Emmi Link #4 2023 E-Magazine (EN)

The employee magazine of the Emmi Group No.

Winter

04 2023

GROUP

Link 20 YEARS OF EMMI CAFFÈ LATTE

The incredible success story

EDITORIAL LINK NO. 4 / 2023

CONTENTS LINK NO. 4 / 2023

Contents

Thank you for your trust!

GROUP

04 Emmi Roth USA: Opening of the cheese conversion facility

06 EOE anniversary: 15 years of Emmi Operational Excellence

08 EmmiConnect: connected throughout Europe

10 New Emmi umbrella brand: For an even more mouth-watering experience FOCUS

12 A success story: 20 years of Emmi Caffè Latte PEOPLE

24

22 Labour shortage: an interview with Natalie Rüedi

24 Development history: Carla Tur Mel·lo

Dear Colleagues, As Beat Burkhalter from our Ostermundigen site in Switzerland puts it in the report on 20 years of Emmi Caffè Latte: “It is an honour for us to be part of this story.” Dear Beat, that’s exactly how I feel every day.

The end of the year not only brings a fast pace to our operations and our delicious products on many festive tables, but it also comes with beautiful customs that we celebrate with our families. It’s a time to look back and look ahead.

So today, on behalf of the Executive Board and the Board of Directors, I would like to thank you for your enormous creative passion and maker power, but above all for your trust. Thank you for the trust that you have placed in me in my first year as CEO and in us as the Executive Board, and that we all place in each other every day.

Trust is the invisible bond that holds our Emmi together. It is the foundation for cooperation and progress.

And it is up to all of us to constantly strengthen and protect it. Trust strengthens relationships, supports cooperation and innovation, promotes responsibility and creates a positive cycle in which we encourage

2

“Trust is the invisible bond that holds our Emmi together. It is the foundation for cooperation and progress.” others to respond with trust. And it all starts with trust in ourselves.

We also want to strengthen confidence in our Emmi brand with the new Emmi umbrella brand communication. With the slogan “Heartfelt indulgence”, we are stepping up our promise – creating the best dairy moments lies very close to our hearts – today and tomorrow.

I hope you all enjoy reading this issue.

Ricarda Demarmels, CEO

Focus 20 years of ECL

12

IMPRINT Issue: No. 4, Winter 2023 Published quarterly Contact: link@emmi.com Editorial staff: Emmi Corporate Communications Emmi Landenbergstrasse 1, CH-6002 Lucerne, Switzerland info@emmi.com www.emmi.com 3

GROUP LINK NO. 4 / 2023

GROUP LINK NO. 4 / 2023

EMMI ROTH USA: OPENING OF THE CHEESE CONVERSION FACILIT Y

State-of-the-art, sustainable and forward-looking The new headquarters and cheese conversion facility in Wisconsin are open. This marks a milestone that will strengthen Emmi Roth’s leading position in the US speciality market. We are also making major strides in the area of sustainability – and creating many new jobs.

Major impact on business Tim Omer, Managing Director of Emmi Roth, is delighted with the successful large-scale project: “After several years of planning to the actual construction, we are glad to finally be in our new home in Stoughton. Our team has worked tirelessly over the past two years to make this dream a reality, which will have a significant impact on our business and our ability to better serve our customers.”

“Our team has worked tirelessly over the past two years to make this dream a reality.”

Tim Omer, Managing Director Emmi Roth

The plant will enable Emmi Roth to insource a significantly larger part of the supply chain. Until now, Emmi Roth shipped the cheese to up to 30 different co-packer locations, and with the Stoughton plant, we are taking over a bigger part of the supply chain.

“This will open up growth opportunities for our wonderful cheese portfolio, enhance our value for customers and improve our ability to serve customers,” says Jordan Ehlen, Director of Manufacturing. In

The moment we’ve all been waiting for: Jonas Leu, Head of the Americas Division, cuts the opening ribbon on 29 November.

4

The new Stoughton site consists of the new headquarters (left) and the new cheese conversion facility.

fact, the investment was a logical next step, given the company’s leading position in the US speciality cheese industry for years and the fact that in line with our Strategy ’26, the US market is one of our “MustWin-Markets”. At the same time, the acquisition of the Athenos business around two years ago, the leading Feta brand in the US, led to a greater demand for processing and distribution capacities. Emmi Roth serves retail and food service customers throughout the country with high-quality cheese specialities produced locally and imported from Switzerland.

Significantly fewer transport routes In addition, the project also helps to boost the innovative capacity of the company. The new plant will be able to process small batches of trial products, bring them to market quickly and increase processing capacity.

It also represents the largest sustainability project in the history of Emmi Roth: It is operated using fully electric means and without natural gas or propane.

This will help the company to maintain its “netZERO” targets by 2050 and reduce its consumption of fossil fuels. Since the cheese no longer has to be sent to external service providers, but is processed internally, this greatly reduces complexity and cuts transport

“The new building will open up growth opportunities for our wonderful cheese portfolio.”

Jordan Ehlen, Director of Manufacturing Emmi Roth

journeys in half. In turn, this lowers the number of kilometres travelled by a considerable 44 percent, leading to an annual CO₂ emissions reduction of 402 tonnes.

125 new jobs It’s wonderful that Emmi Roth is creating many new jobs with the cheese conversion facility. 85 new employees have already been recruited, will be joined by another 40 by February 2024, giving the community of Stoughton 125 new jobs. The new headquarters also enjoys a central location between the Monroe, Platteville and Seymour production sites, allowing the various teams from different parts of the company to work together under one roof.

Text Robert Bossart Fotos zVg

A

fter one year and three months of construction, the time has come: the stateof-the-art cheese conversion facility and the new headquarters of Emmi Roth were opened at the end of November. But what’s impressive about this is not only the rapid and timely completion, but also the building’s size: It spans an area of 14,600 square metres in Stoughton, Wisconsin, and sees a large number of cheese products processed and packaged – cut, shredded and packaged.

5

GROUP LINK NO. 4 / 2023

GROUP LINK NO. 4 / 2023

15 YEARS OF EMMI OPERATIONAL EXCELLENCE (EOE)

How can we do better at doing good?

For 15 years, we have been working to improve our processes and our work and to become more efficient. Constant evolution is our way of addressing the increasing complexity and rise in competitive pressure. The important thing here is that it takes all of us. Only together can we get better and be prepared for the future.

“E

OE already has a long history in which a lot has happened.”While Alex Bolinelli has only been Head of Group Operational Excellence since March 2023, he has long been well versed in the subject matter. The Brazilian-born industrial and mechanical engineer knows that there is a solid foundation that can be built on. Initially, Emmi received external support with trialling first experiences and methods. Over time, knowledge has been built up, applied and developed further in

Alex Bolinelli, Head of Group Operational Excellence 6

An example from Emmi Roth: the pieces of cheese were piled up, wrapped in plastic film and stored again before proceeding to the next process step.

After

some cases. Different methods, including idea management and “Kaizen”, a Japanese term meaning “change for the better”, have become an integral part of our daily workflow.

The fastermethod: piece by piece is delivered and packed into the foils one after the other – just in time.

20 Gemba sprints per year Around four years ago, an important instrument was added: the Gemba sprints. These involve a multi-functional team working out what is superfluous, cumbersome and inefficient in the respective workflows – and looking for optimisations in a kind of workshop. Attitude plays an essential role, with mindsets moving away from looking at costs and towards minimising waste. Every year we run around 20 of these sprints.

Major challenges

“Every Idea and every problem solved count.”

Before

“There are a lot of things we have done very well over the last 15 years,” says Alex. “But the challenges remain great, especially due to the increasing complexity of the business.”This reduces profitability as well as external factors such as inflation and supply chain bottlenecks. “This impacts our performance, which is why EOE plays such a key role if we are to continue to achieve our ambition. In order to continue to grow in line with our objectives and generate profits, creativity and support are required from all sides to redesign our processes.”

Next steps

2 Strengthening joint exchange

What happens now? Alex lists two key points: 1 Outperforming the competition While idea exchanges exist, they cannot solve all our problems. We are now turning our focus to other channels and possibilities to enable all our employees to be integrated and contribute. “Every idea and every problem solved counts,” says Alex. Today’s team leaders know how to tackle complex issues and trigger the necessary sprints. We are also focusing on looking at the big picture: it is important for everyone to think about more than just their own processes. “Strengthened end-to-end thinking will take us forward. It’s about steering the right levers by looking at the essential things in our processes,” explains Alex. Issues that were not previously considered in our daily routine are now part of our focus. These include aspects such as the weight of our products, the extra time required to retrofit a machine, long maintenance response times, the number and impact of unplanned activities in production and logistics, unplanned overtime, dangerous situations that can lead to industrial accidents, etc. “Focusing on fault times on our machines alone is no longer enough.”

Learning more from each other and growing together to form a group-wide EOE community: “We produce cheese all over the world, for example, but how often do we exchange standards, experiences and best practices?” asks Alex. There are endless areas where we can learn from each other, such as training programmes, automation and digitalisation, recipes, optimisation, packaging and so on. And it’s here that more exchange can and should take place. “We are able to define and align our standards even more precisely, because we are still too diverse and move differently from location to location. You don’t have to reinvent the wheel every time.”

Text Robert Bossart Photos zVg

7

GROUP LINK NO. 4 / 2023

GROUP LINK NO. 4 / 2023

With EmmiConnect, it almost feels like all companies in Europe are working together in one space.

EMMICONNECT

Connected throughout Europe

Elisabeth Wagner-Wehrborn General Manager Emmi Germany “Cooperation across team and national boundaries – especially when working in different systems – can get quite complex. With EmmiConnect, we can work together as if we were sitting in the same room.”

Uniform, simple and transnational: all companies in the Europe division will soon be united in the EmmiConnect world, bringing Emmi to the next level in digital collaboration.

W

ant to invite an Emmi team from the Netherlands to a virtual meeting? Or contact that colleague from Emmi Dessert Italia briefly via chat? Or even share training materials with your work colleague from London? The digital workplace with “EmmiConnect” makes it all possible, even across national borders and time zones.

A uniform working environment Emmi France will be the final company from the Europe division to join the EmmiConnect world in 2024. Thanks to the unified working environment around Microsoft Teams, many things will be easier

and faster: communicating, exchanging knowledge, being creative together, editing documents and collaborating virtually. “EmmiConnect supports transnational cooperation throughout Europe. We have become closer, digitally,” says Reto Mattli, Strategic Development Officer of the Europe division.

“We have become closer, digitally.”

Reto Mattli Strategic Development Officer Europe Division

Roll-out in the Europe division In 2021, the EmmiConnect team modernised the working world of more than 2,000 Emmi employees in Switzerland. Then the Europe division was catapulted to the next level of digital collaboration. Step by step, company by company. There were one or two hurdles that needed to be overcome in terms of technology or language. Unlike in Switzerland, not all companies have the same IT infrastructure. But the effort paid off, as the positive feedback and opinions show.

Robin Barraclough Executive Vice President Europe “Working together quickly, flexibly and from anywhere is something that has become much easier with EmmiConnect. A big plus for transnational cooperation in the Europe division!”

Text Petra Troxler Photos zVg Illustration Amadeus Waltenspühl

Find out more here.

Fewer language barriers thanks to EmmiConnect

Peter Irle Managing Director Emmi Dessert Italia “Today, it is easy to organise international meetings because I can see the calendars of other Emmi employees from all over Europe.”

At times, different languages and dialects make international cooperation challenging. EmmiConnect not only lets you view the content of translated documents, news and posts with ease, but also allows you to switch on live captions during a meeting and even have the slides shown in your desired language.

EmmiConnect Help Centre The EmmiConnect training is available in German, English, Italian, Dutch and soon also in French. With the roll-out of the Americas division, training in Spanish and Portuguese is also planned.

Have a question about EmmiConnect?

Sibille Frank (sibille.frank@emmi.com) Callista Eberhardt (callista.eberhardt@emmi.com)

Julie Plant Managing Director Emmi UK Limited “I log in as usual on my laptop and all EmmiConnect apps are ready to use immediately.

No second login or re-authentication needed.”

We are Emmi. And even closer thanks to EmmiConnect!

8

9

GROUP LINK NO. 4 / 2023

THE NEW EMMI UMBRELLA BRAND

For an even more mouth-watering Emmi experience

The face of the Emmi umbrella brand campaign: Gianna, who lives on the farm of the Swiss Farmers Ambassador, the Burger family.

GROUP LINK NO. 4 / 2023

The Emmi brand and our delicious products feature many emotions. We want to focus on them even more. With our new umbrella brand communication and the slogan “Heartfelt indulgence”, we show our strength and emphasise our passion. And give our brand a whole new look.

E

mmi enables carefree and varied moments of enjoyment every day – from the best Swiss milk and milk alternatives. Conveying this brand promise to the outside world has become a challenge. A brand is expected not only to produce excellent products, but also to embody the right values while demonstrating its commitment to our society and the environment. “Consumers perceive us as being innovative and associate us with enjoyment and high quality,” says Sara Hesseling, Head of Marketing Dairy. “On the other hand, too little attention is paid to naturalness, sustainability and proximity to Switzerland.”

10

Our solid foundation Emmi has a solid foundation that meets all the desired qualities to become a highly beloved brand of the Swiss people. Our origins with over 100 years of Swiss roots and partnerships. Our passion and craftsmanship with our expertise from traditional crafts to contemporary milk processing and the unique Emmi culture. Our natural product, milk, which we use to produce natural moments of enjoyment from the finest Swiss milk. Our contribution with a strong commitment to employees, society and the environment, making us a role model in the dairy industry.

“With the new Emmi umbrella brand communication, which is set to be launched next year, we are specifically building on our strengths and our proximity to Switzerland. We want the Emmi brand to be perceived more emotionally,” says Sonja Hennecke, Senior Brand Manager. The slogan “Heartfelt indulgence” is intended to give the brand a new, more emotional look – precisely because with its strong foundation, Emmi makes no compromises between best taste, naturalness, proximity, regionality and sustainability. “The fact that we Emmians work on this every day with so much passion is something that we have to carry even more outwardly.” Starting next year, this unique brand experience will be brought closer to consumers in Switzerland through posters, social media and various events. The campaign is also expected to have a positive and inspiring impact on the whole Emmi Group.

“The slogan “Heartfelt indulgence” is intended to give the Emmi brand a more emotional look” Sonja Hennecke, Senior Brand Manager

More than just a packaging relaunch In order to strengthen the Emmi brand in everyday use, around 200 Emmi products in more than six different categories will receive a new, fresh design. These are tried and tested products such as Emmi Mozzarella, Emmi Milk and Cream, or the “Emmi Griess Pöpfli”. On the packaging, we convey our values and tell unique stories – from the “heroines of the pasture” to “our other stars: the employees”. The packaging switchover will take place smoothly, starting in the second quarter of 2024.

A positive effect on the whole of Emmi By showing our values and strengths and offering surprising brand experiences, we boost the confidence of our consumers in the Emmi brand. There are also good reasons to make Emmi an even more emotional brand. Market studies show that this leads to more referrals and greater loyalty. But this not only benefits the brand, but also Emmi as an attractive employer – internally and externally – because we are also wholeheartedly looking for the enjoyment professionals of the future.

THE EMMI MANIFESTO

At Emmi, happiness is ...the very first spoonful of delicious yoghurt, a child’s cheeky grin after they’ve had a glass of milk and the feeling of pure joy when you take a bite of cheese. Because we offer enjoyment, which is a real mouth-watering experience.

With our love and tireless passion for the product, our many years of expertise, inventive spirit and high Swiss quality standards, we create high-quality, fine dairy products for every occasion. Always with respect for nature and people.

This leads to unparalleled, delicious dairy moments for our customers and consumers every day, from Switzerland for Switzerland.

As a Swiss company and milk market leader, we look after today’s and future generations, our employees, partners and milk suppliers. Working together to create the best dairy moments lies very close to our hearts – today and tomorrow.

Our roots Emmi is a Swiss company through and through, with over 100 years of tradition behind it. We are proud of our roots, our regional focus and our long-standing partnerships with local dairy farmers.

Our passion and skill We hand down our expertise from generation to generation, ensuring that we never lose the skill, passion and innovation behind the moments of indulgence that we create to high Swiss quality standards.

Our natural product Natural moments of enjoyment need a natural product: And there’s no better place for that than Switzerland. All the goodness in our high-quality Swiss milk comes straight from nature.

Our contribution Our commitment to responsible dairy shines through in our respectful treatment of animals, our careful use of resources and our ongoing support for the development of our employees.

Text Robert Bossart Photo zVg

11

FOCUS LINK NO. 4 / 2023

FOCUS LINK NO. 4 / 2023

Focus 20 years of ECL

ECL PRODUCTION SITE IN OSTERMUNDIGEN, SWITZERLAND: THE EMPLOYEES OF THE “EARLY DAYS”

“It is an honour to have been there” Ostermundigen, Switzerland, is where the “heart” of Emmi’s most successful product has been beating for 20 years and where millions of Caffè Lattes are produced day and night. Those employees who are still with us today still remember how hectic, exciting and sometimes chaotic things went back and forth. And sometimes even do today.

T

hings hiss, rattle, rumble and every now and then, a commotion can be heard in the noisy hall in Ostermundigen. Ampack 10, one of three main production lines where Emmi Caffè Latte is bottled and packaged, is in full swing. At the beginning of the line, the empty cups are delivered, then the machine is disinfected before they go to the “Doseur” to be filled. Next, the aluminium seals are added, followed by sealing, the leakage test and dating. Finally, the lid is added, the finished cups are placed in boxes of ten and, at the end, put on a pallet, from where they are transported to the high-bay warehouse. “Today we manage 30,000 pieces per hour, whereas back then it was 1,500,” recalls Peter Burkhalter, Team Leader of Human Resources Planning and Development and one of those who actively witnessed the birth of the ECL.

There was a feeling of optimism

Bekim Idrizi (right) and his colleague Blerim Eterni show off the freshly bottled Caffè Latte. Bekim is proud to have been with us since the first bottling in 2004.

12

“The early days back then were very hectic, a positive kind of stress.” The employees were still scarred by the bankruptcy of Swiss Dairy Food, and many were afraid for their jobs. Then Emmi took over the site and started production of Emmi Caffé Latte in 2004. And suddenly there was a feeling of optimism. “Everyone felt that something special was happening here,” says Peter. Shift Supervisor Bekim Idrizi nods, his eyes → 13

FOCUS LINK NO. 4 / 2023

FOCUS LINK NO. 4 / 2023

couldn’t drink cold coffee anyway,” adds Beat and laughs. Well, after 20 years of ECL and 44 years of service, he’s changed his mind. “Luckily, I had to let myself be taught something better, the product is a huge success.”

1 The facilities in Ostermundigen are running at full speed.

2 Erich Trachsel, Production Planner 3 Fredy Hofer, Head of Engineering

“Luckily, I had to let myself be taught something better, the product is a huge success.”

4 The aluminium seals are added to the cups.

Beat Scherz, Team Leader of Packaging, Ostermundigen

Success leads to disquiet

Beat Scherz, Team Leader of Packaging: “We started from scratch back then.”

Of course, many things have become more efficient over time, with the lids long being applied by a machine. “It’s not really calmer because changes happen all the time, and ultimately also because success creates a lot of dynamism,” says Beat. Erich, who is in charge of the orders, agrees with his colleague. Particularly in the first few years, last-minute changes were constantly being made to the quantities intended for abroad. “Sometimes we filled the pallets directly from the line into the truck, because we could hardly keep up with production,” recalls Erich. “We were constantly being challenged to cope with the ever-increasing demand.”

1

3

Making the impossible possible → glowing. “We felt like we were bottling a product where something was going on. It was exciting to work on it right from the start.” Fredy Hofer, now Head of Engineering, joined as Production Manager shortly after the launch. “I remember the machine supplier grumbling that we couldn’t make “such a thing” after all. He was talking about the unusual cup shape and how it wouldn’t be able to stand well. But we all believed in it from the beginning.” Anyone who tasted the Caffè Latte was able to realise that something new was on the market here, something it hadn’t existed before.

Assistance from the Association for the Blind

“Yes, the last 20 years have been no picnic,” admits Erich. Everyone who has been there from the beginning can confirm that. “We always have to sprint and make the impossible possible. For me, therefore, ECL is something of a love-hate relationship. But it’s a pleasure when things are going well, our everyday life is very much alive.” Peter Burkhalter adds: “Caffè Latte was and is a kind of elixir of life. It is an honour for us to be part of this story.”

2

4

Text Robert Bossart Photos André Scheidegger

“Now you have grey hair and I don’t have any at all, because back then things were all over the place,” says Beat Scherz, Team Leader of Packaging to Production Planner Erich Trachsel. They both grin. “When we started out, we had nothing, we were starting from scratch.” The cardboard packaging had to be folded by hand – by the thousands. First, he hired twenty people on a temporary basis, then people from the Association for the Blind helped and later even prisoners from Thorberg. The lids also had to be put on by hand for the first few years. Then there were always campaigns that required a lot of manpower. “The first couple of weeks, it was kind of funny, I thought you 14

15

16

2005

Motorcyclist Tom Lüthi becomes ECL ambassador

2007 2008 2011 2014 2015 2016 2019 2020

Launch of Vegan and High Protein varieties Introduction of “All Natural Recipes”, without additives, “100% natural ingredients”

2022 Launch of Fun Latte and ECL in PET bottles Fifth participation in the casting show “Germany’s Next Topmodel”

2021

2023

2020

2019

2018 Start of sponsorship cooperation with Swiss volleyball players Tanja Hüberli and Nina Brunner

2017

Launch of the first Limited Edition in Mexico

2018

2013

Launch of Double Zero variety Swiss skier Wendy Holdener becomes brand ambassador

20 YEARS OF GROW TH

2016

2012

Launch of Mr Big

2013

2011

2010

Introduction of the Rainforest Alliance Label (RFA) First participation as a sponsor of the casting show “Germany’s Next Topmodel”

2009

Launch in Belgium

2010

2006 ECL is awarded “Product of the Year” in Germany and receives the Dairy Innovation Award in the UK

2007

2005

2004

5 March 2004 Launch of ECL in CH, DE, AUT, NL, ESP. Brand Ambassador DJ Bobo, Roger Federer

2004

FOCUS LINK NO. 4 / 2023 FOCUS LINK NO. 4 / 2023

Many varieties have been launched in the last two decades, so the list here is incomplete.

A path that knows only one direction: up

A “temperature curve” like from a picture book: today, we produce almost 40 times more Caffè Latte than 20 years ago. An overview of the positive development of Emmi Caffè Latte.

2023

17

FOCUS LINK NO. 4 / 2023

FOCUS LINK NO. 4 / 2023

took a lot of tinkering, teamwork, innovation and tenacity to achieve a satisfactory result that kicked off the Emmi Caffè Latte adventure twenty years ago.

ECL: HOW EMMI BECAME A LIFEST YLE

A fabulous success story that shapes Emmi Cold coffee? Nobody drinks that!

Twenty years ago, there were many who didn’t believe that such a product could succeed. With unwavering conviction and great leadership qualities, Emmi saw the signs of the times and wrote a unique success story that continues to this day – and has significantly shaped the company.

5 March 2004 marks what is probably one of the most important dates for Emmi: Emmi Caffè Latte was born. In just the first year, several million cups were produced, with that figure multiplied many times over today. The cold coffee from Emmi took off like a rocket and remains an unparalleled success to this day. How was – how is – this possible, what did it take and what did it do to the milk processor Emmi?

It’s worth taking a look back at the noughties. Once

But at all times, the legendary Tea Room machine stood there, which was used to carry out all the experiments at the time. Incidentally, it can still be found in the Development department in Emmen.

“And we are still experimenting with new varieties on it, and it also serves us for our coffee break,” says Rolf, smiling. All previous ECL varieties from the last twenty years were “born” together with it. “It is unbelievable just how robust this machine is.”

Lots of tinkering at record speed

Machine Operator Fernando Varandas from the Coffee Production Team in Ostermundigen checks whether the coffee meets the high quality standards.

upon a time, the previously regulated Swiss milk market opened up, creating room for new opportunities.

At the same time, a new coffee house culture and hip barista scene emerged around the turn of the millennium. Emmi also saw how coffee was becoming trendy.

Things were hectic in the run-up to the launch. Everyone involved was working feverishly and at record speed on the new product, and there was a clear sense that something special was being created.

Finally, it was ready on 5 March. The product was a success from day one. Switzerland, Germany, Austria, the Netherlands and Spain were soon followed by other countries. “Finally, something on the fridge shelf that I can’t get enough of” read the first fan email after the launch.

But what lies behind the continued success of ECL? “We hit a zeitgeist,” says Yvonne Baumgartner, Global Head of Ready-to-Drink-Coffee. ECL was the perfect drink for a society that is commuting more and more and wants to consumesomething on the go. “We managed to establish a new habit, which was the best thing that could have happened to us. On the global stage, we are in a market segment that is still growing. That’s why we can still see a lot of potential for this category and our brand today.” Emmi

Inspiration from Japan But cold coffee? That was rather frowned upon here in Switzerland. The situation was different in other countries, such as Japan, where cold coffee was very popular. And that was exactly where a team of Emmi executives travelled to and found their inspiration. It was clear from an early stage that the path had to not involve a coffee concentrate, but freshly roasted and brewed first-class coffee. “Many of the products we tasted had added colourings, preservatives and flavours and often did not taste good”, says Rolf Hodel, who played a key role in the development of Caffè Latte at the time and is still involved in the Development department.

Caffè Latte also manages to appeal to younger generations, for example with the launch of Fun Latte in 2023.

Reinventing milk What does this success mean for Emmi? “It encouraged them to innovate and to keep reinventing milk, to focus on consumers even more and to develop a sense for the zeitgeist,” Yvonne summarises. An innovation like ECL cannot be taken for granted, with many products launching and disappearing again in recent years. “But this innovative force and this constant search is what it takes for things like ECL to happen. That’s why we stay tuned and continue to develop. Our journey with Emmi Caffè Latte is far from over.”

Legendary coffee machine

“We managed to establish a new habit.”

Yvonne Baumgartner, Global Head of Ready-to-Drink-Coffee 18

A legend: the first coffee machine, which was first tested more than 20 years ago, still stands in Emmen.

The first attempts were made using an old manual grinder. In 2003, the Development department performed intensive testing on different methods to produce chilled milk coffee. This was met with many challenges, from procuring the right type of coffee to grinding and brewing methods and much more.

Without giving too much away, let’s just say that it

Text Robert Bossart Photos zVg and André Scheidegger World-famous Swiss motorcyclist Tom Lüthi was a brand ambassador for Emmi Caffè Latte in the early days.

19

FOCUS LINK NO. 4 / 2023

FOCUS LINK NO. 4 / 2023

CONSUMER VERDICTS

“I post Stories for ECL”

What do convinced ECL drinkers say?

Vanessa Lehmann, 31 “In 2020, I posted a photo on Instagram with Emmi Caffè Latte on the Gurnigel excursion peak. Emmi’s marketing team liked it so much that I’ve been posting pictures like this to my stories ever since. I drink the Double Zero when I’m working and the Double Macchiato when I’m out and about. I like ECL’s social media appearance, which is young and fresh.”

We asked some super users what they like about Emmi Caffè Latte and why they like it so much. For some, it’s the right kick for working out, while for others, it’s just a cool product or even a matter of the heart.

“It gives me the kick I need” Liam Simion, 19 “I drink about five cups of Caffè Wendy or Double Zero a week. This is usually when I’m on the road or before working out, it gives me the kick I need. What makes Emmi Caffé Latte so cool is the fact that it’s good coffee that you can easily take with you.”

“I was one of the first consumers” Yasmin Atilgan, 45 “I’ve been drinking Emmi Caffè Latte since it was born. You could say I’m one of the consumers. My favourite is the Double Zero, which tastes really sophisticated like coffee, and is simply delicious .

I would call myself a super user because I drink a Caffè Latte almost every day. I’ve obviously already infected my 14-year-old son, who drinks the cappuccino.”

“I think all the trappings are cool” Alexia Blättler, 20 “At the HSG in St. Gallen, where I am studying, there is a wide selection of Emmi Caffè Latte. It is something I appreciate very much, and I like the Balance variety, which is lactose-free and low in calories. Apart from the delicious taste, I think the design and all the trappings are cool.”

German-language original recorded by Robert Bossart Photos zVg 20

21

PEOPLE LINK NO. 4 / 2023

PEOPLE LINK NO. 4 / 2023

LABOUR SHORTAGE

“The good thing is: we can do something about it” Labour shortages are becoming a problem – with unpleasant consequences: there aren’t enough urgently needed staff, and teams sometimes remain understaffed for long periods of time.

Natalie Rüedi, Head of HR at the Emmi Group, explains what we are doing to counteract this. The key is that all employees can do their part.

point is our culture, which we need to take care of.

It is important that all employees are recognised, valued and encouraged. Everybody should be able to make a difference and contribute. I believe that we can already offer a great deal in this area. People are really important to us. We need good leaders because they are an essential lever for a good culture. We are already investing a lot in them. Meaningfulness and sustainability also play an important role for young people in particular. Here too, Emmi has a lot to offer with a holistic sustainability programme.

In the future, we will have to focus even more on the further development of all employees and also

“It is important that all employees are recognised, valued and encouraged.

Everybody should be able to make a difference and contribute.”

train more people. Vocational education and training in Switzerland has a very important role to play here. And where we generally have problems filling vacancies, we will also have to focus even more on automation, digitalisation and increasing efficiency.

One important topic, especially for younger people, is working models and flexibility, for example in shift models. Will we make adjustmentshere?

Yes, this too is an important issue. We already have a lot of time flexibility in the office areas. But most of Emmi’s workplaces are not in the office. We are currently in the process of improving shift work. One example is through more time credits for night-time work. In general, however, we are being called upon to take further steps in terms of flexibility in the near future. A positive example from the Group can be seen from Mexideli: there, the company has switched from a six-day to a five-day week, with one Saturday training session per month. In Switzerland, the opportunity to shop for holidays instead of unpaid leave is one example of how we are making our working conditions more flexible. Incidentally, there are often also individual cases in which we have to be as flexible and solution-oriented as possible.

Natalie Rüedi, Head of HR at the Emmi Group

Natalie, at various locations in Switzerland and internationally, it has been said that there are sometimes too few employees and that vacancies are remaining unfilled. How acute is the problem in Switzerland and in the different countries?

Almost everywhere in the Emmi Group, it has become more difficult to find suitable people for vacancies. Following the pandemic years, turnover is also increasing, because many people now feel a desire to try something new. While this is particularly problematic in technical professions, it also affects our main professions, such as dairy technologists.

What are the reasons for this labour shortage?

They are varied. In Switzerland, we have an ageing society, with more people leaving the labour market

“My appeal: tell the people around you to come to us!”

Natalie Rüedi, Head of HR at the Emmi Group

22

than there are new people joining. Due to rapid technological development, some training systems are no longer catching up, meaning we are unable to find people with the right qualifications. Changes in the needs of the younger generation, for whom the job is just a part of life, also play a role. With so many vacancies, the labour market is also making people more selective. We need to respond to that.

How does this affect employees?

Because the labour market is so good, we see more changes in our teams, which is not only bad in and of itself. But it means we have to bring in more people, which means time and effort. When vacancies remain unfilled, others compensate for these gaps. In addition, we often have to re-qualify people because we can’t find anyone with the right skills. But as I said: because the labour market is so flexible, it can also be a chance for a team to attract new, good people.

Hence my appeal: tell the people around you to come to us!

What can we all do to counteract labour shortages?

The positive Emmi culture and that of the companies belonging to the Emmi Group is only alive if we all implement it. All of us can and have to contribute to this by being helpful, supporting each other, fostering a culture of constructive criticism, and sometimes simply thanking each other for our support. Or by looking for solutions instead of complaining, which spreads a much more positive mood. And if everyone keeps on learning new things, we stay well-equipped for the job. WE are Emmi and WE have in our hands the ability to shape our daily lives in a positive way and also to convey this to the outside world. Through this, we will also attract new employees.

Interview Robert Bossart Photo André Scheidegger

What else can we do to tackle the labour shortage?

The good thing is: we can do something and we are not helpless in the situation. One very important

23

PEOPLE LINK NO. 4 / 2023

PEOPLE LINK NO. 4 / 2023

The wise use of resources has always been important to Carla.

Caring for our planet By 2050, Emmi aims to achieve “netZERO” and at the same time promote the circular economy in Emmi companies. To this end, Emmi has set specific targets for reducing emissions, waste and water consumption.

DEVELOPMENT HISTORY CARLA TUR MEL·LO

“I feel at home all over the world”

Carla speaks with Naïma Bossart, Sustainability Intern and Daniel Morger, Head of Group Logistics.

“My job gives me a lot and allows me to grow.”

Working and living in Holland, Lucerne and from time to time in Barcelona: as Project Manager for Sustainability, Carla Tur Mel·lo advises and inspires our companies worldwide.

T

he lively Catalan is sitting in the Emmi Cafeteria at the headquarters in Lucerne, Switzerland, talking in rapid English with a colleague from the Supply Chain team. It is one of those weeks that Carla Tur Mel·lo is spending in Lucerne and meeting with the Sustainability team for some personal interaction.

But who exactly is this young woman who commutes between different places of work? The daughter of a classical dancer and a dance school teacher, Carla grew up in Barcelona. She also loves dancing. “But from my mother, I saw the strain that years of dancing places on the body,” says the 32-year-old. She herself, on the other hand, is consciously concerned about herself – and her surroundings. She has always been particularly fascinated by the conscious and responsible use of resources, nature and the earth.

24

Like winning the lottery Instead of heading for dance stage, Carla decided to study chemistry. A few years later, she realised that companies could also have a positive impact on the environment and society. When she saw the job advertisement as Project Manager for Sustainability at Emmi’s Bettinehoeve subsidiary in the Netherlands, Carla did not hesitate for long. The position gave her the opportunity to combine her personal values with her work. “I felt as if I had won the lottery when I got the job,” says Carla.

New beginnings in Holland At the end of January 2023, Carla moved to the Netherlands with two large suitcases on a wet and cold winter day, and two days later she started at the Emmi subsidiary. Not only was the weather bad on her first days at work, but everything else also felt

Carla Tur Mel·lo, Project Manager for Sustainability Bettinehoeve in Holland

like jumping into the deep end at first. “The whole administrative process, the housing search and all the forms, despite the support from HR, cost me a lot more energy than the new job,” she recalls.

By now, most of the uncertainties have subsided.

Carla is proud to have once again left her comfort zone and made a fresh start. The young woman does not regret her decision, on the contrary: “My job gives me a lot and allows me to grow.”

Inspiring sustainable action As part of Emmi’s Sustainability team and responsible for the focus issue “Reducing greenhouse gases”, Carla is committed to ensuring that Emmi meets its “netZERO” targets. She supports companies from all divisions with measures and projects that reduce greenhouse gases long term. Many measures are technical in nature, such as the installation of solar panels or renewable heat generation in a production plant. Carla also advises the Europe division on

sustainability issues. “I like to raise awareness and inspire people so that sustainability is no longer viewed in isolation but becomes part of our mindset.” So that Emmi ultimately succeeds in growing profitably and sustainably at the same time.

Prior to starting her job in the Netherlands, Carla lived and worked in Lyon (F) for three years. “I feel at home all over the world and love to travel and meet new people,” she says. During her studies, she spent several months in Germany and Bangkok. She admits that flying is also her biggest ecological vice.

It is almost impossible to commute between the Netherlands and Lucerne without flying. And from time to time, Carla is drawn back to her home city of Barcelona. Firstly, to work from home, and secondly, to reunite with family and friends.

And what is Carla’s personal wish so close to the end of the year? “I would like to play more football. I love playing Emmi football at Wednesday lunchtime in Lucerne,” laughs Carla, “and a very small flat here in Lucerne would be practical.” Otherwise, Carla wants nothing else. She trusts that things will work out well: “So far, life has shown me that I don’t always get what I want – but what makes me happy.”

Text Petra Troxler Photos Matthias Jurt 25

GROUP Emmi Landenbergstrasse 1 CH-6002 Lucerne Switzerland info@emmi.com www.emmi.com