Our dairy

Dedicated, enthusiastic and passionate about home

The Molkerei Berchtesgadener Land dairy was established in 1927. We are organised as a cooperative and belong entirely to the affiliated farmers – some 1,600 in number. Their farms lie along the Alpine ridge between the Watzmann and Zugspitze mountains.

Since our inception, we have been committed to responsible business with respect to cattle, nature and consumers. Our origins are important to us, and we are guided by values such as sustainability and fairness.

Bitte akzeptieren Sie Marketing-Cookies, um dieses Video zu sehen.

A true cooperative

Together we are always more successful

The right to have a say
 

Our dairy’s management board and supervisory board contain elected farmer representatives. They decide on all important issues together with the management team. Meetings to review the current market situation and necessary investments are held each month. At both levels, all board members are active dairy farmers.

 

Respect and collegiality
 

In the cooperative model, there are credible efforts to pursue issues of origin, sustainability and fairness. People know each other and talk to each other, offering advice and discussing topics.

Owned by farmers
 

Our cooperative is fully owned by around 1,600 farmers. Their farms have 27 cows an average. As small businesses, they help to maintain the cultural landscape of the Alpine region.

 

Responsibility in practice
 

Our core values include gentle milk processing methods, protecting natural habitats in and around the Alps, and paying fair milk prices to small family businesses.

 

1600

Total

600

Mountain farmers

400

Conventional farmers

600

Organic farmers

1927

Founding year

350

Million kg of raw milk

500

Employees
including fresh service

250

€ million turnover
including fresh service

1973

First organic dairy in Bavaria

100

Million kg of raw organic milk

35

Trainees

14

Sales countries

HISTORY

Fifty-four farmers plucked up the courage to establish the cooperative. They processed 700 kilograms of milk a day. This was equivalent to 0.1 per cent of today’s amount. At that time, they could only dream of the developments ahead.

As a pioneer in the organic sector, we began collecting organic milk separately at Chiemgau-Molkerei Truchtlaching.

Molkerei Berchtesgadener Land merged with Chiemgau-Molkerei Truchtlaching. Initially, production took place at two locations. The company name was created: Milchwerke Berchtesgadener Land Chiemgau eG. The brand name followed a short time later: Berchtesgadener Land.

A new building for our dairy was erected on Hockerfeld in Piding. To this day, it is our only production location.

We introduced mountain farm milk – a premium green range with genuine guaranteed origin – in the conventional retail sector. This milk from state-approved mountain farms is still collected, processed and sold separately.

The extension for a new bottling plant was complete and went into operation. Since this time, we have offered mountain farm milk and Demeter organic milk in environmentally friendly, reusable one-litre glass bottles.

Construction began on the fully automatic logistics centre with 4,000 pallet spaces and integrated order picking as well as a new production building for bottling fresh milk and long-life milk.

We expanded the organic range for environmentally conscious customers. In addition to Demeter organic milk, 6 million kilograms of Naturland milk were separately collected and delivered to customers.

Construction begins on a fully automatic high-bay warehouse with 6,000 pallet storage spaces with room for 360,000 packs of milk.

Together with breweries Hofpfisterei and Neumarkter Lammsbräu, were became one of the first companies to receive the "Fair Partnerships" award from Naturland.

Construction began on the dairy laboratory, which is used to ensure our exceptional quality standards. For our employees, even more social rooms, offices and a company canteen were built. In this year, the office building became more environmentally friendly, using groundwater for cooling and waste heat from operations for heating.

All our farmers committed themselves in writing to feeding their cows using traditional methods only – of course with no use at all of genetically engineered ingredients. Special homoeopathy training courses were developed for member farms. To date, more than 4,500 farmers have taken part.

Helmut Pointner retired, having managed the fortunes of the dairy with a strong vision and a clear commitment to the region as well as traditional farming for the last 30 years. His son, Bernhard Pointner, took over as manager of the dairy.

To celebrate our 40th anniversary, we relaunched our organic products with a completely new design.

Some 120 mountain farmers from the Werdenfelser Land region entered our cooperative.

At the height of the milk crisis, we paid our farmers the highest milk price of all German and Austrian dairies.

Our members unanimously opposed total herbicides (such as glyphosate) in grassland and arable farming. The free range bonus was introduced to promote animal welfare. The first environmentally friendly cardboard packaging made from renewable raw materials was used.

Our efforts to run a responsible and sustainable business were rewarded in 2018 with the German Sustainability Award in the category for medium-sized companies.

Image: Dariusz Misztal

Sustainability

Responsibility to people, animals and the natural world

nachhaltige_verpackung
 

Environmentally friendly packaging

We use environmentally friendly packaging.

Reusable bottles and two-part pots are part of our standard range. It almost goes without saying that we choose not to work with PET bottles. In 2017, we also began using bio-based cardboard packaging made from renewable raw materials.

mehr erfahren
ohne_glyphosat_gentechnik
 

No glyphosate and genetic enginee­ring

It is guaranteed that our farmers do not use genetically engineered feed or glyphosate.

Our farmers abstain from using total herbicides. They manage their farms using natural, sustainable methods. In this way, they are able to preserve a variety of grasses and herbs.

 

ressourcenschonen
 

Conserving
resources

Using modern technology, we save water, packaging and other resources.

Over the last six years, we have managed to reduce fuel consumption for milk collection by 22 per cent. We did so by optimising route planning and changing our fleet to state-of-the-art Mercedes Benz and MAN commercial vehicles.

energieeffizienz
 

Energy saving and efficiency

We are efficient with resources in our work and use environmentally friendly energy.

For example, we use waste heat from our production facilities to heat buildings and tap water. To generate electricity, we have had our own power supply centre built on the dairy farm that delivers combined heat and power.

biodiversitaet
 

Biodiversity

We support projects to protect insects and healthy soil.

We have given our backing to the "Wild and Cultivated" project to conserve flowering meadows, and we keep two bee colonies on our premises, which we look after ourselves. We have also developed a regional flowering mix to enrich grassland environments in cooperation with the UNESCO Berchtesgadener Land Biosphere Reserve.

tierwohl
 

Animal health

The good health and well-being of cattle is crucial for our dairy products.

We regularly provide courses for all farmers. These offer tips on animal care, alternative medicine, exercise and feed. Since 2017, we have paid a free range bonus for each kilogram of milk.

biopionier
 

Ecological farming

We have also been producing organic Alpine milk since 1973, making us Germany’s oldest organic dairy.

We support farmers as they make the transition to organic farming. We are continuously increasing the proportion of organic milk produced. With output of around 100 million kilograms of certified organic milk a year, we are one of Germany’s largest organic dairies.

Fairness

Fair to producers, business partners, employees and customers

faire-rohstoffe
 

Fair raw materials

Independent certification agencies check that raw materials are fairly traded.

We use organic&fair cocoa, bananas, mangos and beet sugar. Certification of these materials is checked by GEPA, Grüner Punkt Naturkost, Biokorntakt and Rebio.

soziales_engagement
 

Social
commitment

We work together with Pidinger Werkstätten GmbH, run by the Berchtesgadener Land branch of Lebenshilfe.

Pidinger Werkstätten provides specialist assistance to people with disabilities. They receive systematic, individual and reflected support to develop skills.

fairer_arbeitsplatz
 

Fair jobs

We care about staff development and satisfaction in our dairy.

Our employees are all on permanent contracts. The average length of service is 12 years. With a varied health management strategy, an active idea management system and an intensive junior staff programme, we are one of the most popular employers in the region.

 

transparenz
 

Transparency

We invite customers to see what goes on behind the scenes and are clear and honest in our reports.

We regularly show groups of visitors around our company on guided tours. Here we explain the origin of our milk and our production methods.

Award-winning quality

But don’t just take our word for it.

dlg_g23
German Agricultural Society (DLG)

The outstanding quality of our milk specialties has received multiple awards in recent years – and 2023 was no exception.

stiftungwarentest
Stiftung Warentest

Consumer watchdog Stiftung Warentest has already awarded us several times for a high level of corporate social responsibility and the quality of our products.

dnp
German Sustainability Award

Our efforts to run a responsible and sustainable business were rewarded in 2018 with the German Sustainability Award in the category for medium-sized companies.

milchstudie
Omega-three milk study

Our milk contains a high level of healthy omega-three fatty acids. This has been demonstrated in studies carried out by the Universities of Kassel (2006) and Jena (2013).

eu_bio
EU organic label

The organic label identifies high-quality products from organic farms. It guarantees that organic goods are subject to controls during cultivation and production in accordance with the EC Organic Regulation. Inspection body: DE-ÖKO-037.

demeter
Demeter

The Demeter trademark is a guarantee of high-quality products from biodynamic farms. A far cry from chemicals and monoculture, Demeter farmers hold to natural cycles. In doing so, they promote the natural processes of living beings and healthy soil.

naturland
Naturland

The guidelines of Naturland are clear and strict, guaranteeing food of organic quality. Organic feed and animal welfare are just as essential as the rejection of chemical and synthetic fertilizers, pesticides and mineral fertilisers. Genetic engineering of any form is ruled out completely.

naturland_fair
Naturland Fair

The Naturland Fair logo guarantees fair cooperation with producers, trading partners, employees and consumers.

ifs
IFS

Our integrated quality management system complies with the International Food Standard (IFS).

qm_milch
QM-Milch

The name QM-Milch translates as ‘Milk Quality Management’. It was developed in 2002 as a standardised quality management system for German milk production. Independent auditors check for compliance with 55 criteria.

vlog
No genetic engineering

All our farmers use traditional feeding methods. In addition to our organic farmers, all other members have been committed to GM-free feed since 2010.

iso_50001
Certified energy management

For many years, we have taken gradual steps to improve energy use, maximising the level of energy savings. This has been confirmed by ISO 50001 certification.

biosphaere_partner
Sustainable management

As an official partner of the Berchtesgadener Land biosphere region, we operate with respect for people and nature. We contribute to maintaining the Berchtesgadener Land as a sustainable living, economic and recreational area and to establishing it as a model region for sustainable development.

emas
Audited environmental management

With the European environmental management system in accordance with EMAS, we are committed to systematic operational environmental protection. This is reviewed annually by an independent auditor.

sedex
Corporate social responsibility

We are certified in accordance with the international SEDEX (Supplier Ethical Data Exchange) standard. This involves auditing the areas of working conditions, health & safety, the environment and business ethics.

Partners

It works only together

Bad Reichenhaller
barnhouse
Berchtesgadener Land Tourismus
biokorntakt
Biosphärenregion Berchtesgadener Land
demeter
Dinzler Kaffeerösterei
Eisbären Berlin
Frischdienst Berchtesgadener Land
GEPA - The Fair Trade Company
Grüner Punkt
Maloja Pushbikers
Naturkäserei TegernseerLand
Naturland
Starbulls Rosenheim
Stadtwerke München
Viktoria Rebensburg