On equal footing with specialist retailers

“We’ve never submitted a product and won straight away before, but we’ll be doing that more often now“, says Steven Sagrodnik, Welzhofer’s delighted managing director. He confirms that the ‘Insect Menu’ has a unique flavour. Two years ago, the wild bird food specialist considered developing a product based on customer feedback. The result came about quite spontaneously and was planned as a limited edition. However, “the ‘Insect Menu’ has been a huge hit. We now have four pack sizes in our permanent range.”

The ‘insect menu’ is one of around 300 products and a prime example of the success of the company’s strategy: “For products to be successful, all three parties –manufacturers, specialist retailers and customers – must be satisfied. If one of them isn’t, the whole system breaks down”, explains Anton Welzhofer, owner and managing director.

Welzhofer has maintained personal relationships with its suppliers, with whom it has been loyal for decades, as well as with specialist retailers. “We have turned down many opportunities and feel committed to specialist retailers. After all, they are the ones who have grown alongside us and our products, transforming seasonal business into year-round offerings”, says Welzhofer, who is grateful for this clear signal. Premiumisation of this kind is only possible with strong partners, and it demonstrates what can be achieved.

“At Welzhofer, everything is made in Bavarian Swabia. Providing a home for wild animals and ensuring biodiversity is preserved is a mission my family has been committed to for generations”, explains Welzhofer. “Our mill has been in operation since 1429. Each generation has passed on a sense of responsibility towards nature to the next.”

Coming from a family of millers, we have been producing and developing bird feed since 1970 using recipes from the previous owner, Manfred Mayr. Production has been back at the Schönebach site since 2021, following a major renovation in 2020 which modernised production and shortened processes, thanks to the proven infrastructure and the nearby, snowier Allgäu region. Gentle mixing systems that prevent abrasion and dust are among the core features. Nevertheless, a lot of manual work is still involved, and the approximately 30 employees who embody the family spirit and represent several generations are a particularly valuable part of the production process.

Good relationships with regional farmers are cultivated, and the in-house technology makes today’s work possible. “We used to source many ingredients from Bulgaria, but today, in line with our sustainability strategy, we no longer do so. Wheat and sunflower seeds, for example, come from the region, oat flakes come from near Ulm, and only the peanuts come from Argentina”, explains the owner. All ingredients undergo quality control by a miller, who checks them for suitability for human consumption. The sunflower and hemp oil used in the titmice balls, among other things, is produced in-house.

“We receive the fat fresh from the slaughterhouse and process it into the finished product within a day – it couldn’t be fresher! This makes us unique in the industry”, Welzhofer explains proudly. The complaint rate due to pests is less than one percent – a quality standard that is no accident. During his career in the agricultural trade, Welzhofer succeeded in preserving wheat for up to 13 years without any loss through proper storage. Welzhofer’s accumulated knowledge is reflected in the premium quality of his wild game products, setting new standards in storage and processing.

Sustainability runs through all areas of the company, from the raw materials used to the environmentally friendly packaging and renewable energies used for electricity and heat, and the net-free or bioplastic nets made from potato starch. “Everything is designed with sustainability and environmental friendliness in mind. As a family of millers, we have always depended on water, so careful use of resources is in our DNA. We live and produce in harmony with nature – without compromise.”

Welzhofer, an established name in wild bird food, is launching a start-up brand of dog food called ‘Fellows’. “We are ready for tomorrow’s markets, where we see a future for dog food based on insect proteins. We are confident that customers are ready for it, and that our brand will impress with its unique quality. We are confident that customers are ready for it. It’s no coincidence that Fellows won the German Sustainability Award in 2025”, says Sagrodnik with conviction.

This closes the circle: “The use of insect fat and protein is widely accepted in bird nutrition, but there is still a battle to be fought in the dog food sector.” However, it is also important here to achieve more together and to sow the seeds of fresh DNA in specialist shops through trusting, cooperative partnerships. Welzhofer has already successfully followed this path.