In future, Mëllerdal producers will simply be able to piggyback on their region. That may sound a little exaggerated, but with the newly acquired advertising trailer, they can at least take a selection of what the Mullerthal Region has to offer in culinary terms on tour in an uncomplicated way. The vehicle is a mobile calling card and offers visitors to markets and events an experience. „The consumer gets to know the producer, he hears the story behind the product, he can discover and enjoy,“ explains Katharina Lentz.
Since last year, she has been coordinating a LEADER project that aims to professionalise and strengthen the Mëllerdaller Producers„ Association in the long term. It is about more than just organisation. It is about creating an image that is firmly established: the Mullerthal as a region with its own culinary identity. “We can only achieve this by travelling a lot in the region," says Katharina Lentz. The trailer can be used both as a collective sales and sample stand and can also be borrowed by individual producers for their own campaigns.
One thing was clear from the outset: greater visibility in the public eye requires a contemporary and harmonious image. But how do you get 24 members to agree on a logo, for example? „An identity and a design that appeals to everyone equally is actually an impossibility. But with the will for grassroots democracy and staying power, it does work,“ says Ben Weber, Vice President of the association.
The potential is considerable, as are the challenges. Hobby beekeepers work in the association alongside drinks producers who supply supermarkets across the country. Small structures meet professional production. It is precisely this diversity that makes the association special. It is the only association of this size in Luxembourg in which producers not only coordinate marketing and communication, but also define common goals and values.
With the support of an external consultancy firm, the members of the association have developed a clear vision for the future. „The aim is to make the region visible as a region of producers and value creation,“ says Katharina Lentz. Professionalisation also includes a shared value-based approach. To this end, criteria have been developed that serve as a guide for existing and new members. The focus is on questions relating to regionality, sustainability, value creation and the company's own attitude.
„Through a self-disclosure form and regular dialogue, the association deliberately focuses on self-reflection, transparency and further development. Members should not only benefit, but also actively contribute to moving the region forward together,“ continues Katharina Lentz.
But the association also broadens the horizon. Participants can exchange ideas with other companies and learn about new trends and methods.
For the first time in the association's 15-year history, it is also opening up to businesses from the non-food sector. The call for new members met with great interest: The association has currently received ten applications, including manufacturers from the fields of ceramics, soap boiling, woodwork and tailoring. The board decides who is allowed to join. „We were pleasantly surprised by the number of applications,“ says Robi Baden, chairman of the Mëllerdaller producers and full-time manager of the Heringer Millen tourist centre.
He sees an exciting development ahead for the Mëllerdaller producers. And he is looking forward to the hopefully active support of the new members. Aside from the LEADER-funded project position, the association functions primarily on a voluntary basis. „Anyone who works for the association is missing from the business.“ Robi Baden therefore looks to the future with mixed feelings. „We would never have got this far without LEADER,“ says Baden. „When the funding runs out, we'll see how sustainable the structure is. One thing is already clear: we need someone to keep the threads together in the future.“ Text and photos: Martine Hemmer (the English translation is AI generated, orginal text in German)
