy using horses and other therapy animals, supporting families through difficult times. WECH's support is described as tangible commitment to social responsibility.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves10 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Market position

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/wech.gefluegel
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/wech-geflügel-gmbh
• Instagraminstagram.com/wech_gefluegel
• TikToktiktok.com/@wech_gefluegel

Compliance5 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Subsidiaries5 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 WECH