Butcher's snack bar in Kirchheimbolanden: closure due to a lack of skilled workers!

Butcher's snack bar in Kirchheimbolanden: closure due to a lack of skilled workers!

In Kirchheimbolanden, the people have suffered a significant loss: the popular butcher shop on Dr.-Heinrich-von-Brunck-Straße has finally closed its doors. When asked by RHEINPFALZ, owner Mario Ludwig confirmed that operations had already ceased in mid-June. In addition to the traditional snack bar, the party service is no longer active. A sign in the shop window informs passing customers about the closure.

A fundamental reason for this difficult decision is the lack of skilled personnel, which Ludwig cites as one of the main factors. Rising product prices and increasing bureaucracy also don't make things easy for small businesses. His own workload increased to a remarkable 18 hours a day, which finally led Ludwig to pull the ripcord. The concern for his health was so great that he decided to take a new job. Nevertheless, he plans to possibly continue with the catering service in the region after a break.

The shortage of skilled workers in the hospitality industry

This closure is not an isolated incident. A current study shows that there is still a glaring shortage of skilled workers in the hospitality industry in Germany. Hotels, restaurants and pubs in particular are struggling with this challenge. As the Time reports, there are currently almost 44,000 vacancies for skilled workers in these professions - and only around 29,000 suitably qualified unemployed people are available. This means that the skills gap in the hotel and hospitality industry is widening, while at the same time the industry is facing increased costs and decreased sales.

The hotel industry has been hit particularly hard: more than 42 percent of vacancies remain unfilled. The biggest gap is among cooks, with a shortage of over 7,500 skilled workers. This situation is exacerbated by the fact that many employed and unemployed people have left the industry during the pandemic and the company is relying on less qualified employees.

Economic difficulties in the industry

The economic conditions for the catering industry are anything but positive. According to an analysis by daily news Sales in hotels, restaurants and cafés fell by almost 11 percent in nominal terms in the first half of 2024 compared to the previous year, and the industry's profits fell by 22 percent. The European Football Championship, which many had hoped for, did not bring the hoped-for upswing.

There are also widespread concerns about liquidity: around 29 percent of catering companies fear about their financial security. The number of bankruptcies rose by 27 percent last year, with 14,000 businesses closed. In view of these challenging circumstances, many companies are adapting their offerings and opening times and relying more on unskilled workers, while the quality in the kitchen often suffers.

The industry is now looking hopefully to foreign skilled workers and refugees. DEHOGA managing director Sandra Warden calls for incentives to effectively integrate this target group. Despite all the adversities, there remains hope that creative solutions and new approaches can help overcome the challenges of the shortage of skilled workers and support small businesses such as the butcher's snack bar in Kirchheimbolanden.