Test with dairy cows

Easily digestible food

"Young consumers are more critical of animal husbandry and cow feeding than previous generations," says Josef Braunshofer.(Bild: Daniel Scharinger, Markus Wenzel, Krone KREATIV)

Austria's largest dairy is turning many screws when it comes to sustainability. Berglandmilch, headed by Josef Braunshofer, is not only focusing on the methane emissions of its dairy cows, but also on the cheese packaging. This should continue to fulfill all functions, but also be easy to recycle.

Cows have fallen into disrepute as climate killers because they emit the greenhouse gas methane during the digestion process. "The quantities emitted have decreased significantly in Europe and also in Austria because there are far fewer cows than 100 years ago," says Josef Braunshofer.

However, the Managing Director of Berglandmilch, Austria's largest dairy, knows that the methane issue is on many people's minds: "Consumers want to consume dairy products with a clear conscience." The 61-year-old emphasizes: "We do a lot to ensure that we don't pollute the environment with the way our dairy cows are kept."

Herbal spice extracts on the test bench
Together with farmers, the use of natural feed additives in the diet of grass-eating cows is currently being tested: "We are using herbal spice extracts, such as coriander or cloves, which reduce methane emissions."

Together with farmers and employees, Austria's largest dairy is working on feed additives and new packaging.(Bild: Markus Wenzel)

The outfit of the products is also being worked on intensively. "Cheese packaging involves a lot of plastic. The moisture has to be regulated. Unlike drinking milk, there is no glass alternative," explains Braunshofer. The trend here is towards single-origin materials that are easy to process with a view to recycling.

As thin as possible
"We are also pushing the technical limits in terms of thinness," says Braunshofer, who talks about small optimization steps. The first new pane packs are already in circulation. The practical test will take a year to assess how the new packaging reacts to weather and the like.