Wandelerhof

Inspired by Japanese Kobe beef, Martin Wandeler feeds his pigs brewer’s yeast—the meat has impressed in blind taste tests and is served in gourmet restaurants throughout Switzerland, including in Edelweiss Air’s Business Class.

The brewer’s yeast comes from the Ramseier Brewery in Hochdorf. Together with water, barley extract, and supplemental feed, Wandeler—who appeared on the TV series “Farmer Wants a Wife”—mixes the brewer’s yeast into a liquid feed for his pigs. However, he doesn’t go so far as to massage his animals, as is done with Kobe cattle in Japan. He’s tested it and found that it makes no difference.

In any case, the pigs have it good, as he produces strictly according to IP-Suisse guidelines and completely avoids antibiotics. The pigs have access to a small outdoor area at all times and are bedded on rapeseed straw. A water shower keeps them cool in the summer.

At the Lucerne Hotel Management School, the Bierschwein meat was put to the test in a blind tasting. It turned out that the meat is more tender and juicier and has a better flavor than regular pork. Even the most discerning customers, such as the Park Hotel Vitznau and Edelweiss Air, now rely on this niche product from Gunzwil.