Austria-based meat processor Norbert Marcher has bought a majority stake in two slaughterhouses in Germany.
Norbert Marcher has acquired a 51% holding in EG Südbayern Schlachtbetriebs, a business housing the sites owned by German co-op EG Südbayern.
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The deal, which marks Norbert Marcher’s entry into Germany, comes less than two years after EG Südbayern acquired the facilities outright from Dutch partner Vion.
EG Südbayern had already owned a 49% stake in the slaughterhouses, which are located in the southern German towns of Landshut and Vilshofen.
Norbert Marcher will take on “sole operational and industrial control of both facilities”, a joint statement read.
In the statement, Norbert Marcher, the managing partner of the namesake, family-owned business, said: “We believe in the future of meat and in the performance of Bavarian farmers. We are aware that the German meat industry is particularly competitive – with EG Südbayern we have found an ideal partner – together we see ourselves as well-prepared for our entry into the German market, also as a processor.”
Meat consumption in Germany has been declining, although, according to government figures, it inched up last year on the back of demand for poultry.
Data released last month by the Federal Information Centre for Agriculture (BZL) showed per-capita meat consumption stood at 54.9kg in 2025, up 1.4kg on a year earlier.
However, by contrast, per-capita consumption was 63.8kg in 2011.
“We deliberately chose a partner who is clearly committed to the locations, fully assumes industrial responsibility, and has extensive experience in managing high-performing slaughtering and processing plants,” EG Südbayern CEO Erwin Hochecker said. “The aim of the reorganisation is to sustainably strengthen the competitiveness of the locations and permanently secure their role within the regional value chain.”
The statement from the two companies said operations at the two sites “will continue unchanged”.
The Norbert Marcher business, which has eleven sites across Austria supplies fresh and processed meat to retail, foodservice and B2B customers.
“All existing business relationships, supply chains, and employment contracts will remain in place,” the statement added.
Earlier this month, Vion sold another meat facility in Germany as part of the Dutch group’s exit from the country.
Ireland-based ABP Food Group struck a deal to buy a slaughterhouse in Buchloe.
The disposal followed the April sale of Vion’s Crailsheim and Waldkraiburg locations.
Vion began closing meat assets in Germany in 2023 and a year later announced plans to exit the German market entirely.
