Thanks to our close and regular contact with farmers – also via the Competence Center for Agriculture – we know exactly what moves them. The issue of a secure economic basis is a top priority and has become even more important in recent years. But for us as a food retailer, it is difficult to define when this economic security is given. We don’t negotiate directly with farmers, but with intermediaries such as dairies. We are changing this with the “Die Faire Milch x milprima” product by means of a three-party contract, in the spirit of a transparent partnership with local farmers.
So we approached Die Faire Milch (DFM) and considered how we could bring the farmers to the negotiating table as a third party. In this specific case, the FairFood producers’ cooperative. Together, we then set about overcoming the hurdles in terms of competition and antitrust law. Within a year – and we can be very proud of that – we had the contract ready. A pioneering work that can serve as a blueprint for other products and sectors. We have achieved a real pioneering achievement here with regard to domestic agriculture.
Another important point is that we are guided by the Milk Marker Index (MMI), which is open to scrutiny and reflects producer costs on a scientific basis. In this way, we have achieved our goal of strengthening the economic basis of farmers, the backbone of the domestic food supply. Now it is up to the customers to buy the milk and make the project a lasting success.
