Franz and Rainer Schalk

Franz and Rainer Schalk, the two Styrian brothers, lead a long-standing traditional company. Their names are well-known in the region; after all, Schalk Mühle has been known here since its establishment in 1859. Now in its 6th generation and still family-owned, the two brothers have continued to produce the finest organic food from Austria since taking over the company in 2015.

The shared vision of fairness and sustainability can be felt in every corner of the historic building and is reflected externally, among other things, by the conversion to almost exclusively organic farming. “We ourselves have been working in the fields since childhood and have diligently helped out,” says Franz, the younger of the two brothers.

“Even today, we see ourselves less as businessmen and more as passionate farmers. However, our own 50 hectares of cultivated land have long since ceased to be sufficient to meet the growing and already cross-border demand.”

“For this reason, we rely on long-term partnerships with other Austrian organic farmers. Over 200 partners already support us, many of whom have become good friends,” Rainer proudly adds. Fair payment is a matter of course for them.
Settling elsewhere would no longer be an option for either brother. “We lived in various countries during our studies,” says Franz. “At the time, neither of us would have thought that we would come back and take over the family business,” Rainer adds with a laugh. But in the mid-2010s, things turned out differently than expected. A large family meeting convened to discuss the future of the hydroelectric power plant on the Feistritz sealed the decision to join the family business. Since then, Schalk Mühle has seen steady growth and, in addition to supplying locally and online, also secures many jobs and entertainment opportunities in the region. “We are really proud of this development and are happy to give something back to the people of the region in this way,” explains Rainer. In addition to the finest organic products, there are also tours and a bike station to admire, which also attracts tourism to the region.

Only the best raw materials make it into their products. The product range is now as impressive as the company’s development itself: organic oils, fruit purées, pesto, seeds, proteins, and much more leave hardly any wishes unfulfilled. The product range expands by up to eight new products annually, and most of them remain in the assortment long-term. “Not all products are meant to last forever; there are simply too many different tastes. But as Styrians, we naturally accept such a challenge and love to experiment with a wide variety of flavors,” Rainer smiles, referring to a well-known chocolatier who lives practically next door.