“We turn risk into opportunity”

Text: Melanie Loos | Photography: Gaëtan Bally

What does innovation mean to you personally?

Innovation means progress and I believe it always starts with people. For me, innovation isn’t primarily a technology or process topic, but rather a human and cultural one that I can address and influence as CEO.

Where do you see your role as CEO in this?

In creating a future-ready portfolio that’s geared towards megatrends and ultimately growth, while at the same time developing a strong organisation where the best ideas and people can grow.

What does it take for a company to be innovative?

You can’t force innovation on people from the top down. What matters is a culture that fosters a growth mindset, psychological safety and grit.

How does Emmi embrace this?

We’ve always taken a holistic approach to innovation. From ingredients, over recipes, processing, packaging, to new business models and working alongside our suppliers and customers to make sustainable dairy the norm.

How is ‘holistic’ defined in relation to individual products? Can you give me any examples?

We introduced ‘Caffè Latte’ over 20 years ago in Switzerland and established a lifestyle of drinking cold coffee. ‘Caffè Latte’ is the pioneer, over the years we worked on improving ingredients, recipes and packaging. For instance, today we have a patented all-natural process, we have two ‘Double Zero’ versions with no sugar and no sweetener. And we introduced recyclable PET bottles and a more convenient, sustainable lid-concept.

Does that also include sustainability?

Yes. We made dairy product packaging recyclable – previously, PET milk bottles weren’t allowed back into the recycling process – and we’ve invested tens of millions in this. Emmi also contributed to ensuring that 100% of Swiss milk is now sustainable and an industry standard in Switzerland. Since 2022, we’re working with around 220 farms to reduce the carbon footprint per kilo of milk as well as food-to-feed and land competition in the project KlimaStaR.

Are you still pushing sustainability strategically, even against certain short-term trends?

We’ve been acting responsibly and sustainably for 118 years, since day one. It’s part of our DNA.

How is the innovation pipeline driven forward – through internal development, partnerships or acquisitions?

All of it. We have teams in 15 countries; they leverage and build on each other’s insights. So we adapt and scale proven concepts across markets. And of course, we also work with partnerships and external networks – from universities over research centres to customers and suppliers.

For example?

In Spain, we’ve just launched Emmi’s ‘I’m Your Meal’ concept under our local brand Kaiku and we introduced an adapted version of ‘Joghurt Pur’ in Brazil and a children’s version of it in England.

Does it always work?

Of course not – that's part of the innovation process. The moment you start expecting every new idea to succeed, you’ve stopped innovating and started managing. True innovation involves risk, iteration and learning from failure. Breakthroughs only come about because of the attempts that didn’t work.

Emmi has acquired several smaller companies. How much risk is involved?

Every acquisition carries risk – but with disciplined criteria across strategy, culture, and financials, we turn risk into opportunity. The greater danger would be standing still while the world moves forward.

What’s the most important driver of innovation for Emmi?

Innovation starts with the consumer and our customers – by deeply understanding their articulated needs and, just as importantly, uncovering the unarticulated ones. The biggest asset in this – apart from our innovation culture – is our natural product milk. It’s highly versatile and exceptionally nutrient-rich, and we can constantly reinvent it along evolving consumer needs.

Where are the limits of innovation?

Innovation creates lasting value only when it is guided by relevant consumer needs.

How does Emmi’s strategy adapt to global uncertainties?

By staying focused on executing our strategy, which continues to give us the right priorities. Our diversified portfolio and strong locally rooted organisation provide stability, while our biggest asset – our culture – keeps people united and turns challenges into opportunities.