The story of VÁHALA a spol.
The Váhala Company’s story begins in 1927 when its founder Robert Váhala was in the process of acquiring his first experience as a butcher. He initially started to discover the secret of making smoked meats as an apprentice in Nový Jičín and subsequently acquired even more experience while working for the well-known Hulata butcher’s firm in Prague. He not only learned the butcher’s trade here, but also how to establish and manage a shop. He subsequently utilised this valuable experience when establishing his own company in 1933. At that time, practically the entire world had been paralysed by the Great Depression, which meant that the conditions were not favourable for opening a new shop. But Robert Váhala was not overwhelmed by the pessimistic atmosphere and his desire to establish his own company triumphed. He achieved his first successes while renting manufacturing and sales premises. His small company began to prosper and acquired more and more new customers. However, this success also meant an increasing production volume, which made modernisation of the manufacturing facilities necessary. And so, in 1938, Robert Váhala started to build a new family house with a small factory. As well as producing smoked meats and running a butcher’s shop, Robert Váhala also started to produce canned products. He specialised in pâtés and ready-to-eat meals. However, this more demanding method of production required expansion of his manufacturing facilities once again, which is why Robert Váhala expanded his business premises and built a new canning factory behind his house in 1946. But he had no idea at the time that the situation would be very different by the middle of the 20th century and that the state would nationalise the fruits of his hard work. He experienced a fundamental reversal in his life, which lasted a long 41 years, during which production of smoked meat products by the family-owned enterprise of ŘEZNICTVI ROBERT VÁHALA was terminated.
Fortunately, this was not the definitive end of this family company. In 1991, when nationalised buildings and companies were being returned to their original owners, something happened that no one in the Váhala family had hoped would happen. After many years of the state denying his ownership, Mr Robert Váhala was reinstated as the owner of what he had spent many years establishing. Production was renewed and Mr Váhala also involved his descendants in his business activities. Together, they established a new family enterprise called VÁHALA a spol. s r.o., production and sale of meat and delicatessen products. Years of hopelessness and a dark era were followed by many years of renewing production, hopes and prospects of dreams come true. Mr Vlastislav Váhala and Mr Robert Váhala were able to build upon the well-laid foundations of the company from 1933 and were in the best position to seize the opportunities presented in 1991. The originality of the individual products, particularly the ham, and also their quality and honest flavour, meant that production continued to expand. This required expansion of the manufacturing areas and modernisation of production procedures and so a new manufacturing plant was built in Hustopeče nad Bečvou, in which production commenced just one year after the foundation stone was laid. This provided the opportunity to expand onto new markets from June 1998, particularly in Germany, Austria, Italy and Hungary. Throughout its existence, the VÁHALA a spol. s r.o. Company has established a solid position on the market. It produces twenty-five tons or more of meat products a day, and up to fifty tons a day during periods such as Easter or Christmas.
We continue to honour the words of the company’s founder, Mr Robert Váhala, who always made sure that the high standards of quality were strictly adhered to. Our products are made from meat and spices, we never add meat substitutes such as flour, soya or mechanically separated meat to them, and we have reduced the additive content to the lowest possible percentage. Most of our products meet requirements for a gluten-free diet and can therefore be eaten by people suffering from coeliac disease without any concerns. As a result of feedback from our customers, we are aware how they perceive quality and how important quality is to them and so we are assured that there is a reason to maintain our products’ high standards.