One More, Kantine, Jahnhalle, Happy End, iX in Feldkirch and Dornbirn as well as Market 33 as the successor to Sigi Innauer’s club – behind this is the “cartel”, which is the subject of rumors everywhere. VOL.AT spoke to the founders.
The cartel, a name that is quite polarizing and provides a topic of conversation. Especially since the Vorarlberg variant is by no means a mafia-type construct that deals with money laundering, drug trafficking or prostitution.
On the contrary, the cartel ensures gastronomic innovation and a breath of fresh air in the domestic industry. Or rather, a wave – because with the bars One More, Kantine, Jahnhalle, Happy End, iX in Feldkirch and recently the takeover of the trendy location from Sigi Innauer in Dornbirn, also as iX, and the Club Market 33 as a vacancy successor, a flood of new locations is spreading across the Vorarlberg gastronomic landscape.
This raises questions, because especially in tense times like these, hardly any other industry has been hit as hard as local innkeepers or hoteliers. “Inns are dying out” everywhere, many are closing. Not like that Cartel, the umbrella term under which Kassian Xander and René Gmeiner set out to stir up the domestic scene.
“Cartel” – that’s how the name came about
“The name came about on a boisterous night when we were thinking about concepts for our restaurants during the lockdown. That’s how our delivery service needed a special name – the cartel was born, as a name for our delivery service,” Kassian informs Xander to VOL.AT.
The canteen in Feldkirch’s Bahnhofcity.
Together with René Gmeiner, he can be described as the founding father. Gmeiner comes from the gastronomy family that has leased the Schattenburg for years. And with a portion of risk and entrepreneurial spirit helped the cartel to succeed.
iX in Feldkirch.
“We knew each other from Vienna and tried to bring some urbanity and modern kitchen philosophy to Vorarlberg in our restaurants,” explains the entrepreneur, who also oversees and implements other gastronomy concepts with his RHG Group GmbH. This also applies to the Night Inn, which is probably one of the most modern hotels in terms of booking and digitization in Vorarlberg.
In the Jahnhalle, trendy gastronomy meets modern architecture, without neglecting the charm of the building and its history.
©MJ
Creative concepts and
modern architecture
In addition to entrepreneurial spirit, the cartel also stands for urban philosophy. This is also reflected in the architecture. The Jahnhalle alone, a former gymnasium, shines in new splendor in combination with the modern architecture, the unique furniture and many small details, without losing the charm of the almost historical sports orientation.
One More in the center of Montfortstadt.
Friends became partners
In the meantime, those friends who have accompanied her from the beginning have become equal partners. Since December 7th, Lukas Matt, Andreas Bauer, Lukas Seethaler, Paul Rainer and Johannes Lampert have also been entered in the commercial register as the owners of KARE GmbH.
Since December 7, these seven gentlemen are officially the operators and owners of the catering conglomerate “Kartell”.
Diverse orientation and offer
Whether it’s burgers and fries at One More, Mediterranean cuisine in the canteen, an Asian fusion mix at iX in Dornbirn or Feldkirch, a trendy café in the Jahnhalle, an ice cream parlor with a happy ending, or genuine club culture at Market 33, the former Vakanz – the Kartell scores across the board and brings a fresh, urban breeze to the Vorarlberg industry.
In the former Innauer moved with the iX Asian
fusion cuisine.
Rumor mill about the cartel: heirs? money laundering? Trust funds in Liechtenstein?
“Pity is given for free, envy has to be earned,” is a frequently quoted proverb. And the campaign of the cartel, which within a few years opened or took over numerous bars, cafés and recently a club throughout Vorarlberg, naturally provided a lot of topics for conversation, even outside of the gastronomy scene.
VOL.AT visited the cartel in the Jahnhalle.
“We want to make it clear from the start that there are no dubious machinations or criminal structures behind the cartel,” Kassian Xander informs in the VOL.AT video. Even with a smile, because everywhere the two founding fathers are attesting that the money comes from rich parents, from real estate partnerships via the RHG Group or even from dubious trust funds from Liechtenstein that launder dirty money in Vorarlberg.
“Hard work, risk and a
large dose of entrepreneurial spirit”
“We would be happy if we had rich investors behind us. Of course we went into the company with our savings and invested. Especially in times like these, it’s by no means a cakewalk as a restaurateur. Behind the cartel there is hard work, risk and the entrepreneurial spirit of seven young, motivated men who are making their dreams come true,” concludes Gmeiner.
The guys from the cartel – friends and restaurateurs became business partners.
Christmas at Club Market 33: the cartel donates the drinks
As a thank you for their customers, the operators have come up with a special campaign for the holidays. On Christmas Eve, all guests at Dornbriner Club Market 33 can look forward to free entry. And the cartel donates “free drinks” to all guests for one hour from 11 p.m. to midnight.
