Merano Speck is one of the largest family-run producers of South Tyrolean speck. The success story began in 1989 in picturesque Naturns, an idyllic town in the northern Italian province of South Tyrol. It was here that the Rauch family laid the foundation for their current production facility. On a 16,200-square-meter site in the Vinschgau Valley, 75 dedicated employees now produce the popular Merafino South Tyrolean Speck PGI using traditional methods and by hand.
It all began during a hiking vacation in the mountains: It was there that the Rauch family from Essen fell head over heels in love with South Tyrolean traditions and the region’s artisanal culinary crafts—and with speck. Albert Rauch used to say, “This must be where God kissed the earth.” Fascinated by the unique climate, the play of the winds, and the mild, Mediterranean air, the vision took shape. And it is precisely this unique climatic characteristic that continues to give Merafino South Tyrolean Speck PGI its unmistakable character to this day.
That enthusiasm then led to the decision to create their own, finest, original South Tyrolean speck right in the heart of this idyllic mountain setting. From the very beginning, the goal was to create a product that was smoked but, above all, air-dried. That’s how the Rauch family developed this specialty—now so popular—using a blend of 21 regional herbs and spices. Its flavor perfectly captures the typical South Tyrolean way of life.
Our hams are aged in seven drying rooms in Naturns. Each room measures 100 square meters and holds 3,800 hams, which age undisturbed as their flavor develops. Two slicing machines are used for prepackaging in the modern self-service area. These machines can produce up to 1,200 slices per minute, which amounts to about three metric tons per day.
Today, Merano Speck generates annual revenue of 35 million euros. Under the expert guidance of Production Manager Lukas Spada, we process approximately 700,000 hams into speck each year. In addition to the local market, Germany and France are among our core sales markets. In total, we export these specialties to over 30 countries worldwide.
