Franz Schmitsberger has been running the organic punch stand „zum Franz“ at the Christmasmarket on Karlsplatz for years. He sees his products as an alternative to bland commercial hot drinks based on industrially produced concentrate other Christmas markets sell. Instead, Franz takes pride in offering home-made, organic goods of superior quality that taste extraordinarily good.
Organic
For Franz Schmitsberger it comes natural that all his products consist of organic ingredients only. He knows all his suppliers personally and is familiar with their way of producing. This way he can be sure that quality and taste meet his high expectations. Personal contact to costumers is vital to the small scale farmers and manufacturers Franz gets his raw products from. They personally guarantee for the quality of their products.
Short distances
On the one hand concerning transport between producers and the punch stand: Almost all goods Franz uses and sells are of Austrian origin. Either from Franz´s home - “Mühlviertel” in Upper Austria – or from the Vienna region. This guarantees short transport and a small ecological foot print.
On the other hand also the distance between people should be minimized. Not only between the producers of the raw material and Franz, but also between the people that work at the punch stand and the customers.
People like to get together at “zum Franz”, and once they have been there, they come again and again.
Happiness as a principle
Franz and his suppliers like what they do and therefore they do it well. The taste of their organic products resembles their joy. This is one of the simple principles the punch stand “zum Franz” follows. Happy costumers prove him right.
A fair price is also important to Franz. Not only for the costumers, but also for the small scale farmers, juice and schnaps producers and everyone else who works all year round to produce the ingredients for Franz´s products.
The prices at “zum Franz” equal those of other Christmas markets although Franz uses high quality, organic products and mixes the punches and mulled wine/cider freshly every day.
Products
Franz´s work is rooted in a strong belief in an organic and natural way of living. All ingredients used at the punch stand stem from local certified organic farms and companies.
Concerning cider and apple juice, Franz himself is responsible for the quality. He produces them in collaboration with his brother, a certified organic farmer from Neumarkt im Mühlviertel. Cookies and other treats are baked by family members, mostly by Franz´s sister and his sister in law.
The wine stems from the organic vineyard Rotter from Unterretzbach, Juices and Rum from the organic fruit juice producer Schäfer located in Tattendorf. The delicious spreads are prepared by Antonia, who also works in the service of the punch stand. Organic sausages and organic bacon are products of the butcher “Fleischerei Kollecker” from Meidling (Vienna), bread comes from the organic bakery Waldherr from nearby Eisenstadt.
No need to hide
Franz Schmitsberger is proud of his work. So are his suppliers. Transparency concerning the origin and quality of his products is important to them. Therefore Franz offers you extra information and links to all his sources on this site. By chance, those links also guide you to alternative consumption options in the Vienna region.