Zillertal hay milk dairy eGen

Zillertaler Heumilch Sennerei (formally Zillertal hay milk dairy eGen) is a farmer-owned dairy cooperative based in Fügen in the Zillertal valley of Tirol, Austria. Its roots go back to 1934, when the Sennerei Fügen began producing Emmentaler cheese and butter. For more than six decades the operation focused almost exclusively on Emmentaler and butter. The Austrian accession to the European Union in 1995 and the collapse of the Emmentaler market forced a strategic pivot: the dairy began producing Bergkäse (mountain cheese) and Schnittkäse (semi-hard sliced cheese), including the Zillertaler Rahmlaib and Zillertaler Bierkäse introduced from 2005. The cooperative has grown through mergers and investment. In 2009 the Sennereigenossenschaft Aschau began delivering its milk to Fügen, and on 1 January 2010 the suppliers and the Aschau cooperative formally became members of Sennerei Fügen, at which point the company name was changed to Zillertaler Heumilch-Sennerei. Today the cooperative reports around 262 members, roughly 40 employees, an annual milk intake of about 12.5 million kg, and about 1,400 tonnes of cheese produced. It describes itself as the largest Tiroler milk processor in farmers' hands. The milk supplied is silo-free hay milk (Heumilch) and partly organic milk, a key factor in the quality of the products. The catchment area covers the communities of Fügen, Fügenberg, Uderns, Ried, Bruck, Aschau, Kaltenbach, Stumm, Gerlos, Hart and Schlitters. The dairy operates a farm shop (Hofladen), a show cheese-making facility and museum (Schaukäserei & Museum), and sells its cheese under the Zillertaler Heumilch brand. Sustainability is a stated priority: since 2021 a 280 kWp photovoltaic system, combined with existing district heating, allows the dairy to draw all its energy from renewable sources. The logo was redesigned in 2021, following earlier updates in 2011. Governance is cooperative-style, with an Obmann (chairman) and a managing director. The current Obmann is Walter Kreidl and the Geschäftsführer is Hannes Esterhammer, supported by deputy managing director Simon Geisler and staff responsible for accounting/milk payments, dispatch/orders, quality assurance and the farm shop. The dairy is headquartered at Sennereistraße 22, 6263 Fügen, Zillertal, Tirol, and its website is heumilch.tirol.

The Zillertaler Heumilch Sennerei traces its origins to 1934, when the Sennerei Fügen was established in the Zillertal valley of Tirol. From 1934 until 1995 the dairy produced exclusively Emmentaler cheese and butter. This long specialization ended abruptly with Austria's accession to the European Union in 1995 and the simultaneous collapse of the Emmentaler market, which had previously been supported by the AMF (Alpi) intervention system. Continuing with Emmentaler alone would have made the business unviable, so in 1995 the dairy began producing Bergkäse and Schnittkäse, including the Zillertaler line. A further product expansion came in 2005 with the purchase of a cheese vat (Käsefertiger) to strengthen semi-hard cheese production; from then on the Zillertaler Rahmlaib and Zillertaler Bierkäse were produced with considerable success. In 2008 the cooperative began a major construction and modernization project: a new packing room, loading station, cutting and hard-cheese storage facilities, two new cheese presses, two cheese-care robots, and renewed plant control and CIP systems. These investments were necessary to meet customer, hygiene and competitive requirements. The conversion was completed at the end of April 2009, and from 1 May 2009 the milk of the Sennereigenossenschaft Aschau was additionally processed in Fügen. On 1 January 2010 the suppliers and the Aschau cooperative formally became members of Sennerei Fügen, and the company name was changed to Zillertaler Heumilch-Sennerei. The logo was renewed in 2011. In 2017 the cheese brine bath room was modernized with a new brine tank, balance tank and circulation system, and an additional milk storage tank was acquired. In 2021 the dairy installed a 280 kWp photovoltaic system, allowing it to cover all its energy needs from renewable sources together with existing district heating; the logo was also redesigned that year. Today the cooperative reports about 262 members, around 40 employees, an annual milk intake of roughly 12.5 million kg and about 1,400 tonnes of cheese. It describes itself as the largest Tiroler milk processor in farmers' hands. The milk is silo-free hay milk and partly organic, sourced from the communities of Fügen, Fügenberg, Uderns, Ried, Bruck, Aschau, Kaltenbach, Stumm, Gerlos, Hart and Schlitters. The dairy operates a farm shop, a show cheese-making facility and museum, and markets its products under the Zillertaler Heumilch brand.

• 2021

  280 kWp photovoltaic system installed; all energy from renewable sources; logo redesigned.

• 2017

  Cheese brine bath room modernized; additional milk storage tank acquired.

• 2011

  Logo renewed.

• 2010

  On 1 January suppliers and the Aschau cooperative become members of Sennerei Fügen; company renamed Zillertaler Heumilch-Sennerei.

• 2009

  Conversion completed end of April; from 1 May milk from Sennereigenossenschaft Aschau is also processed in Fügen.

• 2008

  Major construction and modernization project begins (packing room, loading station, cutting and hard-cheese storage, presses, robots, control systems).

• 2005

  Cheese vat acquired; Zillertaler Rahmlaib and Zillertaler Bierkäse launched.

• 1995

  After Austria joins the EU and the Emmentaler market collapses, production shifts to Bergkäse and Schnittkäse.

• 1934

  Sennerei Fügen founded; production of Emmentaler and butter begins.

Farmer-owned Tyrolean cooperative producing premium hay-milk cheese with a focus on quality, sustainability and tradition.

• Zillertaler Rahmlaib

  A cream cheese produced since 2005 with considerable success.

• Zillertaler Bierkäse

  A beer cheese produced since 2005 with considerable success.

• Bergkäse

  Mountain cheese produced since the 1995 strategic shift.

• Schnittkäse

  Semi-hard sliced cheese produced since the 1995 strategic shift.

• Emmentaler

  Historic product produced exclusively from 1934 to 1995.

• Butter

  Historic product produced exclusively from 1934 to 1995.

1. 1Zillertaler Heumilch Sennerei – Homepageheumilch.tirol
2. 2Zillertaler Heumilch Sennerei – Geschichteheumilch.tirol
3. 3Zillertaler Heumilch Sennerei – Über unsheumilch.tirol
4. 4Zillertaler Heumilch Sennerei – Teamheumilch.tirol
5. 5Wikidata – Zillertal hay milk dairy eGenwikidata.org