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Master butcher Markus Leggedör has employed his specialist expertise, versatility and keen understanding of modern customer needs to transform the family butcher’s business into a forward-looking enterprise. The latest upgrade: an innovative 16/7 retail concept that combines flexible shopping options with traditional butchery skills.
Regionality, the guiding principle of the family business
Markus Leggedör (45) grew up in a family with a long tradition in the butchers' trade. His parents founded the family butcher’s business in Weener in 1972 and Markus Leggedör has been running it together with his wife Bärbel for almost 20 years now. They place great emphasis on artisanal quality, locally sourced meat and sustainable production.
The company's assortment consists solely of meat products made in-house, thus ensuring not only the highest quality but also a particularly high degree of transparency for customers. In weekly leaflets, they provide information on which farmer supplied the meat or animal processed. Most of the meat comes from the immediate vicinity and is slaughtered in Weener. Only salt-marsh calves and dyke lambs are butchered by a colleague from the north, to avoid subjecting the animals to unnecessary transport stress.
The master butcher is especially proud of the beef he sells: “We only use meat from pasture-raised animals that I select personally. We source pasture-raised heifers from the family of Enno Meinders in Boen and from the Brink family’s organic farm in Vellage who also supply us with pasture-raised oxen.”
Expert and fine-dining ambassador
Markus Leggedör’s passion for the butchers' business developed at an early age. He laid the foundations for his remarkable career after passing his apprenticeship examinations with flying colours and being crowned the state champion of Lower Saxony. Two years later, he qualified as a master butcher and went on to complete further training in business management for the butchers' trade and a thorough course of training as a chef.
Even after taking over the business, Markus Leggedör has continued to expand his specialist knowledge: he is not only a qualified meat sommelier but also a sausage and ham sommelier – the first person from East Frisia ever to gain these qualifications. This unique combination of traditional craftsmanship and sensory expertise makes him a renowned ambassador for fine food, who can help people understand the importance of high-quality meat products.
Moreover, Markus Leggedör is actively involved in consumer education aimed at raising awareness of artisanal quality and sustainable meat production. His innovative spirit and instinct for modern concepts, such as the 16/7 retail concept, are helping to make the butchers' trade fit for the future and meet the ever-changing needs of customers.
Greater flexibility, unchanged quality: the 16/7 retail concept
Last year, Markus Leggedör launched the ‘16/7’ retail concept, a staff-free, self-service shop that is open 16 hours every day, from 6 am to 10 pm. After registering online, customers can enter the shop by scanning a QR code and then make their purchases. 85 percent of the range consists of Leggedör products, plus regional produce such as cheese, dairy products, baked goods, eggs, pasta, potatoes, wine and honey from organic farms. Payment is made digitally via an automatic checkout system that detects the selected products without the need for manual scanning.
The shop has been a huge success since it opened at Easter 2024. According to proprietor Markus Leggedör, “Business is really good on weekends. And even better on public holidays. That’s when the shop is truly invaluable and people flock to it like a place of pilgrimage.” Last year, especially on 1 May, many customers took the opportunity to hold impromptu barbecues, leading to a record 250 purchases that day. On Sundays and public holidays, the 16/7 shop attracts an average of around 200 customers.
The investment of €150,000 for conversion, software and refrigeration technology is expected to pay for itself within five years. Although the shop is not staffed, three people each work a few hours a week to restock the shelves. The traditional shop continues to operate as before because many customers still value personal advice from specialist staff.
This innovative concept was developed in response to the shortage of skilled workers in the sector. Markus and Bärbel Leggedör viewed the introduction of the staff-free shop as an opportunity to extend their opening hours and boost turnover without having to take on additional personnel.
A commitment to the butchers' trade and the future
As Guild Master of the Leer Butchers’ Guild, Markus Leggedör is actively committed to maintaining and developing the butchers' trade. In this role, he works to ensure the trade’s long-term viability and to attract new recruits. He also makes a point of ensuring that his own children have the opportunity to discover high-quality craftsmanship and the importance of regional ties.
People in the Butchery Trade
The people who work with meat and sell meat products are just as diverse as the tasks involved in the butchery trade.
Our global series profiles creative and skilled individuals, from traditional butchers to those who have switched careers.
