Case study

Sax butcher's shop fulfills the wishes of tomorrow's customers

A new self-service area, a self-checkout and technological investments ensure a successful generational change.
Traditional butcher Sax is a regional supplier in Baden-Württemberg, Germany. In order to better meet the changing needs of his customers, owner Franz Sax set up a self-service area in his main store and introduced self-scanning checkouts. The future-proof concept required technical modernization, for which Bizerba provided comprehensive support.
  • Experience
T
he meat and sausage products from Sax's own production and the homemade Maultaschen (Swabian pasta) are highly appreciated by the customers of the Sax butcher's shop. Those who commute a long way to work or are passing through on their way to the assembly stop at Sax's for a tasty snack. The village butchery is also popular with families. School children can pick up a quick Leberkässemmel (meat loaf sandwich) to stave off hunger, while moms and dads pick up something for lunch. On weekends, meat lovers stock up on sausages and steaks, especially during barbecue season. Sax is well staffed, but there is a growing desire to serve customers even better - even outside of store hours. And they want to do it without adding to the team or making additional demands.
Company
Metzgerei Sax
The traditional butcher's shop Franz Sax sells meat and sausage products, including homemade Maultaschen, at four locations in Baden-Württemberg. The products are offered both fresh and packaged. The butchery also runs a snack bar with a changing lunch menu and is a caterer for a kindergarten, which is also supplied with fish and vegetarian dishes. Since April 2024, Metzgerei Sax has also had a self-service area at its Schwendi location.
  • Founded in 1919
  • 4 locations: Schwendi (production), Burgrieden, Munderkingen, Stuttgart
  • 37 employees
  • Specialty: Maultaschen
More information
Many people often find it difficult to shop during our opening hours. That's why we designed the self-service area. You can shop and pick up almost around the clock, every day of the week.”
Franz Sax
Owner
CHALLENGE

Leading a traditional business into the modern age

Franz Sax knows his customers' needs. They want to be served quickly, to be able to shop after a long day at work, and to be able to stock up spontaneously for a barbecue or a social meal on a Saturday afternoon. The increased demands were to be met with the existing staff; Sax also wanted to reduce the workload on his employees. 

Franz Sax's ultimate goal is to lead the family business profitably into the future. Sales of the high-quality butcher's products should be secured and customers and employees should be satisfied. Sax wants to continue the company's successful history with the best possible combination of traditional craftsmanship and modern products and services. 

Our children will continue to run the business and we wanted to get it in the best and most future-proof condition.”
Franz Sax
solution

Butcher's shop, online shop, supermarket, kiosk

Sax redesigned its butcher's shop in Schwendi to allow customers to shop outside the store's opening hours. The counter was shortened and a self-service area was created. The "store within a store" is open seven days a week from 6 am to 10 pm and can be entered via an access control system using a debit or credit card. On the shelves and in the display area are packaged pasta, sliced or canned sausage, cheese, various meat products and processed foods such as soup mixes. Customers can also pick up bags of goods ordered by phone, email or online from a refrigerator. At checkout, customers scan the receipt or product themselves and pay by card.

Convenient and clean cash payments

Self-checkout is also possible during store hours. If all staff are busy, customers can pay for their items at a self-scanning checkout using the printed receipt and take their items with them immediately. This significantly reduces wait times. Paying at staffed checkouts with cash recyclers is not only faster, but also more convenient and cleaner. Customers insert coins and bills into the machines themselves and remove the change. As a result, Sax employees never come into contact with cash, making it much easier to comply with hygiene regulations.

Benefits

Everything from a single source

In order to modernize his butchery to the desired extent, Franz Sax needed a whole range of new equipment. The new equipment in the preparation room now includes industrial slicers, label printers and various industrial scales. In the Schwendi store, there are several new PC scales, some with scanners, card terminals and cash drawers, as well as semi-automatic vertical slicers. A cash recycling system is used for clean checkout.

One point of contact

In addition to the reputation of the brand and the high quality of the products, the decisive factor for Franz Sax in opting for the complete solution from Bizerba was the advantage of being able to obtain everything from a single source, from hardware and labels to software, service and support. Previously, he had devices from different manufacturers, the interaction of which was not always optimal. At Bizerba, Sax now has a fixed contact person who not only helped him find the best possible overall solution, but also continues to provide him with individual advice and support.

Let’s count

0 Euros
total investment in the conversion
0 %
more sales through the self-service area in the first 4 weeks
“Today, on opening day, everything is new. Operating the equipment behind the counter and the payment. But it will all work out. It's just fun to work here. That's the most important thing.”
Sybille Steidele
Butcher's sales clerk at Sax
“We wanted the best, most future-proof quality. And Bizerba belongs in a traditional butcher's shop like ours.”
Franz Sax
“Supporting our customers with such far-reaching projects is a matter close to our hearts and always a special pleasure. The trust placed in Bizerba over generations encourages us in our work every day.”
Paul May
District representative, Bizerba
Components

The Sax solution

Weighing & Check out
PC scale K-Class Flex II Pro Integrated retail scale
PC scale XC II 800 Pro Self-Service Scale
Slicing
Manual vertical slicer VS12
Semi-automatic vertical slicer VS12 A
Industrial weighing
Load receptor iL Professional 150F/HY
Wall mounted scale with folding table iL Special 150T/SP
iS50 Industrial Weighing Terminal
Processing
Industrial Food Slicer VSI F T
Labeling
Industrial Barcode Label Printer GLPmaxx 80
Software
CWS2
Financing
Bizerba Financial Services GmbH
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