Honoring Josef and Philipp Zauner
Josef and Philipp Zauner were awarded a certificate of honor from the state of Upper Austria by Markus Achleitner, the regional minister for economic affairs and tourism, at the Lentos art museum in Linz.
This award is intended to recognize "special services to the country's tourism". Josef Zauner passed both the Austrian and German master confectioner's examinations, won awards at countless international pastry and patisserie competitions, and was one of the first television chefs to present desserts on ORF (Austrian Broadcasting Corporation) and Bayerischer Rundfunk (Bavarian Broadcasting). Under his leadership, the Zauner confectionery businesses were continuously modernized and expanded. In 1980, the company was awarded the Austrian coat of arms. Since 1988, Josef Zauner has been a visiting professor at the Japan Cake and Confiserie College in Japan. He also served for decades as a board member and chairman of the Bad Ischl Tourism Association. Philipp Zauner graduated from the Klessheim Tourism School and completed his apprenticeship as a confectioner under world pastry champion Josef Fingerlos, both with distinction. He then studied business administration in Innsbruck, graduating at the top of his class and earning the title of "Student of the Year." In 2020, Philipp Zauner took over the management of the company from his father, Josef. Under his leadership, online sales and mail order have seen particularly strong growth. The company headquarters on Pfarrgasse underwent the largest investment in the company's history, undergoing a major renovation and expansion. The number of employee accommodations was tripled, and the workforce increased by nearly 501,000 employees. The company is now breaking new ground with the construction of the 4-star superior Hotel "Grand Elisabeth.". „For decades, Josef Zauner’s unique life story was inextricably linked to the purveyor to the Imperial and Royal Court, Zauner. Through his dedication to both business and tourism, he tirelessly contributed to the positive development of our region. A successful life’s work also requires a smooth transition of the business, and I am delighted to see Philipp Zauner continuing and expanding it into the seventh generation,“ said Regional Councillor Markus Achleitner.