The last four years of cheese market deregulation in Switzerland have opened up the country to EU cheeses with record imports just short of 47,000 tonnes in 2010, a figure 6% higher than that of the previous year and 40% more than in 2007 when deregulation began.

All this has spurred the country’s leading cheese company, Emmi, to increase its business through purchase and establishment of stronger export sales for top quality Swiss cheeses.

Emmi’s latest move in this direction has been the takeover this July of Rutz Cheese, one of the most active exporters of Appenzeller and St Gallen Klosterkase. Rutz was expected to earn something in the region of CHF40 million (EUR34.5m) this year with 40% of this from exports. The deal is still pending approval by the Swiss Federal Competition Commission (COMCO) but has already been welcomed by Emmi CEO Urs Riedner as fitting in well with his company’s strategy of building up its position at home and abroad as a leader in cheese production and supply. “The international business of Rutz takes us a further step forward in securing our position in the highly competitive cheese business,” he comments. No purchase price has been disclosed. Among other cheeses produced, matured and packaged by Rutz are Le Gruy&egrave,re AOC, Emmental AOC and a range of raclette products.