At the General Assembly of Vorarlberg Milch Egen on Monday evening in the Otten Gravor in Hohenems, the cooperative members made a directional decision. On the agenda, the final report for the past financial year and above all the decision on the future plan presented for the domestic milk cooperative – the planned transaction With the NÖM AG. The farmers present appreciate the cooperation with the Lower Austrian company and therefore voted with a large majority for the application submitted.
At the General Assembly of Vorarlberg Milch Egen on Monday evening in the Otten Gravor in Hohenems, the most important point was the decision about the prepared and presented future plan on the agenda. The latter provides for a major cooperation with or a division with the leading Austrian milk processing company, NÖM AG from Baden near Vienna. The corresponding application was 96.47 Percent, thus clear approval. “This cooperation is the basis for a positive further development of our cooperative. We are very happy that our members have recognized the great opportunity and followed our proposal so clearly”
chairman Robert Spiegel and chairman of the supervisory board is happy. With the decision, the farmers will also secure a milk price of approx. 5 cents higher for GVO-free milk from June 1, 2025.
Cooperative model is retained
Specifically and subject to the consent of the Federal Competition Authority, the agreement on the “Future Plan” of the Vorarlberg Milch includes a direct participation of the Vorarlberg Milch Egen of 3 % in NÖM AG. The production company in Feldkirch is brought into an independent company, Vorarlberg Milch GmbH. As part of the NÖM AG, this will continue the operational operation at the location. In the course of the reorganization, the Vorarlberg Milk Egen receives one of nine seats on the supervisory board of the NÖM AG and thus a strong voice in this important decision -making body. MGN managing director Leopold Gruber-Doberer congratulates the decision made: “Like us, Vorarlberg’s dairy farming remains organized to represent their common interests. It follows our already established and good model at the MGN, the milk cooperative in Lower Austria. We are also a cooperative of a total of 2,200 milk farmers who deliver their milk to NÖM AG and are involved in around 35 percent in this.”
Feldkirch is the cheese competence center
“Everyone involved will benefit,” emphasizes NÖM board member Josef Simon and adds: “The Feldkirch location has a very high level of competence in the production of hard and cut cheese and is supposed to become our competence center in this area. For NÖM AG, Feldkirch also becomes a bridge head in the direction of the important sales market in Italy.”
“We are planning further investments in the dairy and the production infrastructure and will significantly increase the amount of milk processing of the Vorarlberg milk over the next few years,” says Josef Simon the economic goals.
“Ländle Milch” is preserved
Nothing changes for consumers. Furthermore, the well -known and popular product range is offered on the domestic shelves under the “Ländle Milch” brand.
Raimund Wachter, long -time managing director of Vorarlberg Milch, leaves the dairy
After 29 years, the long -time managing director Raimund Wachter announced at the General Assembly to leave the Vorarlberg milk. For an orderly and successful completion of the transaction with NÖM AG and the strategy process, which he has played and designed significantly, it will be preserved for the company in the coming months. “With this important milestone and the clear approval of 96.47 percent of our members for the new target structure with the strong partner NÖM AG, my task at Vorarlberg is fulfilled. I am very pleased that our farmers go the new way,” says Wachter. Chairman Robert Spiegel and Chairman of the Supervisory Board Norbert Sieber would like to thank Raimund Wachter for the excellent performance over the past 29 years, 27 years as managing director, and the associated positive development of Vorarlberg Milch.
Finishing year 2024
In 2024, the Vorarlberg Milch Egen processed around 55 million kilograms of milk with 125 employees, which was provided by 440 milk suppliers. On average, the company was able to pay a milk price of 49.6 cents per kilogram (including VAT) and generate sales of around EUR 56 million. 24 percent of the products were exported abroad. With the important cheese awards, the World Cheese Award in Portugal, a very good result was achieved again: among the 4,200 types of cheeses from 40 countries, the Vorarlberg milk achieved four gold, two silver and three bronze awards.
About the Vorarlberg milk
Vorarlberg Milch is a well -known milk processing company from Feldkirch in Vorarlberg. In its legal form, the company is organized as a registered cooperative, the members or owners of which are also the milk suppliers, namely around 440 Vorarlberg farmers between the Arlberg and Lake Constance. The Vorarlberg Milch Egen recently processed a amount of milk of around 55 million kilograms (2024) with currently 125 employees, including six apprentices. The products are successfully marketed under the “Ländle Milch” brand at home and abroad.
About the NÖM AG:
The Lower Austrian dairy stands for an enjoyable future. The highest quality standards are fulfilled in accordance with the awareness of social responsibility.
Behind all Lower Austria products are committed family businesses from the region that do their best every day for humans, land and animals. With a lived social commitment, the NÖM AG supports its regional environment, is considered a strong employer in the region and stands for entrepreneurial foresight and innovation. The dairy also acts with a high understanding of consumers, many years of expertise for food trends and permanent investment in new technologies. NÖM is a regionally anchored, successful European company that continuously serves the national and international market with product innovations from Baden near Vienna. Around 2,200 dairy farmers from the region supply the NÖM annually with approximately 450 million kilograms of raw milk. The company currently employs 1,000 people and generated sales of around 685 million euros in 2024. www.noem.at