A Glass of Mostello with … Wolfgang Stix
Ever since our philosophy has made its way around the industry, we've been receiving enquiries from businesses we've admired for years – asking to work with us. In our new collaboration, which we have sometimes admired for years. In our new series "A Glass with …" we'd like to give you a glimpse into our conversations with our partners and friends. We share a little about what we craft for each business and what connects us with them.
This time, we're delighted to sit down with Wolfgang Stix from STYX Naturcosmetic. We have been working together as partner businesses for top day-trip destinations in the Mostviertel for a very long time, and we also supply our signature product Mostello – an organic pear dessert wine.
Farthofer: You source Mostello from us. How did you come across us, and what do you use our pear dessert wine for?
Stix: We serve Mostello at our Bahnhofsbräu – it goes down a treat with our guests as a regional speciality.
Farthofer: 1965, the year STYX was founded. How has the cosmetics business changed over the past 50 years?
Stix: In 1965, our natural cosmetics were widely mocked and we were written off as cranks. Yet we already had loyal customers. Then, between 1980 and 1990, natural cosmetics really took off. The certifications brought some challenging times, since every certification body had its own peculiarities — but we got through that too. For the past two years we have been Bio-Austria certified, which represents the highest level of certification.
Farthofer: We both work with natural raw materials, because we care not only about healthier products, but also about more environmentally friendly ones. How did you come to natural cosmetics?
Stix: My great-grandfather was involved with herbs and natural medicine My father started in 1965 to produce cosmetics using natural, regional raw materials The term natural cosmetics came much later — originally these products were called Bio cosmetics .
Farthofer: In the world of natural cosmetics, certification plays a major role. Why is the term "natural cosmetics" itself not legally protected?
Stix: The term is already protected and regulated in Austria by the AGES protected and regulated, however there are always a few bad apples. Smaller producers in particular tend to push the boundaries when it comes to their choice of words.The big corporations play their tricks differently — they use hollow phrases like "with Bio active ingredients" , "with natural raw materials" and other such claims. The trick lies in the word "with" — it means the product was made WITH at least 0.003% of that ingredient.
Farthofer: Which raw materials do you grow yourself?
Stix: At the moment we source all our raw materials regionally. However, we produce the herbal extracts ourselves to 60%.
Farthofer: The famous words of our fathers… Which saying from your father — from whom you took over the company in 1984 — has stuck with you the most?
Stix: Be mindful of your resources — "For everyone has only one glass to finish…"
Farthofer: You say about yourself that you never use shower gel — always just soap when you shower. Which of your 15 varieties of soap did you shower with today?
Stix: I switch soaps from time to time, at the moment I'm using the hemp soap.
Farthofer: STYX works a great deal with essential oils, and with spirits too, scent plays a hugely important role. Which 3 fragrances are selling best right now?
Stix: Orange, lavender and eucalyptus
Farthofer: Which company would you invest EUR 1,000 in tomorrow?
Stix: In STYX Naturkosmetik.
Farthofer: Having successfully completed a crowdfunding project in 2019, your next crowdfunding initiative concerns an experience area dedicated to hemp. What is the advantage of small amounts from many people?
Stix: The advantage of crowdfunding is that the connection between investors and the company is much stronger than with a savings account, where the customer doesn't know where their money is being invested. On top of that, investors get to decide who they entrust their money to. Another advantage is that the interest rates are much higher than on a savings account.
Farthofer: What did you achieve / accomplish / put into action during the Covid year that you are particularly proud of?
Stix: Our online shop shop.styx.at, which we redesigned in 2019, passed its "baptism of fire" with flying colours. We were able to achieve an increase in online revenue of over 550% and that makes us proud!
Farthofer: We run the Mostelleria, where customers can visit us directly – and you can also visit STYX. Beyond that, you have a very special place of your own: the Bahnhofsbräu in Ober-Grafendorf. How did that come about?
Stix: In 2015 I was looking for a car park, as our staff and customers no longer had anywhere to park. In the course of that search, our wonderful mayor told me that NÖVOG was selling the train station along with its car park. We jumped at the opportunity straight away – and that's how the Bahnhofsbräu came to be.
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