Hünenberg, 16.06.2021

Change of tenants at the Limacher Gourmet Butcher

Opened in 1979, the butcher's shop run by Werner and Jocelyne Limacher has developed into a brand that is well known beyond the cantonal borders. The couple are now retiring.

"It's our child, our life's work," says Jocelyne Limacher. "We have managed the Limacher Gourmet Butcher with passion for 42 years and have constantly developed it further." Jocelyne and Werner Limacher are to retire on 1 July, and can look back on a success story.

First opened in August 1979, the Limacher butcher's shop was initially run by the brothers Werner and Walter Limacher. Jocelyne, newly married to Werner, joined three years later. "By 1989, we were bursting at the seams," says Werner Limacher.

Everything from sausages to whisky
Enlargements and expansions of the shop space and the product range followed approximately every ten years. The sales counter only measured six metres at the opening – it’s today 24 metres – and the number of employees has tripled, from four to twelve. The Limachers now run a cheese counter, and sell bread, fruits, vegetables and other daily necessities – all in cooperation with regional partners.

Shortly before the turn of the millennium, Werner Limacher also began to distil whisky himself. With the support of his son Roman and his partner Aline, this hobby has now grown into Liwero Distillery GmbH and a whisky and gin warehouse containing more than 5,000 litres. The heart of the business has remained meat production over the years, however: the cutting, salting, smoking of meat and the processing into sausages still takes place under the same roof.

The name will remain
"We attach great importance to being able to stand behind our products," says Werner Limacher. "That's why it was important to us to find a successor who shares our business philosophy."

Photo 1: Successful in the same company since 1982: Jocelyne and Werner Limacher.
Photo 2: The butcher couple has repeatedly adapted their business to different customer needs over the years

Photos: Patrick Hürlimann

Roberto Colagiero, with partner Fatima Duarte and daughter Patricia, were successful here against four other interested parties. In addition to the Limacher philosophy, they will also take over the staff, the production facility, the party service, the recipes and, above all, the name of Limacher Gourmet Butcher, which is well known beyond the cantonal borders. "The quality will thereby remain the same," says Jocelyne Limacher. "We very much hope that our customers will give the new tenant couple the same trust that they have placed in us over all these years."

"Our customers deserve a big thank you," says Jocelyne Limacher. "Without them, we wouldn't exist." Last but not least, it was the clientele that repeatedly gave the butcher couple new strength and food for thought. "Innovations are important," says Werner Limacher, "you always have to reinvent yourself."

Opening further branches has never been up for discussion in the past 42 years, although there were offers in Cham or Steinhausen. Jocelyne Limacher: "We have always tried to put a lot of personality and time into the business. That’s our concept for success. We could never have committed ourselves to additional locations with the same passion."

Now what?
After a life full of 12- to 16-hour days, the Limachers are now looking forward to their retirement and enjoying time with the family. There’s now time for things that have been neglected all these years – for example, travelling throughout Switzerland and inviting friends.

Werner Limacher will continue to dedicate himself to his distillery, together with his son Roman. In addition, he will be increasingly busy with his plants, fish and birds, which he breeds. Jocelyne Limacher is looking forward to playing Jass (Swiss card game) and making music: she loves to sing and would like to make a second attempt at playing the saxophone.