The Heck family has a proud tradition in the art of butchery dating back to the 1850s, when our family operated a butchery and restaurant in the southern German town of Diedesheim. Over generations, traditional German smallgoods recipes and techniques were refined and passed down, along with a genuine passion for quality craftsmanship and authentic European butchery.
In 1925, my grandfather Robert Heck moved to Heidelberg, one of Germany’s most beautiful cities, where he established his own butchery shop. The thriving family business was later passed on to my father, Günter Heck, in 1960. While my two brothers chose different paths, I continued the family tradition and dedicated myself to the German butcher trade.
Driven by a sense of adventure and a desire to experience life in another country, my wife and I moved to beautiful New Zealand in 2004 with our two young sons. After first settling in Christchurch, we quickly recognised the demand for authentic, high-quality European smallgoods.
In 2006, we founded Heck German Smallgoods Ltd with the goal of bringing traditional German butchery and smallgoods craftsmanship to New Zealand using premium local ingredients. We carefully selected New Zealand farmers to supply us with high-quality meats, ensuring only the very best ingredients go into every product we make.
In 2012, we relocated from Christchurch to sunny Nelson, where our family business continues today with our shop proudly serving the local community and visitors alike.
While we continue to grow, expand our product range, we remain true to the spirit of a family operation — where every product is made with passion, tradition, and a commitment to quality that turns a simple meal into something special.
Whether it’s our Bierstick bundles, or our fresh range of products in the shop, I hope that our products bring people together and turn simple meals into something memorable.
Thank you for supporting our family business and being part of our journey!
