The Black Forest
We live and work in an idyllic location that we share with mighty fir forests, romantic mountain ranges and picturesque lakes. As one of the most beautiful and varied vacation areas of Germany, the Black Forest is a true soul landscape offering unique recreational opportunities for young and old alike. It has been shaping our family for generations. Its trees, originality and unique attributes are a source of strength for us, and a haven of peace. A walk in the forest helps us to find our center and lower our pulse rate. The Black Forest is both our home and our heart. It has made us what we are. The region is characterized not only by the Bollenhut hat, cherry gateau and cuckoo clock, but also by its excellent cuisine.
THE FAMILY MISSION
TRADITION AND INNOVATION
High-quality raw products for exquisite delicacies
The abundance of acclaimed restaurants in the region is partly attributable to the exceptional quality of the raw products that grow and thrive here. Fruit and wine from the Rhine plain; berries, mushrooms and game from the lush forests; and in particular, the aromatic air-dried and smoked meat matured in the favorable climate of the Upper Black Forest.
Added fragrance of wood from the Black Forest
Our local woodlands and the natural aroma of the smoke from Black Forest conifers provide the perfect starting point for enhancing and refining the wide variety of meat dishes that have been created here. The unique flavor is waiting for you to explore. If you’re traveling in the Black Forest soon, you’re more than welcome to look us up. Why not combine your vacation with a visit to ADLER for an introduction to the whole variety of Black Forest flavors. We look forward to seeing you!
“We use traditional skills and invest lots of love in producing our Black Forest ham. These are our hallmarks – both mine and those of my family and the whole team.”
PETER ADLER
“It fills me with pride that the fourth generation of the family is still running the company and demonstrating every day just how good our products taste.”
MARIE-LUISE ADLER
“Our employees know exactly what matters most in the production of ham. As down-to-earth people, we go our own way and don’t accept any compromises when it comes to quality.”
MARGRET HOSSBACH, NÉE ADLER
QUALITY PHILOSOPHY
For us, internal quality control starts with the incoming goods. We have developed a systematic and standardized process supported by independent laboratories and experts. We ensure that our operations satisfy the strict certification requirements of current standards at all times.
We deliver what we promise
Composure and care are of paramount importance to us, which is why we apply a vigilant and meticulous approach to selecting our raw materials. Meat sourced from our own abattoir is processed fresh by our butchers according to traditional recipes. Although we apply modern hygiene and production techniques, it’s the craftsmanship of our butchers that ultimately determines the quality of our products.
We recognize our special responsibility to ensure that animal welfare and product quality go hand in hand. Good quality also depends on the animals being reared in a proper environment – when inspecting a pork leg joint, our butchers in the receiving department can already identify how the animal was raised.
We obtain the meat for our Black Forest ham from long-standing suppliers in Germany and the neighboring EU countries.
Good food for those who like to eat well
The best Black Forest ham and sausage specialties, as produced by our company, are a wholesome delight for all those who enjoy the good things in life – those who relish luxury and appreciate fine food. For generations, the name of ADLER has served as a guarantee of enjoyment.
ADLER’S HAM
Whether smoked, boiled or air-dried, ham has been a familiar food, sourced predominantly from pork, for many hundreds of years. Originating from the need to preserve the meat from animals slaughtered in the wintertime, ham produced by skillful salting, curing and smoking emerged as a delicacy with a distinctive taste.
The taste and aroma of a ham arise from a combination of numerous influences, including the butcher’s expertise, the time invested in production, temperature and humidity during production, the salt and seasoning used and, not least of all, the quality of the meat.
Black Forest ham
Our Black Forest ham is produced from selected cuts from the leg of the hog. Finely seasoned and salted by hand according to traditional recipes, the ham remains in the salt for several weeks before being smoked over a mixture of fir brushwood, sawdust and wood chips from Black Forest conifers. Three weeks of smoking gives the ham its characteristic smoky color. It is then left to rest and ripen. After 12 weeks it is ready for consumption.
As a member of the trade association Schutzverband der Schwarzwälder Schinkenhersteller we take pride in the high quality of Black Forest ham (PGI) and the tradition of its production in the region. Learn more…
Landschinken
For this country-style ham, we season selected cuts from the leg of the hog according to traditional recipes and salt them by hand. The ham is then lightly smoked for just a few days and then matured for three months, during which time the mild flavor develops. It is an excellent ingredient for a variety of wholesome dishes.
Alemannenschinken
The carefully selected meat for the air-dried Alemannenschinken is cut to size, and the excess fat is removed. This exceedingly tender delicacy has a mild and light flavor; after maturing for six months it is an unsurpassed delight.
Farmhouse ham
For this ham, we season selected cuts from the leg of the hog according to traditional recipes and salt them by hand. The ham matures for three months in the fresh mountain air, during which time the mild flavor develops. It is an excellent ingredient for a variety of wholesome dishes.
SUSTAINABILITY
Regionality
Sustainability is not just a term for us, but the way we work. For example, we produce in the region for the region – and can thus maintain short distances. Another example: our ADLER Qualivo program. It stands for “food with heart and mind” with regional (Baden-Württemberg) rearing and production together with selected farmers.
Our Qualivo promise:
• tasty and tender
• short transport routes
• GMO-free feed
• keeping of the animals on straw or with free range
• slaughtering at ADLER
• distribution in the region
Energy management
In the context of sustainability efforts and energy issues in Germany, we have established an energy management system that complies with the industrial standard DIN EN ISO 50001:2011. This ISO standard helps us to develop a continuous improvement process and ultimately to use energy more efficiently. But we need to do more than simply implement an energy management system – another key factor for success is our commitment to training and raising awareness among our employees.
