The Chicken Whisperer
Alpstein Chicken Producer Robin Geisser
We met Robin Geisser, the second oldest of the Geisser brothers and head of the meat department at Gourmet Geflügel AG—which produces Alpstein chickens for Bianchi—to interview him about his profession and farm life.
You are the third generation to work in the family business and you manage the meat department at Gourmet Geflügel AG for the Geisser family. Have you ever thought about not joining the family business?
No, not really. I grew up on the farm and have been used to handling poultry since childhood. I probably slaughtered my first chicken when I was about ten. I don’t remember my exact age back then, but in any case, I have had a natural approach to meat production since I was a child and I am passing this on to my children as well. My daughter is 4 years old and knows where chicken meat comes from. It is important that children are never taught that slaughtering is something ‚bad‘ in the first place. Then children develop a completely natural way of dealing with it.
The Alpstein region – an evergreen. Here is the farm of the Segmüller family, Alpstein producers in Kirchberg.
How long has Gourmet Geflügel AG existed, and how long have you been working with Bianchi?
Our farm is already in its third generation. We have concentrated on poultry production from the very beginning, though of course, it was very different in my grandfather’s time. We have adapted to the times, but we always strive to maintain the quality, the natural approach, and the sustainability of our production, staying true to our tradition. At the same time, we are constantly evolving and expanding our production. We have been slaughtering and marketing fine poultry products since 2008, and our valued partnership with Bianchi has existed since 2011. In 2011, we were able to complete our modern slaughterhouse in Staad. In 2014, in cooperation with Bianchi, we launched the Alpstein Chicken, which is produced around the Alpstein region and therefore bears its name. The Alpstein chickens are raised on five farms with animal-friendly husbandry. The transport routes between the farm and the slaughterhouse are less than 50 minutes and can be carried out by tractor.
Five farms, one goal: The best quality.
The Alpstein chicken producers
The Bösch family in front of their Alpstein chicken farm in Wattwil.
Everyone lends a hand at the Steinmann family farm in Niederurnen as well.
Bruno and Rosmarie Segmüller run their farm in Kirchberg with great dedication…
… as do the Mansers in Schwende.
And Christoph Koch from Gossau SG has also been a reliable supplier to Bianchi for years.
The central slaughterhouse in Staad, where the products from all five Alpstein farms come together.
How does the quality of Alpstein chicken differ from conventional chicken? What do you place particular value on?
In general, everything here takes place in smaller steps. Smaller flocks allow for a diet of over 50% regional feed. We do not use soy products and only import the bare essentials, such as rice, which forms a small part of the balanced diet. Our chickens receive wheat, corn, and oats grown regionally. This keeps the carbon footprint as low as possible and ensures the production remains holistically environmentally friendly and sustainable. With a regionally produced chicken that is fed regionally, we clearly stand out from the competition.
What is the partnership with Bianchi like?
In short: we offer high-quality production and Bianchi offers high-quality logistics. Thanks to this cooperation, a Swiss quality product can be delivered throughout Switzerland within one day. We are, of course, very pleased about that. The partnership has enriched the business enormously: we were able to expand and fully utilize our new slaughterhouse. We are in contact with Bianchi every day and we look forward to producing Alpstein chicken exclusively for Bianchi for many more years to come.
