Emmi adds Käserei Studer to portfolio

Emmi has signed a purchase agreement for Käserei Studer AG in Hatswil near Amriswil, Switzerland. The company produces and distributes a selected range of semi-hard and hard cheese specialities. Its products are sold primarily in Switzerland and Germany. This acquisition will enable Emmi to expand its offering in the speciality cheese segment.

Emmi wants to further strengthen its position as a leading provider of Swiss cheese in Switzerland and internationally. The acquisition of Käserei Studer AG is another step in this direction, the company says. Emmi’s CEO Urs Riedener comments: “Käserei Studer has excellent know-how in the production of speciality cheeses and makes premium quality Swiss products. Emmi can help the company expand sales internationally. This is a win-win situation for both parties.”

Käserei Studer, which was founded in 1929, has been run by the same family for three ge-nerations. It generated sales of approximately CHF 20 million in 2012 and has a staff of 24 on a full-time-equivalent basis. The leading product, Der Scharfe Maxx, is a tangy semi-hard cheese matured over a period of six months that is very popular in Switzerland and Germany. Other products include: Wälle Chäs, a semi-hard cheese matured over 5 months; Le Baron, a semi-hard cheese matured over 12 months; Alter Schweizer, a hard cheese matured over 10 months;  Maxx 365, a hard cheese matured over 365 days; and Appenzeller.

Käserei Studer markets its products primarily via the Swiss and German retail trade. Forty percent of the production of Der Scharfe Maxx is exported, with most exports going to Germany.