The fenaco cooperative has existed in its present form for 30 years. However, its origins date back 150 years. A summary of the most important events in fenaco’s history.
On October 27, fenaco officially opens the agricultural center in Lyssach (BE). Specialists from AGROLINE, Anicom, fenaco, LANDI, LANDOR, UFA and UFA-Samen work together here on 33,000 square meters on an interdisciplinary basis. The centerpiece is the largest seed warehouse in Switzerland and a plant protection warehouse with a high-performance logistics platform.
fenaco is celebrating its 30th anniversary with a three-part anniversary program: fenaco is presenting the public with an exhibition on agriculture and the food industry at the Museum of Transport in Lucerne, the fenaco profit-sharing scheme is being increased for members, and employees are celebrating the anniversary at four regional anniversary parties.
fenaco and the Swiss Museum of Transport launch the new event format «Farming Days» with numerous partners and attractions. On the first weekend in September each year, visitors can experience the Swiss agricultural and food industry at first hand.
fenaco and the Swiss Museum of Transport open the exhibition «Of pitchforks and drones: agriculture today». Visitors can discover the Swiss agricultural and food industry and its technical innovations in a playful and interactive way in the new multi-year exhibition.
fenaco is committed to the dialogue between town and country. It thus provides CHF 10 million for projects of the Foundation for Sustainable Nutrition through Swiss Agriculture. They promote understanding between urban and rural population groups.
fenaco commissiones the Sotomo research institute to prepare a representative urban-rural study with the aim of gaining a better understanding of differences between urban and rural areas in Switzerland. It is published regularly and provides meaningful and new facts on the relationship between towns and countryside.
The opening of the new centre for sustainable crop protection AGROLINE Bioprotect in Aesch near Basel demonstrated the huge expansion of beneficial insect breeding capacity being undertaken by fenaco and its commitment to sustainable crop protection.
DiVino SA took over the operations of wine producer Rutishauser Weinkellerei AG. In the future, the two companies will trade under the joint name Rutishauser-DiVino SA.
The new technology platform promotes innovation and new technologies within Swiss agriculture. It aims to test innovative sustainable crop protection methods and to roll these out rapidly to Swiss farmers.
The first AGROLA hydrogen filling station opened in Zofingen (AG), next to LANDI’s Zofingen store. fenaco und AGROLA are members of the H2 Mobility Switzerland Association, which aims to establish a nationwide network of hydrogen filling stations across Switzerland.
fenaco and the Research Institute of Organic Agriculture FiBL entered a strategic partnership. The aim of the first joint project was to launch a copper substitute for the viticulture industry.
Fenaco combined the strengths of its fenaco Pflanzenschutz and UFA-Samen Nützlinge divisions to launch the new AGROLINE brand.
fenaco and Provins entered a strategic partnership. Provins continues to operate as an independent Valaisian company within fenaco.
fenaco became a member of digitalswitzerland. This partnership underscores fenaco’s ambition to take a pioneering role in smart farming.
The Swiss Federal government’s electromobility roadmap is designed to increase the number of electric vehicles on the road. 50 firms and organisations, including fenaco, committed themselves to the initiative.
The Swiss Federal government and a wide range of industry stakeholders, including fenaco, signed the Charter on the Digitalisation of the Swiss Agriculture and Food Industry.
After two years of construction and around 40 million francs of investment, fenaco began operating its transshipment platform and grain reception point in Auhafen von Muttenz (BL).
Thanks to a positive business performance, fenaco was able to launch a profit-sharing scheme for LANDI members to mark its 25th anniversary. During the first year, over 11,000 farmers registered for the programme.
fenaco acquired the Swiss Grana Group’s grain-trade business, enabling it to enter the international grain market.
fenaco acquired Cadar AG, based in Fleurier (NE). The retail wholesaler will continue to trade as an independent company in the future. The acquisition provided a boost to the expansion of Volg’s network of stores in Romandy.
fenaco acquired the majority shareholding in renowned CLAAS retail partner Dousset Matelin located in Neuville-de-Poitou, France. This acquisition strengthened the agricultural technology business area and represented the first cross-border knowledge transfer in this sector.
To expand their collaboration, fenaco and Agroscope signed a framework agreement for their research partnership. Initial joint projects were launched in the fruit-growing, vegetable-growing and cereal seed sectors. fenaco also supports the new ETH Professorial Chair in Molecular Planting Breeding through its donation to the ETH Zurich Foundation.
LANDI Schweiz AG’s logistics are built around two large distribution centres: the existing centre located at the headquarters in Dotzigen (BE) and a new one with excellent transport links in Lahr, Germany. It is operated by LahrLogistics, a joint venture between fenaco and the ZG Raiffeisen cooperative.
Pierre-André Geiser was elected Chair of fenaco’s Board of Directors, succeeding Lienhard Marschall.
fenaco acquired a majority share of the photovoltaic plant manufacturer Solvatec AG, thereby further cementing its position in the energy sector as a sustainable provider for producers and consumers in rural areas.
The IT service provider Bison was fully acquired by fenaco. Bison is one of Switzerland’s leading IT providers and specialises in the development and rollout of business software for SMEs.
fenaco Landesprodukte opened new centres of excellence in Bätterkinden (BE) and Perroy (VD).
As part of the reorganisation undertaken in 2012, all business activities related to energy were brought together under a new department.
Martin Keller was elected Chair of fenaco’s Management Board, succeeding Willy Gehriger.
Founded in 1947, Serco Landtechnik AG was known as Service Company AG until 2009. Since becoming part of fenaco in 2009 and 2010, it has been known as Serco Landtechnik AG.
Catering supplier Kellenberger Frisch Service in Zurich was acquired by fenaco. Today, Kellenberg is part of the trading companies of the fenaco company, frigamo. Other trading companies joined later.
Steffen-Ris was integrated into fenaco. The company sells potatoes, carrots, onions, bananas, stone fruits and berries and is now a centre of excellence within Inoverde.
LANDI Schweiz AG began operating a new logistics platform in Dotzigen (BE), supplying LANDI stores.
Stone fruit specialists Union fruits joined fenaco and is now a centre of excellence within fenaco Landesprodukte.
In 2005, Pomdor AG and Granador AG merged to form Unidrink AG, which was subsequently renamed RAMSEIER Suisse AG in 2008.
Lienhard Marschall was elected Chair of fenaco’s Board of Directors, succeeding Thomas Schmid.
With its acquisition of Ernst Sutter AG, headquartered in Gossau (SG), fenaco took over one of the largest corporations in the meat processing and production sector.
Willy Gehriger was elected Chair of fenaco’s Management Board, succeeding Ulrich Schlup.
UFA AG began operating the Biblis compound feed plant in Herzogenbuchsee (BE). It was the largest, most cutting-edge facility of its kind in Switzerland at the time.
The first filling station convenience store opened. These days, LANDI cooperatives now operate around 100 of these TopShops supplied by the fenaco company Volg.
The fenaco company Pomdor, which is known today as RAMSEIER Suisse AG, acquired the Elm Mineral Springs from major beverage and brewing company Feldschlösschen Getränke AG, making fenaco one of Switzerland’s largest drinks producers.
Orador AG and UFAG Sursee merged to create today’s UFA AG, Switzerland’s leading animal nutrition company. UFAG Laboratories AG was also established in the same year, operating in the food and pharmaceutical analysis sector.
The six founding regions merged to form the four entities of Western Switzerland, the Swiss Plateau, Central Switzerland and Eastern Switzerland.
On 24 September 1993, representatives from six cooperative associations (UCAR, FCA, VLG, NWV, VLGZ and VOLG) signed the merger agreement at Restaurant Linde in Uettligen (BE), and the fenaco cooperative was born with Thomas Schmid and Ulrich Schmid at the helm as the first Chair of the Board of Directors and the first Chair of the Management Board, respectively.
Around 150 years ago, during a period of crisis, far-sighted farmers in many western European countries began establishing self-help cooperatives for the procurement and distribution of agricultural products. Switzerland was no exception. At the end of the 19th century, the local cooperatives here united to form nine regional cooperative associations which took on key functions for their members and quickly launched partial cooperative partnerships.
