About me
After completing my apprenticeship in my family's meat business, I gained practical experience in well-known german companies. After graduating as a master butcher and obtaining a degree in business administration, I took over the management of the family business for eleven years.
In 2007, at the age of 36, I started a four-year degree course in food technology (Dipl.-Ing. FH) at Weihenstephan near Munich. After graduating, I took over the management of the research and development department at Rovita GmbH, a leading Bavarian raw materials producer.
During my return to self-employment at the end of 2013, I worked on an improved process for the wet extrusion of plant proteins and developed recipes based on pea protein..
In 2014, I established VeggieMeat GmbH in Germany, launched an international roadshow to attract investors and planned the company's growth strategy with my new partners. This ultimately led to the relocation and establishment of the company in Austria in 2015.
As Managing Director and Shareholder of VeggieMeat GmbH, I was responsible for the strategic and operational management of the company with a focus on Marketing & Sales, Research & Development, Quality Management & Assurance, Business Development and Product Management.
Within just a few years, we successfully positioned the company as one of the leading partners in both branded and private label business in the retail sector and achieved significant sales growth.
Today, through Food Essentials, I use my expertise to help companies in the food industry with strategy and implementation in innovation, market entry and scaling.
Professional experience
06/2024 - today
Self-Employment
Food Essentials e.U., 4052 Ansfelden, Austria
Engineering Office, Business Consulting, and Sales Agency
04/2015 - 10/2023
Founder, Managing Director, Shareholder
VeggieMeat GmbH, 3304 Amstetten, Austria
Operational management of the company in the areas of Marketing & Sales, Research & Development, Quality Management/Quality Assurance, Business Development, and Product Management.
04/2014 - 08/2015
Founder, Managing Director, Shareholder
VeggieMeat GmbH, 84549 Engelsberg, Germany
Independent foundation and strategic development of VeggieMeat GmbH, successful acquisition of international investors (M&A), further development of the first product generation and relocation of the company to Austria.
10/2013 - 04/2014
Self-Employment
Andreas Gebhart, 84453 Mühldorf am Inn, Germany
Development of the first product generation in pilot plants, preparations for establishment VeggieMeat GmbH
04/2012 - 09/2013
Rovita GmbH, 84549 Engelsberg, Germany
Head of Research & Development
08/1996 - 09/2007
Management Director
Metzgerei Gebhart, 78234 Engen, Germany
1993 - 1995
Journeyman Experience as a Butcher
Müller-Herkommer GmbH, 79104 Freiburg, Germany
- Production, Sales & Catering
1992 - 1993
Journeyman Experience as a Butcher
Dosenbach GmbH, 79415 Bad Bellingen-Rheinweiler, Germany
- Production
1990 - 1992
Journeyman Experience as a Butcher
Metzgerei Gebhart, 78234 Engen, Germany
- Production
Education
10/2007 - 04/2012
Degree in Food Technology (Dipl.-Ing. FH)
Weihenstephan University of Applied Sciences, 85354 Freising, Germany
01/1996 - 08/1996
Master Butcher & Business Economist (d.H.) Certification
Training Center of the Meat Trade, 86153 Augsburg, Germany
08/1987 - 07/1990
Apprenticeship as a Butcher (Journeyman Certification)
Metzgerei Gebhart, 78234 Engen, Germany
Language Skills
Deutsch
Native Speaker
Englisch
Business Fluent
Software Skills
MS Office 365
Expert
BMD
Expert
monday.com
Expert