Bergkäserei Zillertal

Bergkäserei Zillertal is an Austrian family-owned dairy company based in Schlitters, in the Zillertal valley of Tyrol. Founded in 1923, the business has been making hard cheese for four generations and today operates as Bergkäserei Zillertal GmbH. Its defining raw material is mountain hay milk (Berg-Heumilch): milk from cows fed on fresh grass, herbs and alpine flowers in summer and hay in winter, sourced from around 130 small mountain farms. No other milk is used, and a portion is certified organic. The dairy enforces a maximum transport distance of 30 km for its milk, much of which comes from farms above 800 metres. The company produces a range of hard cheeses, including the Öxltaler and Zillertaler Granat varieties, and sells them through its own online shop, a farm shop (Hofladen) and retail partners. Its product pages emphasize the effect of ageing on flavour and texture, and the company positions itself as "the hard cheese specialist in the Zillertal". The current managing director and master cheesemaker is Hansjörg Hirschhuber, representing the fourth generation of family leadership. Sustainability is a stated priority: the dairy uses 100% recyclable polypropylene monofilms for its self-service packaging, recovers heat and manages electricity to save water and energy, and aims for full utilization of resources. The company maintains long-term relationships with its milk suppliers and guarantees to purchase their milk. Its website is available in German, English and Italian, reflecting a customer base that extends beyond Austria into neighbouring markets.

The Bergkäserei Zillertal traces its origins to 1923, when the family began collecting and processing milk in the Zillertal valley. For four generations, the business has remained at the same location and in the same family, accumulating cheesemaking knowledge that is passed down from father to son. The company describes this continuity as "whispered secrets" — a tradition of craft knowledge handed on within the family. Over the decades, the dairy built long-term relationships with local mountain farmers. Today it works with around 130 milk suppliers, many of them small farms above 800 metres, and guarantees to purchase their milk. The raw material is mountain hay milk, produced by cows that graze on fresh grass, herbs and alpine flowers in summer and eat hay in winter. A portion of the milk is certified organic. The company operates as Bergkäserei Zillertal GmbH, with its registered address at Dorfstraße 1, 6262 Schlitters, Tyrol. It has invested in modern production and sustainability measures, including heat recovery systems, electricity management and fully recyclable packaging films. Its product range has expanded to include aged hard cheeses such as Öxltaler and Zillertaler Granat, sold through an online shop, a farm shop and retail channels. The website is available in German, English and Italian, supporting sales in Austria and neighbouring markets. Hansjörg Hirschhuber, the fourth-generation managing director and master cheesemaker, leads the company today.

• 1923

  Family begins collecting and processing milk in the Zillertal, marking the founding of the cheesemaking business.

• Business remains in the same family and location for four generations, passing cheesemaking knowledge from father to son.

• Company operates as Bergkäserei Zillertal GmbH with registered address in Schlitters, Tyrol.

• Online shop launched, offering hard cheeses such as Öxltaler and Zillertaler Granat directly to consumers.

The hard cheese specialist in the Zillertal, producing traditional alpine hard cheese from 100% mountain hay milk with a focus on origin, honesty and sustainability.

• Öxltaler

  A hard cheese that changes character significantly with ageing; per 100g: 1535kJ/370kcal, 30g fat, 25g protein.

• Zillertaler Granat

  A hard cheese with a pronounced aged character; per 100g: 1600kJ/385kcal, 29g fat, 31g protein.

1. 1Der Hartkäsespezialist im Zillertal - Jetzt günstig online kaufen – Bergkäserei Zillertalbergkaeserei-zillertal.at
2. 2Seit 1923 – Bergkäserei Zillertalbergkaeserei-zillertal.at
3. 3Öxltaler direkt aus der Bergkäserei Zillertal online kaufenbergkaeserei-zillertal.at
4. 4Zillertaler Granat direkt vom Hartkäsespezialist online kaufen – Bergkäserei Zillertalbergkaeserei-zillertal.at
5. 5Bergkäserei Zillertal GmbHwikidata.org