KARNERTA

What KARNERTA does

KARNERTA GmbH is an Austrian food production and retail company headquartered in Klagenfurt, founded in 1954 and operating as a wholly owned subsidiary of VIVATIS Holding AG. The company produces and distributes premium meat and sausage products, fresh filled pasta (Teigwaren), fish and seafood under the CERNYs brand, and pre-prepared menu components such as sous-vide dishes and precision-portioned cuts. Production is anchored at the Klagenfurt Südring site, which houses a modern meat cutting facility (opened 2021), a rebuilt meat and convenience plant (2018), and a pasta production facility (2014). Technology is traditional food manufacturing combining artisanal handcraft (e.g., Dry Aged Beef, hand-salted and beechwood-smoked bacon) with selective automation (pasteurization at 72°C, GPS-monitored refrigerated cold-chain logistics).

KARNERTA operates a dual go-to-market model. Private consumers are served through eight owned specialty retail stores (Fachmärkte) in Carinthia, Styria, and East Tyrol, with the Klagenfurt flagship offering a weekly hot lunch menu and snack counter. B2B foodservice customers (restaurants, hotels, catering, institutional caterers) are served through six branch offices (Zweigniederlassungen) covering all nine Austrian states, supported by a dedicated B2B webshop (shop.karnerta.at), telephone sales, and a privately owned fleet of 38 refrigerated trucks (EssKlasse). Orders placed by 11:00 AM are delivered the next business day; free delivery applies above EUR 200, with a EUR 15 surcharge below. Pricing is individualized for B2B accounts and not publicly disclosed.

Revenue is generated through one-time product sales across all channels, with no subscription or licensing model. The company employs approximately 250 people across production, sales, distribution, and administration. Quality assurance is anchored in the proprietary Fleischmeister Qualität seal and a multi-certification portfolio including IFS, AMA-Gütesiegel, bos/sus, MSC, ASC, Bio, V-Label, and Cibus. Approximately 77% of raw materials are sourced domestically from Austria, supporting a regional provenance positioning.

Name

KARNERTA

Legal name

KARNERTA GmbH

Website

https://karnerta.at

Company type

Private

Founded year

1954

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

KARNERTA GmbH is an Austrian food producer and retailer (founded 1954, Klagenfurt) serving private consumers via eight specialty stores and B2B gastronomy/hotel/catering customers via six branch offices and a 38-truck refrigerated fleet. Core products are meat and sausage, fresh filled pasta, fish under the CERNYs brand, and sous-vide menu components.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Meat and Sausage Manufacturing

NAICS

Meat and Meat Product Merchant Wholesalers (42447), Cookie, Cracker, and Pasta Manufacturing (31182), Grocery and Related Product Merchant Wholesalers (4244), Other Specialty Food Retailers (44529), Food Manufacturing (311)

SIC

Sausages & Other Prepared Meat Products (2013), Food And Kindred Products (2000), Wholesale-Groceries & Related Products (5140), Miscellaneous Food Preparations & Kindred Products (2090)

akta.pro primary industry

Refrigerated Meat & Charcuterie Wholesale (AFAIAHAI)

Keywords

• Fresh meat production
• Sausage manufacturing
• Fresh filled pasta
• Fish and seafood supply
• Foodservice distribution

Headquarters

HQ city

Klagenfurt

HQ country

Austria

HQ region

Europe

Offices14 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Retail Sales (Fachmärkte): Sale of premium meat, sausage, fresh pasta, and fish products to private consumers through eight owned specialty retail stores. Revenue is generated through one-time point-of-sale transactions at retail prices. The stores also offer weekly changing hot lunch menus and a snack counter at the Klagenfurt location.
2. B2B Foodservice / Gastronomy Supply: Supply of meat, pasta, and fish products to professional foodservice customers (hotels, restaurants, catering, institutional catering) across Austria via six branch offices. Orders are placed through a B2B webshop, telephone sales, or dedicated account managers. Deliveries are made via the company's own refrigerated fleet. Minimum order value of €200 for free delivery; a €15 logistics surcharge applies for smaller orders. The company also generates revenue from portion-cutting services and customized menu components.
3. Pasta and Convenience Products: Production and sale of fresh, filled pasta (Kärntner Kasnudeln, Tortelloni, Ravioli, Eierspätzle, etc.) including organic and vegan product lines, available both through retail stores and B2B foodservice channels.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

KARNERTA produces and distributes premium Austrian meat and sausage products, fresh filled pasta, fish and seafood, and pre-prepared menu components. The company sells these products both to private consumers through eight company-owned specialty retail stores (Fachmärkte) and to B2B gastronomy, hotel, and catering customers across Austria via six branch offices and a proprietary refrigerated delivery fleet. Production takes place at the Klagenfurt headquarters, with sourcing concentrated on regional Austrian farms and cooperatives.

Product overview

KARNERTA is a traditional Austrian food production and retail company founded in 1954, now part of the VIVATIS Holding AG. The company operates a multi-category food portfolio comprising four core product lines: (1) Fleisch – premium meat and sausage products including fresh cuts, Dry Aged Beef, and specialty smoked bacon; (2) Teigwaren – Austria's largest producer of fresh filled pasta including Kärntner Kasnudeln, Tortelloni, and Ravioli, with dedicated Bio organic and vegan sub-lines; (3) Fisch – premium fish and seafood under the CERNYs brand; and (4) Menükomponenten – pre-prepared convenience products including sous vide items and precision-portioned meats. The company serves both retail customers through eight Fachmärkte (specialty markets) and B2B gastronomy customers via a network of five branch locations and a B2B webshop.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• CERNYs: Fish and seafood brand offering a wide range of fish fillets, including saltwater fish, freshwater fish, and seafood delicacies.
• EssKlasse
• Fleischmeister Qualität

Products and services

• Fleisch (Meat and Sausage Products) Comprehensive range of fresh and processed meat products including beef, pork, poultry, lamb, veal, game, Dry Aged Beef, handmade sausages, and beechwood-smoked bacon specialties. Sourced from regional Austrian farms and processed at the Klagenfurt facility following the nose-to-tail principle.
• Teigwaren (Fresh Filled Pasta) Austria's largest range of fresh filled pasta including Kärntner Kasnudeln, Kärntner Fleischnudeln, Tiroler Schlutzkrapferl, Eierspätzle, Knöpfle, Kartoffelgnocchi, Tortelloni, and Ravioli varieties. Includes dedicated organic (Bio) and vegan sub-lines. Pasteurized at 72°C and made with Carinthian water and regional ingredients.
• CERNYs (Fish and Seafood) Premium fish and seafood assortment under the CERNYs brand, offering saltwater and freshwater fish fillets (Zander, Wolfsbarsch, Forellen, Lachs, Kabeljau, Heilbutt), shellfish (Riesengarnelen, Miesmuscheln, Tintenfisch), smoked fish (Räucherlachs, Gravadlachs), and fish delicatessen products. Wild-caught products are MSC-certified and farmed products are ASC-certified.
• Menükomponenten (Menu Components / Convenience) Pre-prepared menu components for professional kitchens including sous-vide products (Rinds-Roastbeef, Beef Ribs, Rindsgulasch, Knusperstelze, Schweinsstelze), pre-breaded schnitzel, and gram-precise portioned fresh meat cut to exact customer specifications. Designed to reduce kitchen labor and ensure consistency.
• Fachmärkte (Specialty Retail Stores) Eight owned specialty retail stores in Klagenfurt, Villach, Feldkirchen, Spittal, Hermagor, St. Veit, Murau, and Lienz offering the full KARNERTA product range, in-person expert consultation by trained Fleischmeister:innen, and (at the Klagenfurt flagship) a weekly hot lunch menu and snack counter.
• Gastronomie Lieferservice (B2B Foodservice Delivery) B2B delivery service for hotels, restaurants, catering, and institutional caterers across Austria, with six regional branch offices (Zweigniederlassungen), dedicated customer account managers, gram-precise portioning, and next-business-day delivery via a fleet of 38 refrigerated trucks for orders placed before 11:00 AM. Free delivery above €200; €15 logistics surcharge below.
• B2B Webshop (KLICKE UND KOCHE) Proprietary B2B e-commerce platform for registered gastronomy customers to browse the full KARNERTA product catalog, access account-specific pricing, place and manage orders, and coordinate next-day delivery across Austria.

Quantifiable outcome

• Orders placed by 11:00 AM are delivered the next business day across Austria
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers2 records

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

23 partnerships are on record, tiered core, supporting and certification partner.

• Kärntnermilch (Genossenschaftsbetrieb)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerRegional dairy cooperative partner. KARNERTA operates specialty retail stores within Kärntnermilch markets in Feldkirchen and Spittal, exemplifying the company's commitment to local cooperation and co-location with regional partners.
• Kärntner FleischcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerRegional Carinthian meat producer. Kärntner Fleisch supplies Carinthian-origin meat to KARNERTA's Klagenfurt processing facility, enabling the company's 'Carinthian Meat' product line and full farm-of-origin traceability for Carinthian beef.
• Steirer FleischcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerRegional Styrian meat producer supplying Styrian-origin meat to KARNERTA's Graz branch office, enabling local sourcing for customers in Styria.
• SteirerhuhnsupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerRegional Styrian poultry supplier providing Austrian-origin chicken meat for KARNERTA's product range.
• LandhofsupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerRegional Austrian meat and food products supplier. Landhof is a partner supplier for KARNERTA's product portfolio.
• Wech – Kärntner Truthahn Verarbeitung GmbHsupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerRegional Carinthian turkey processor providing Austrian-origin turkey meat for KARNERTA's poultry and specialty meat products.
• AMA (Agrarmarkt Austria)certification partnerOthersAMA operates the AMA-Gütesiegel and bos/sus labeling systems used by KARNERTA. This certification partnership provides independent third-party verification of origin, animal welfare, and production standards for KARNERTA's meat products.
• Marine Stewardship Council (MSC)certification partnerOthersMSC certification covers KARNERTA's wild-caught fish products (e.g., cod, Alaska pollock, herring) under the CERNYs brand, guaranteeing sustainable and environmentally responsible fishery sourcing.
• Aquaculture Stewardship Council (ASC)certification partnerOthersASC certification covers KARNERTA's farmed fish products (e.g., trout, salmon, tilapia) under the CERNYs brand, guaranteeing responsible aquaculture sourcing practices.
• IFS (International Featured Standards)certification partnerOthersIFS food safety and quality certification verifies KARNERTA's internal production standards, providing independent assurance to B2B customers regarding consistent product quality and safety management.
• Bio-Garantiecertification partnerOthersBio-Garantie is the certification body for KARNERTA's organic (Bio) pasta and meat product lines, verifying compliance with EU organic farming regulations.
• Cibuscertification partnerOthersCibus certification verifies the origin and welfare method (free-range and barn-reared) for eggs used in KARNERTA's pasta production, ensuring quality and traceability for all egg-based ingredients.
• TauernFleischsupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerRegional Austrian meat supplier supplying premium beef products to KARNERTA's product portfolio.
• Loidl SpezialitätensupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerAustrian meat specialty supplier supplying premium sausage and meat products to KARNERTA's range.
• MarchersupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerAustrian meat supplier providing products to KARNERTA's portfolio.
• SteirerglücksupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerRegional Styrian meat brand supplying Styrian-origin meat products to KARNERTA.
• Kulmer FischsupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerRegional Austrian fish supplier providing fish products for KARNERTA's fish and seafood assortment under the CERNYs brand.
• SonnenalmsupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerRegional Austrian supplier providing dairy and specialty products to KARNERTA's range.
• VulkanlandschweinsupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerRegional Austrian brand supplying pork from the Vulkanland region of Styria, providing KARNERTA with traceable regional pork for its specialty meat products.
• StrohmeiersupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerRegional Austrian supplier providing specialty products to KARNERTA's portfolio.
• BrogersupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerAustrian supplier providing specialty products to KARNERTA's range.
• Eurogast Kärntner LegrosupportingChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorRegional Austrian food wholesale distributor (Haupthandelspartner) distributing KARNERTA products to additional customers and channels across Carinthia.
• AgersupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerAustrian supplier providing specialty products to KARNERTA's range.

Scale indicators9 records

Recent moves10 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Wiesbauer: Austrian meat and sausage producer (Leonding-based) supplying retail and foodservice across Austria. Closely comparable to KARNERTA on core sausage/meat manufacturing, premium positioning, and Austrian-wide B2B distribution; both operate under similar certifications and target the same gastro and retail customers.
• Berger Schinken: Austrian cured-ham and Speck specialist with regional Styrian roots, producing traditional and convenience meat products for retail and gastronomy. Comparable to KARNERTA on cured-meat category, regional Austrian positioning, and dual retail/gastro channel mix.
• Landhof: Austrian meat and food products supplier (listed in KARNERTA's partnership network) operating in fresh meat, sausage, and convenience categories. Comparable on product breadth, Austrian B2B foodservice focus, and regional sourcing philosophy.
• Marcher Fleischwerke: Austrian meat-processing company (already a KARNERTA supplier per partnership data) producing fresh meat, sausage, and convenience products. Comparable on core product portfolio, Austrian B2B/retail channels, and multi-decade heritage; competes in some overlapping categories despite being a partner.
• Handl Tyrol: Austrian Speck and Tyrolean bacon specialist with deep heritage, traditional handcraft, and B2B foodservice + retail distribution. Highly comparable to KARNERTA's Speck and sausage business — same category (regional cured meats), same go-to-market (specialty retail + gastro), and similar focus on Austrian origin and quality seals.

Broad incumbents

• SPAR Austria: Austria's largest grocery retailer operating supermarkets and hobby consumers. Comparable as a multi-channel food buyer/seller; competes with KARNERTA Fachmärkte for premium regional meat sales but is also a major customer channel for packaged KARNERTA products.
• Hofer (Aldi Süd Austria): Austrian discount grocery chain of the Aldi Süd group, a price-aggressive broad-line food retailer. Comparable on meat retail scale in Austria, though competing from a low-cost/industrial end against KARNERTA's premium regional positioning.
• BILLA (REWE Austria): Austrian supermarket chain under REWE Group, one of the country's largest grocery retailers. Comparable as a multi-format food retailer; competes with KARNERTA on retail shelf space and premium meat positioning, and is a potential channel for KARNERTA-branded products.

Regional players

• Kärntner Fleisch: Carinthian meat producer that supplies Carinthian-origin beef processed at KARNERTA's Klagenfurt facility. Highly comparable on Carinthian regional positioning, beef traceability, and meat category, but operates upstream (slaughter/cutting) rather than at retail/B2B distribution.
• Kärntnermilch: Carinthian dairy cooperative and regional retail partner (hosts KARNERTA Fachmärkte in Feldkirchen and Spittal). Comparable on Carinthian regional food retail, cooperative/producer-owned heritage, and Austria-wide B2B distribution, though in dairy rather than meat/pasta categories.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses2 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/karnerta
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/karnertagmbh

Compliance11 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Subsidiaries2 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 KARNERTA