The fenaco cooperative has existed in its present form for just 30 years. However, its origins date back 150 years. Here is a summary of the most important events in fenaco’s history.
On 27 October, fenaco officially opens the agricultural centre in Lyssach (Bern). Interdisciplinary teams of specialists from AGROLINE, Anicom, fenaco, LANDI, LANDOR, UFA and UFA Samen work together here at the 33,000 square metre site, centred around the largest seed warehouse in Switzerland and a plant protection warehouse equipped with a high-performance logistics platform.
fenaco celebrates its 30-year milestone with a three-part anniversary program: fenaco presents a public exhibition on the agriculture and food industry at the Swiss Museum of Transport in Lucerne and increases its profit-sharing scheme for members, while employees celebrate the big occasion at four regional anniversary parties.
fenaco and the Swiss Museum of Transport launch the new 'Farming Days' event format with numerous partners and attractions. On the first weekend in September each year, visitors can experience the Swiss agriculture and food industry at first hand.
fenaco and the Swiss Museum of Transport launch an exhibition entitled 'On pitchforks and drones: Farming today'. Visitors can discover the Swiss agriculture 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 run by the Foundation for Sustainable Nutrition through Swiss Agriculture, which are designed to promote understanding between urban and rural population groups.
fenaco commissions a representative study on the rural-urban divide from the Sotomo research institute with the aim of gaining a better understanding of the differences between urban and rural areas in Switzerland. The regular publication provides meaningful new facts on the relationship between town and countryside.
The opening of the new AGROLINE Bioprotect centre for sustainable crop protection in Aesch near Basel demonstrates the huge expansion of beneficial insect breeding capacity being undertaken by fenaco and its commitment to sustainable crop protection.
DiVino SA takes over the operations of wine producer Rutishauser Weinkellerei AG. The two companies will now trade under the joint name of Rutishauser-DiVino SA.
The new fenaco technology platform promotes innovation and new technologies within Swiss agriculture. It aims to accelerate the process of testing innovative sustainable crop protection methods and rolling them out to Swiss farmers.
The first AGROLA hydrogen filling station opens in Zofingen in Aargau, next to the LANDI site. fenaco and 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 enter into a strategic partnership. The aim of their first joint project is to launch a copper substitute for use in wine growing.
fenaco combines the strengths of its fenaco Crop Protection and UFA Samen Beneficial Insects units to launch the new AGROLINE brand.
fenaco and Provins enter into a strategic partnership. Valais-based Provins continues to operate as an independent company within fenaco.
fenaco becomes a member of digitalswitzerland. This partnership underscores fenaco’s ambition to play 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. Fifty companies and organisations, including fenaco, sign up to the initiative.
The Swiss federal government and a wide range of industry stakeholders, including fenaco, sign the Charter on the Digitalisation of Swiss Agriculture and Food Production.
After two years of construction and an investment of around CHF 40 million, fenaco begins operating its transshipment platform and grain collection centre at Auhafen in Muttenz near Basel.
Thanks to the positive performance of its business, fenaco is able to launch a profit-sharing scheme for LANDI members to mark its 25th anniversary. During the first year, over 11,000 farmers sign up to the programme.
fenaco acquires the Swiss Grana Group’s grain trading business, enabling it to enter the international grain market.
fenaco acquires Cadar SA, based in Fleurier (Neuchâtel). The retail wholesaler will continue to trade as an independent company. The acquisition provides a boost to the expansion of Volg’s network of stores in western Switzerland.
fenaco acquires a majority interest in the renowned CLAAS-authorised sales partner Dousset Matelin, based in Neuville-de-Poitou, France. This acquisition strengthens the agricultural equipment business sector and is the first instance of cross-border knowledge transfer in this sector.
fenaco and Agroscope sign a framework agreement expanding their research collaboration. Initial joint projects are launched in relation to fruit-growing, vegetable cultivation and cereal seed. fenaco also supports the new ETH Professorial Chair of Molecular Planting Breeding by means of a donation to the ETH Zurich Foundation.
LANDI Schweiz AG’s logistics are built around two large distribution centres: an existing facility located at the headquarters in Dotzigen (Bern) and a new site with excellent transport links in Lahr, Germany. The latter is operated by LahrLogistics, a joint venture between fenaco and the ZG Raiffeisen cooperative.
Pierre-André Geiser is elected President of fenaco’s Board of Directors, succeeding Lienhard Marschall.
fenaco acquires a majority interest in photovoltaic systems 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 is 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 Agricultural Products opens new centres of excellence in Bätterkinden (Bern) and Perroy (Vaud).
As part of the reorganisation undertaken in 2012, all business activities related to energy are brought together in a new department.
Martin Keller is elected CEO of fenaco’s Executive Board, succeeding Willy Gehriger.
Founded in 1947, Serco Landtechnik AG was known as Service Company AG until 2009. On becoming part of fenaco in 2009 and 2010, it is now known as Serco Landtechnik AG.
fenaco acquires catering supplier Kellenberger Frisch Service of Zurich. Today, Kellenberg is one of the trading companies of frigemo, a fenaco company. Other trading companies are to join later.
Steffen-Ris is 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 begins operating a new logistics platform in Dotzigen in the canton of Bern, supplying LANDI stores.
Stone fruit specialist Union-Fruits joins fenaco and is now a centre of excellence within fenaco Agricultural Products.
In 2005, Pomdor AG and Granador AG merge to form Unidrink AG, subsequently renamed RAMSEIER Suisse AG in 2008.
Lienhard Marschall is elected President of fenaco’s Board of Directors, succeeding Thomas Schmid.
With its takeover of Ernst Sutter AG, headquartered in Gossau (St. Gallen), fenaco acquires one of the largest company groups in the meat processing and production sector.
Willy Gehriger is elected Chief Executive Officer of fenaco’s Executive Board, succeeding Ulrich Schlup.
UFA AG begins operating the Biblis compound feed plant in Herzogenbuchsee (Bern). It is the largest, most cutting-edge facility of its kind in Switzerland at the time.
The first filling station convenience store opens. The LANDIs operate around 100 of these TopShops, supplied by the fenaco company Volg.
The fenaco company Pomdor, which is known today as RAMSEIER Suisse AG, acquires Elm Mineral Springs from Feldschlösschen Getränke AG, making fenaco one of Switzerland’s largest drinks producers.
Orador AG and UFAG Sursee merge to create today’s UFA AG, Switzerland’s leading animal nutrition company. UFAG Laboratories AG, a company operating in the food and pharmaceutical analysis sector, is also established that year.
The original six founding regions regroup to form four: Western Switzerland, the Swiss Plateau, Central Switzerland and Eastern Switzerland.
On 24 September 1993, representatives of six cooperative associations (UCAR, FCA, VLG, NWV, VLGZ and VOLG) sign a merger agreement at the Restaurant Linde in Uettligen in the canton of Bern, and the fenaco cooperative is born. Thomas Schmid and Ulrich Schmid take the helm as the first President of the Board of Directors and the first Chief Executive Officer 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.
