Corporate development
Tradition for over 150 years
The foundation stone is laid by Jakob Simon, who is active as an ox dealer at the time. This cattle trading business is continued and expanded in the following generation.
The Wittlich slaughterhouse is built. Bernhard Simon establishes a livestock and meat wholesale business in these buildings in 1937.
Expansion to 35,000 square metres to become one of the most modern slaughtering and cutting plants in the industry.
Paul J. Simon, a lawyer, and Bernhard J. Simon, a businessman, take over the management of the company in what is now the fourth generation.
The company grows after only a short time under the leadership of the 4th generation.
In addition to expanding the core business, a game processing plant with EU approval is built on the company premises in 1991. Approximately 5,000 pieces of game are cut and processed here every year.
The Wittlich site is further expanded in order to be prepared for future challenges.
SIMON-Fleisch expands the company’s premises and builds a state-of-the-art washing centre for transport vehicles.
Vertical integration through the acquisition of a stake in Eifeler Fleischwaren Ludwig Babendererde GmbH. Eifeler Fleischwaren specialises in the production and distribution of sausage and aspic specialities, poultry products and ready meals.
Since 2012, the two juniors Bernhard J. Simon and Alexander Simon have been in the company together and manage the group of companies together with their fathers. This makes them the fifth generation of the Simon family of entrepreneurs and today they are the sole shareholders of the SIMON-Fleisch company.
At the end of 2013, SIMON-Fleisch Group acquired a stake in the family-owned company Klaus-Dieter Fuchs GmbH. In April 2014, all cattle slaughtering and cutting operations were relocated from Wittlich to Prüm, 60 km away. Approximately 25,000 cattle and 10,000 pigs are now slaughtered and cut up there every year.
SIMON-Fleisch continues to invest in the Wittlich site and believes it is well equipped for future development.
Expansion of the company’s presence in the Eifel region: Together with Fuchs-Fleisch, the slaughterhouse in Gerolstein is acquired. This gives rise to Eifelfleisch GmbH, which focuses primarily on the slaughter and cutting of cattle from the region.
Extensive investments are made at the Gerolstein site, which has allowed the production volume to be significantly expanded since autumn 2021. The region now has another modern and sustainable slaughterhouse.
SIMON-Fleisch continues to develop the plant in Wittlich and invests in a conveyor tunnel for empties as well as in a combined heat and power plant with a combined heat, power and cooling system for the more efficient use of resources and a simultaneous reduction in annual CO2 emissions.
Leadership in the fifth generation
Dr. Bernhard J. Simon
In 2008, the transition to the 5th generation in the management of the family business was initiated. Dr. Bernhard J. Simon joined the management of SIMON-Fleisch GmbH. He is a trained cattle and meat trader and studied law in Bayreuth and Munich before completing his legal traineeship in Munich and Paris. He later earned an MBA at Northwestern University – Kellogg School of Management in Evanston (Illinois, USA) and at WHU – Otto Beisheim School of Management in Vallendar. Today, Dr. Simon is a managing partner and in-house lawyer for SIMON-Fleisch GmbH.
Alexander Simon
In 2012, the 5th generation in the management of the family business was completed with the arrival of Mr. Alexander Simon. Alexander Simon is a master butcher and business graduate. He studied business administration at the University of Cologne and the University of Newcastle and then worked for several years in an international management consultancy. Together with his cousin, Alexander Simon is now the managing partner of SIMON-Fleisch GmbH.