ACO and the first transparent butcher's shop in Schleswig-Holstein

Tobias Carstens turned his hobby into his career: breeding Galloway and Highland cattle. He is already well known to many in the region under the name "Carsten's Highlands" and his products such as beef sausages are very popular at farmers’ markets. Now, the 25-year-old farmer is realising another dream: he is building the first transparent butcher's shop in Schleswig-Holstein on his farm in Hamdorf together with a farm shop. The customers here will then be able to buy organic meat, meat products, regional products and a whole lot more: "It is very important for us that customers can see where the products come from and how they are prepared," says Carstens. School classes are also welcome to the farm to find out how meat is produced and processed.

ACO is responsible for the drainage in the building to the highest hygiene standards with the installation of floor drains, shower channels and a grease separator. More ACO products will be used to drain the outdoor areas.

We accompanied Tobias Carstens during the construction of his project, and show how a simple farm with a few pens can be turned into a transparent butcher's shop with staff quarters, a curing chamber, cold stores, processing room and a farm shop.

Present right from the start: we visit Tobias Carstens on his farm which is to be the location of the transparent butcher's shop. During the short tour of the site, he presents us his concept and ideas, explains the regulations he has to comply with, and shows us where he wishes to install the drainage products from ACO. We are also allowed to get to know some of his cattle during the day.

During our second visit to Tobias Carstens' farm, some of the rooms are barely recognisable anymore: the first ACO floor drains have now been installed in his transparent butcher's shop, and the staff quarters, abattoir, cold stores and ripening room are also just about finished. Carstens' next project is a ground-level bathroom for school classes who come to visit his transparent butcher's shop. His cattle are now already out on the summer pastures.