"We have made a promise to our customers: we will become simpler as a brand family, invest in customer benefits and have a plus for everyone. And we are keeping this promise. Next with 100 percent Austrian fresh meat from turkey, chicken, beef including veal and pork at BILLA, BILLA PLUS and in the BILLA online shop. This now gives all our customers the simple and at-a-glance certainty of buying Austrian quality in all price segments. And is a plus for everyone - for our customers as well as for our partners in Austrian farming," emphasises Marcel Haraszti, Chairman BILLA MERKUR Austria (BMÖ).
100 percent means everywhere and always
BILLA is thus the pioneer in the Austrian food trade. Because the commitment of BILLA and BILLA PLUS to Austrian fresh meat and poultry applies in all of the more than 1,200 stores throughout Austria and the online shop. "We invest an almost double-digit million amount per year in this customer benefit. And the implementation of this assortment decision was a huge effort. At BILLA, it was a question of sufficiently large delivery quantities in cooperation with our partners. With BILLA PLUS, the challenge was now even greater. Because the fresh meat and poultry range is wider and more varied. And we will also offer our customers an attractive substitute for international products that are no longer available," says Haraszti.
In this way, the BILLA family, in close cooperation with the domestic meat/poultry producers, is making a significant contribution to continuing to guarantee the security of supply with domestic quality meat products. Especially by closing the gap for turkey.
Every 2nd Austrian turkey goes to BILLA and BILLA PLUS
Compared to 2019, the joint purchase volume for BILLA and BILLA PLUS now increases by 150 percent. And this closing of the gap is a commitment to Austrian farming and its dedication to more animal welfare. Because domestic turkey producers work with very high animal welfare standards compared to the EU: turkeys have up to 70 percent more space available. This also contributes significantly to the health of the animals. The stocking density per m² for turkeys in Austria is limited by law to 40 kg, whereas it is significantly higher in almost all EU countries or is not regulated by law at all. Not least due to these different competitive conditions, the degree of self-sufficiency regarding turkey meat has continuously decreased to below 40 percent since Austria's accession to the EU. BILLA's new strategy is reversing this trend for the first time since EU accession. A sustainable increase in the degree of self-sufficiency can be expected in the coming years, as new production capacities are currently being created.
In all BILLA markets: 100 million Kaisersemmeln become organic
"And the next plus for our customers - and Austrian organic cereal farmers - is coming soon. The Kaisersemmeln in all BILLA markets will become organic," announces BMÖ Chairman Marcel Haraszti. For BILLA customers, 100 million Kaisersemmeln per year will now be converted to organic. And for this, domestic organic farmers supply 7,000 tonnes of organic grain annually. The stocking density per m² for turkeys in Austria is limited by law to 40 kg, whereas this value is significantly higher in almost all EU countries or is not regulated by law at all. Not least due to these different competitive conditions, the degree of self-sufficiency in turkey meat has continuously decreased to below 40 percent since Austria's accession to the EU. BILLA's new strategy is reversing this trend for the first time since EU accession. A sustainable increase in the degree of self-sufficiency can be expected in the coming years, as new production capacities are currently being created.
In all BILLA markets: 100 million Kaisersemmeln become organic
"And the next plus for our customers - and Austrian organic cereal farmers - is coming soon. The Kaisersemmeln in all BILLA markets will become organic," announces BMÖ Chairman Marcel Haraszti. For BILLA customers, 100 million Kaisersemmeln per year will now be converted to organic. And for this, domestic organic farmers supply 7,000 tonnes of organic cereals annually. Not only a plus for the customers, but also an important positive signal for organic grain farming in Austria.
