Metzgerei Heuberger AG

Graubünden beef jerky has been produced at the Schöneck property since around 1906. At that time, it was the largest drying facility in Graubünden. Until around 1932, it was managed by A. Zimmerli, who then sold it to Otto Ruff AG Zurich. Figure 1 shows two labels from that time.Fridolin Heuberger Sr. worked at this business and, after the end of the war in 1946, he and his wife Odette Heuberger-Lecroq took over the butcher's shop and drying facility and renamed it "Metzgerei und Fleischtrocknerei Heuberger" (Heuberger Butcher's Shop and Meat Drying Facility). Over time, the business became a family enterprise. After Fridolin Heuberger, his three children Paul Heuberger, Fridolin Heuberger, and Odette Ratti-Heuberger took over the management of the business. They are listed in the Graubünden commercial register as Fridolin Heuberger's heirs. Today, they are all retired, although they still visit the butcher's shop from time to time to make certain products for themselves. It is interesting to note that although the butcher's shop is still a family business today, only one of them wanted to take over the butcher's shop from the beginning, namely Paul Heuberger. Fridolin Heuberger actually wanted to go out into the wide world, but after successfully completing his high school diploma with excellent grades, he had to return to the butcher's shop to work there. The situation was also special for Roland and Erich Heuberger. Neither of them wanted to work in the family butcher shop right away. Erich completed an apprenticeship as a chef, while Roland completed his butchery apprenticeship in Davos and later worked in St. Gallen. Both had to return to their parents' business in 1987 due to a shortage of staff.

When Odette Ratti-Heuberger retired in 1998, Marianne Steffanoni-Heuberger also returned to the business to take over Odette's office duties.

The butcher's shop developed and grew larger and larger. In the beginning, it was a very small butcher's shop that had neither a refrigerated display case in the store nor a freezer room. These had to be rented in St. Moritz Bad, which was very inconvenient, as the meat still had to be fetched before work could begin. The employees in the store also had to cut everything by hand, and if it was cold cuts, they had to be cut thinly, which was not so easy.

Over time, technical advances were made that simplified many things. Whereas deliveries to hotels and restaurants used to have to be made on foot, by bicycle, or with a handcart, these methods were replaced by a delivery van. It was also no longer necessary to carry all the meat that the butcher's shop had ordered for itself from the train station up to the village. At that time, it was transported by train, as trucks could not yet cross the pass, especially in winter, and refrigeration technology was not yet advanced enough to be installed in a truck.

The butcher's shop was gradually enlarged and more workrooms were created. The Hotel St. Moritzerhof behind the butcher's shop thwarted further expansion plans. Only after the hotel was demolished was the way clear for further renovation. Thanks to the right to build a basement, enough cold storage rooms could be built. This is how the Heuberger butcher's shop came into being as it is today, with the exception of the retail store.

The last major renovation was carried out in 2000 under the direction of Roland and Erich, who ran the business with Paul at the time. The current sales area, which can be seen in the picture, was moved one floor down to Via Quadrellas, enlarged, and modernized. The butcher's shop is divided into production, retail, and wholesale (hospitality industry).

To this day, the butcher's shop is run by Erich Heuberger, Marianne Steffanoni-Heuberger, and Roland Heuberger. Each of them has their own area of responsibility. Erich is responsible for the hotel industry and is in charge of deliveries, purchasing raw materials, and processing the meat. Roland's area of responsibility primarily covers the shop, the production of dried meat (i.e., the binding room), sausage production, and the training of apprentices. Marianne is responsible for the office and all administration, accounting, bookkeeping, and ordering. It can be said that Roland has taken over Fridolin's tasks almost one-to-one, Erich those of Paul, and Marianne those of Odette.