As a manufacturer of premium products, the Emmi Group aspires to ensure that the food it produces always meets the highest quality and health requirements. Its responsibilities encompass processing high-quality raw materials, deliberately avoiding additives, reducing sugar, and handling and declaring allergens. The Group guarantees impeccable product quality and safety during storage, as well as during the production and transportation process.
Through its high-quality products, the Emmi Group contributes to the promotion of a balanced and healthy diet. Milk contains a variety of valuable macronutrients and micronutrients (fat, protein, carbohydrates, minerals and vitamins) in a form that is easily digestible for humans. A global analysis of 94 national dietary recommendations shows that dairy products are recommended as part of a healthy, daily diet in the vast majority of countries. The recommendations emphasise the positive effects on bone health, muscle development and the cardiovascular system (Global Review of Dairy Recommendations in Food-Based Dietary Guidelines, 2021). In order to feed the growing global population, the world relies on the use of grassland that is unsuitable for cultivation. Ruminants such as cows can convert biomass that is inedible for humans into a natural and high-quality source of food. Milk is therefore part of the solution for global food security. Milk also provides the income and livelihoods of around 240 million people worldwide (Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, 2016: The Global Dairy Sector: Facts) (see section 3.2 Sustainable dairy).
The Emmi Group produces dairy products with additional nutritional benefits. These include lactose-free dairy products and yogurts – products based on natural recipes with no artificial additives or with a high protein content and no added sugar.
The company takes into account the growing importance of vegan diets and their nutritional and environmental aspects. Vegan products provide dietary diversity for consumers who choose to avoid dairy products due to intolerances or a personal desire not to consume animal-based products and instead opt for a high-quality alternative.
In addition to legal and regulatory requirements, the Emmi Group is committed to the production of safe and high-quality food. In doing so, it meets consumer expectations and strengthens trust in the company, its products and its brand. This trust forms the foundation for the long-term success of the Emmi Group. Consumers also benefit from high-quality food, because it has a longer shelf life and can often be eaten beyond its best-before date. This can help to prevent or reduce food waste (see section 3.10 Food waste).
If, despite all precautionary measures, a defective product is put on sale that endangers the health or safety of consumers, a product recall may be necessary. Such a measure entails possible financial risks, negative consequences for the company’s reputation and a loss of consumer confidence.
High-quality products require high-quality raw materials that are cultivated and produced in a climate-conscious and environmentally friendly manner and in compliance with social criteria. The Emmi Group therefore promotes the use of suitable, more environmentally friendly packaging and production methods. These include reducing waste, using water and energy efficiently, and minimising GHG emissions.
A centralised department at Group level is responsible for global quality management. This department determines the strategic direction and supports the organisations in each country. Food safety and product quality are based on compliance with all legal and regulatory requirements, Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP) standards and a comprehensive, global Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point (HACCP) concept. The HACCP concept consists of a hazard analysis, a risk assessment and risk management in food production, distribution and logistics. It is used to approve new process equipment and procedures and is an integral part of the Emmi Group’s quality management system. Important elements of the concept are the preventive programmes, such as personal hygiene, cleaning systems, avoidance of cross-contamination (particularly with regard to allergens) and the design of the production environment. If the hazard analysis and risk assessment indicate a higher risk in certain locations, measures are taken to control, reduce or eliminate chemical, microbiological and physical hazards. These may be additional measuring parameters that are carried out randomly or on a continual basis, or automated measuring equipment that stops the entire process in the event of deviations.
Comprehensive food safety and quality management helps the Emmi Group to avoid incidents that could lead to significant quality failure costs or product recalls. Following a proactive improvement process, specific risks are assessed and additional preventive measures implemented. Depending on the product, the measures taken include quarantine, additional process controls to ensure packaging is properly sealed, or checking the oxygen content in the packaging.
When certifying its locations, the Emmi Group bases its approach on individual market requirements, the added value generated for the various stakeholders and the available resources. Division Switzerland has decided to continue to comply with the requirements of the ISO 9000 standard as a best practice in future. However, the certification itself will not be continued. Instead, the resources will be invested in the food safety standards required by the market. Baumann Käse and the logistics production sites in Zollikofen have now been certified to the higher FSSC 22000 standard.
In principle, different standards recognised by the Global Food Safety Initiative (GFSI) are applied: in the vast majority of cases, these are the FSSC 22000 standard (Food Safety System Certification), the IFS standard (International Featured Standards) and the BRCGS standard (Brand Reputation through Compliance Global Standards). GFSI standards are not required in all countries. In Mexico and Tunisia, the quality management systems continue to be certified in accordance with ISO 22000 (including the HACCP concept). Two of the four plants in Chile are likewise not certified in accordance with FSSC 22000. At the Brazilian company, the two powder production sites are FSSC 22000 certified. A comprehensive quality management system is applied in the other production areas, but this is not certified. In Switzerland, the large industrial production sites are FSSC 22000 and, in some cases, IFS certified. Three very small, artisanal production facilities belonging to the Emmi Group are not GFSI certified but, like all other sites, are subject to regular internal audits. All Mademoiselle Desserts companies are GFSI certified. As a result, 11 of the Emmi Group’s 76 production sites are not certified in accordance with a GFSI standard. Three other sites are partially certified.
The Emmi Group’s standards for food safety, hygiene and quality are continuously improved in accordance with the PDCA cycle (Plan-Do-Check-Act). The hazard analysis for the food safety of the products, raw materials and processes used is carried out in accordance with the standards set out in the Codex Alimentarius. The aim is to ensure the highest level of public health and consumer protection.
In addition to commonly used methods for checking the effectiveness of the quality management system (such as annual internal and external audits and the recording of key metrics), the Emmi Group conducts food safety sprints. The company uses these sprints to monitor processes and materials over an extended period, allowing for detailed insights into the effectiveness of the measures.
The Emmi Group assesses product quality based on multiple indicators. Key indicators include quality failure costs and critical incidents in the market such as returns and recalls. In addition, external complaints (see section 3.11 Responsible business conduct) and internal deviations are investigated locally. Numerous internal process controls inspect raw materials, semi-finished and finished goods as well as packaging. Microbiological controls ensure the production environment provides optimal conditions for food production.
The Emmi Group has been gradually reducing the sugar content of its products for many years. This minimises potential health risks for consumers and accustoms them to the associated taste changes on a gradual basis. The company keeps the sugar content as low as possible for newly launched products.
In its domestic market in Switzerland, the Emmi Group has achieved the target set out in the Milan Declaration of a 10% reduction in sugar content by 2024 compared to the 2019 baseline for yogurt and milk-based beverages as well as the product category quark, which was included later on. Another cross-sector agreement was signed for the period from 2025 to 2028 (see section 3.3.4 Outlook).
In markets with specific local legislation and market conditions, the local subsidiaries of the Emmi Group comply accordingly. One example is HFSS (high in fat, salt and sugar) products in the UK, for which the sugar content is prescribed by law (The Food (Promotion and Placement) (England) Regulations, 2021).
When it comes to product innovation and further development, the Emmi Group focusses on strategic growth areas. Vegan milk substitutes have played a role at the company for over 20 years. The Emmi Group manufactures these products in Switzerland, Spain, Austria, Italy and the USA. Product innovations are evaluated for their sustainability impact.
Within the Emmi Group, the R&D, New Business & Innovation, and Marketing departments pursue cross-departmental knowledge sharing on the subject of nutrition as part of their activities. The goal here is to make joint breakthroughs on the topic and ensure optimal use of synergy.
In the reporting year, the quality managers at the Emmi Group held virtual meetings approximately every two months to discuss strategic projects and exchange experiences.
The certification of the management system in accordance with ISO 9001 was no longer extended as of mid-2025. Sites that had not implemented the GFSI standard up to this point were subsequently certified in accordance with FSSC 22000 Broker or FSSC 22000 Logistics.
In summer 2025, the existing rapid test for antibiotic residues (Snaptest) was replaced with a new one (Milksafe). It provides more precise coverage of the required detection limits of the individual antibiotics and can be easily integrated into current testing programmes.
As part of the “Future PRP” (preventive programmes) project, the documentation of the quality management system at guideline level was revised and restructured in the reporting year. The project’s aim was to make it easier to find relevant information.
Leeb Biomilch once again achieved IFS Higher Level certification in the reporting year. The sprints launched in 2024 and the local action plan were continued. A focus was placed on strengthening the food safety culture, particularly in the areas of feedback, communication and employee engagement. The team made progress in process optimisation, which was highlighted as a positive element in the external IFS audit.
Emmi Bettine and Emmi Nutritional Solutions (ENS) have merged their quality monitoring teams. This enables the two production plants in Etten-Leur and Heerhugowaard to assist each other in their efforts to increase customer satisfaction. In addition, a new app for hygiene audits improves efficiency.
An optimised method for updating the almost 200 raw material specifications was developed at Emmi France in 2025. Based on ten criteria, including economic risk, supplier profile and supply chain, the method can also be used to assess potential food fraud.
To reduce the risk of damage, save costs and increase customer satisfaction, Emmi Deutschland optimised its storage and transportation logistics in the reporting year: the larger and more centralised warehouse location also allows for direct deliveries to customers.
The quality team of Emmi Dessert Italia (EDITA) monitored and addressed two outbreaks of viral animal diseases (foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) and lumpy skin disease (LSD)) at suppliers in the reporting year. The extended task force’s close collaboration with suppliers ensured business continuity and the continuation of exports to markets with strict biosecurity requirements. In addition, a daily, cross-functional sensory analysis was introduced at the Gattico plant to enhance product quality. At its sister company Pasticceria Quadrifoglio in Campogalliano, Italy, the strict standards of British retailers were established in collaboration with EDITA. Following successful customer audits, the first products were listed in the UK.
The quality and regulatory teams at Emmi Dessert USA and EDITA have jointly developed the product specifications for desserts from Rachelli for the US market, enabling a fast, smooth and compliant market entry in 2025.
At Emmi Roth USA, the measures implemented from the food safety sprints carried out at the Seymour site in 2024 led to a 71% reduction in product losses and a 39% reduction in customer complaints in the 2025 reporting year compared with the previous year.
In 2025, the first internal survey on quality culture was conducted at Cypress Grove, USA, with 82% employee participation. The average score was 5.3 (out of 6). Measures for improvement were derived in the areas of communication, GMP audits and hygiene training. One project aims to reduce defective packaging in the fresh disc product range and thus the number of complaints and quality failure costs by 25%. Specific hygiene training has been provided for the production teams and an additional visual inspection following cleaning has been introduced for the packaging team. The output volume of the coffee bottling production line was doubled. Various process improvements and new equipment led to NOP Organic certification being awarded in the reporting year.
At Darey Brands, USA, a cross-departmental project involving the procurement, production and quality assurance teams reduced the dosage of lactate by 50% at the Sebastopol site while maintaining product quality and safety. The Turlock site was awarded FSSC 22000 certification. All milk producers and both sites remain certified in accordance with the Humane Animal welfare Standard.
As part of the Despegamos (“We take off”) project, the quality department in Kaiku, Spain, oversaw the launch of many new products in close coordination with the innovation and marketing departments.
In September 2025, the “Release & Deviation” project was completed at Vitalait, Tunisia, resulting in the integration of a digitised process for quality approvals and deviations. The project outcomes included improved traceability, faster processing and safer decision-making. Another project was launched with the aim of digitising quality documents centrally and in compliance with standards (in accordance with ISO 22000).
At Quillayes Surlat, Chile, the introduction of a microbiological trend analysis that began in the previous year at the Victoria site was implemented at all plants in the reporting year. Numerous measures were implemented at the Loncoche and Victoria sites to improve cheese quality across the entire value chain. In addition, the RAFT (“Right At First Time”) concept was introduced with the aim of strengthening a continuous improvement process in line with the Emmi Group’s guidelines.
Laticínios Porto Alegre, Brazil, has successfully recertified its plants in Ponte Nova and Antônio Carlos to FSSC 22000. The SMETA (Sedex Members Ethical Trade Audit) audits at the plants in Ponte Nova and Mutum were conducted without any complaints.
For Emmi Schweiz AG, every product was checked during the reporting year with regard to its ingredients (composition) and labelling. In the case of private labels, testing was carried out by the respective customer and, in the case of use of quality marks, by the standard issuer of the quality mark.
During testing, three instances of non-compliance with guidelines and regulations or voluntary codes of conduct were identified, both with regard to product information and labelling and in terms of marketing and communication. In all three cases, the requirements of a labelling body were violated, resulting in minor sanctions being imposed. Lessons learned were derived from these incidents in order to avoid similar cases in the future, including raising awareness of label requirements in relevant specialist areas.
For competitive reasons, the Emmi Group does not publish key figures on product quality or safety at Group level.
The programmes CLEAN M (reduction or elimination of colourings and preservatives, emulsifying agents and artificial flavours) and NUTRI M (improvement of nutritional profiles, such as less sugar, salt and fat) were further expanded within the Mademoiselle Desserts Group in the reporting year. Under the CLEAN M programme, the additives E471 and E472 were removed from the recipes for tarte tropézienne. In addition, new products with a reduced sugar content were developed, including flans with up to 15% less sugar and desserts with a low glycaemic index (GI < 25). These products do not contain any sweeteners or sugar alcohols.
A physical meeting attended by the Emmi Group’s quality managers is scheduled to take place in 2026 with the aim of integrating new personnel and companies and working together on key issues.
The ongoing agreement signed voluntarily by the Emmi Group together with 20 other food companies in the reporting year aims to reduce the sugar content by a further 5% in yogurt products by the end of 2028 and by 10% in quark products and milk-based drinks (compared to 2024). The Mademoiselle Desserts Group aims to reduce the sugar content in its products by 8% by 2030 (compared to 2024).