Incredible amounts of resources are used to feed the world's population. Twenty-five percent of all greenhouse gas emissions come from agriculture, 70 percent of freshwater is used for agriculture, and one-third of all global energy is used for food production. At the same time, one-third of the food produced is wasted, and 20 percent of all deaths worldwide are directly linked to unhealthy diets. We therefore urgently need to produce more resource-efficiently and use raw materials to create healthier foods.

Every year, 2.8 million tons of avoidable food waste occur across all stages of the Swiss food chain. This produced but unconsumed food leads to unnecessary CO2 emissions, biodiversity loss, and land and water consumption. Food waste generates 25 percent of the environmental impact of Switzerland's entire diet, roughly equivalent to half of private motorized transport.

Upcycling whey and other byproducts of food production has enormous potential. Upcycling is a process of material enhancement in which materials are transformed into higher-quality products. Food-related upcycling involves using raw materials as ingredients that would otherwise be unconsumed and thus lost as food.

With new ideas, new technologies, and a lot of educational work, we can upgrade whey to create high-quality products, improve its taste, health benefits, and reputation, and make using whey financially attractive.

In ten years, we aim to be responsible for a 1 percent reduction in the environmental impact of all Swiss food waste and make an important contribution to promoting the circular economy in Swiss food production. The circular economy is a sustainable way of doing business. It is modeled on natural processes, which always function in cycles. In the linear production processes still prevalent today, raw materials are mined, products are manufactured, sold, consumed, and discarded, which leads to environmental pollution. In the circular economy, resource use, waste, emissions, and energy losses are minimized based on four different strategies:

• Regenerate: Improve natural ecosystems.
• Limit: Less resource consumption per product.
• Slow down: Reduce consumption and extend product life cycles through sharing, reusing, repairing and remanufacturing.
• Close: Recycling of no longer used products.

We aim for a gradual implementation of all four strategies. Our initial focus is on "limiting" by reducing resource consumption through the use of side streams. At the same time, we are committed to raising consumer awareness and encouraging more conscious consumption through campaigns and partnerships with other organizations. Wherever possible, we strive to use minimal and recyclable resources and operate locally to minimize transport routes.

We are also committed to regenerative agriculture. We invest a portion of our profits in projects that promote this type of "restorative" and resilient agriculture. Regenerative agriculture is not yet bound by any guidelines, but it is very similar to organic farming and, above all, takes local conditions into account. The goal is to create closed cycles and thus long-term sustainable and site-appropriate production systems, regenerate soil and ecosystems, produce healthy food, and contribute to climate regulation.

Of course, we can – and must – still improve in all areas. We don't aspire to be perfect, but we do strive to move step by step in the right direction. We question existing processes, seeking feasible solutions with intelligence and mindfulness. We invite you to take these steps with us, for a future with truly good food.

Sources

• Kopf-Bolanz et al., 2015 - Quantitative potential for the utilization of whey in food in Switzerland
• Beretta et al., 2019 - Food losses in Switzerland: environmental impact and prevention potential
• FOEN - Food waste
• FOEN - Circular Economy
• Bärtschi Daniel, 2021 - Book: The Earth Is What You Eat: Regenerative Agriculture for a Healthy Future