The Swiss economy’s most important sustainability prize goes to New Roots. Today, the jury lead by former Federal Councillor Doris Leuthard honoured the Bern-based company as a true game changer for the country’s cheese producing industry. The reason? New Roots makes plant-based cheese and dairy products but uses traditional Swiss methods when doing so. This reduces CO2 emissions by up to 60% compared to conventional cheese made with cows’ milk. Each year the Green Business Award honours companies that combine ecological innovation with economic success.
Annual per capita consumption of cheese in Switzerland is around 23 kilograms. Many consumers are unaware that cheese has the second largest ecological footprint of any food – exceeded only by beef. The production of Swiss cheese is resource-intensive and indirectly dependent on state subsidies. In addition to this, animal feed must be imported from abroad. This is precisely the ecological problem that New Roots is addressing with its plant-based cheese and dairy products and has also won it the Green Business Award “With its mix of innovation and tradition New Roots is not only making an ecological impact but is also economically very successful,” says jury president Doris Leuthard regarding the decision.
Cheese alternatives that generate up to 60% lower CO₂ emissions than cow’s milk products
New Roots’ history began with a sports accident. To aid his recovery from the injury, former mountain bike professional Freddy Hunziker decided to change over to a vegan diet. What he really missed were tasty alternatives to cheese. So, working together with Alice Fauconnet, he began to look into alternatives to conventional cheese. Since 2016 New Roots has been developing, producing and selling plant-based, high-protein cheese and diary alternatives made from cashews, lupins or chickpeas. These products generate around 60% less CO₂ and use 40% less water than cow’s milk products, thus significantly reducing their ecological footprint. New Roots uses traditional Swiss production methods and works closely with local dairies and farming businesses. “Our goal is to preserve traditions while also enriching them with new ideas. That’s why we believe in the artisanal process of natural fermentation and maturing, which goes back hundreds of years. The only difference is that we use plant-based milk as the base ingredient,” says Alice Fauconnet, co-founder of New Roots. The company’s first products were sold at Thun’s weekly farmers’ market. Today, their plant-based cream cheese, fondue cheese and raclette alternatives can be found in branches of the Migros and Coop supermarket chains as well as in food and beverage outlets throughout Switzerland, Germany and Austria. New Roots also has plans for further expansion into other countries. It employs 40 workers at its headquarters in Oberdiessbach (Bern canton).
The Swiss economy’s most coveted sustainability prize
The Green Business Award was presented today at an event organised by Impact Gstaad. Co-founder Freddy Hunziker commented on the win: “Believing in something that doesn’t yet exist requires courage and determination. The Green Business Award is proof that our perseverance has paid off and we are on the right path.” Vegan dairy producer New Roots beat two other finalists: Algrano, the online marketplace for green coffee beans, and Selfrag, which recovers valuable resources from the clinker produced at waste incineration plants.
Since 2019, the Green Business Award has honoured companies that combine ecological innovation with economic success. “In cooperation with Impact Gstaad we provide our finalists with unique access to growth capital, enabling role models such as New Roots to make an international impact. In addition to this, we raise our finalists’ profiles, because change starts with role models,” says Cédric Habermacher, director of Green Business Switzerland. The selection process is based on a multistage procedure. The main jury is made up of 16 well-known personalities, including Mobiliar CEO Michèle Rodoni, Swiss Post CEO Roberto Cirillo and ETH professor Reto Knutti.
Source : Press release
