Fenaco

Fenaco is active in providing products and services to farmers as well as in processing and marketing farmers' products in its retail chains. According to a 2005 article in the Neue Zürcher Zeitung, Fenaco has a "dominant role in many agricultural sectors".{{cite web |url=https://www.nzz.ch/articleCNPMM-1.106333 |title=Der (un)heimliche Agrar-Riese Fenaco im Visier |author= |date=13 March 2005 |website=Neue Zürcher Zeitung |access-date=15 April 2020 |quote=Die Genossenschaft Fenaco hat im letzten Jahr einen nicht konsolidierten Umsatz von über 6 Mrd. Fr. erzielt und nimmt in vielen Agrarbereichen eine beherrschende Rolle ein.|language=de}} In 2009, it was placed on position 172 of the Deloitte list of the world's largest 250 producers of consumer goods, although it operates only in Switzerland.{{cite web |url=https://www.nzz.ch/fenaco_schweiz_agrarmarkt_weko-1.5803099 |title=Hinter Fenaco steckt geballte Marktmacht |author=Christoph Stricker |date=26 May 2010 |website=Neue Zürcher Zeitung |access-date=15 April 2020|language=de}}

Enterprises or labels of Fenaco are the beverage company Ramseier Suisse, meat producer Ernst Sutter AG, food producer Frigemo, the retailers Volg (small supermarkets) and Landi, fertiliser retailer Landor, animal feed producer UFA AG, and mineral oil company Agrola.{{Cite web |date=2012-06-11 |title="Schöne Produkte, aber kein Volumen" |url=https://www.foodaktuell.ch/2012/06/11/aschane-produkte-aber-kein-volumena/ |access-date=2023-11-08 |website=foodaktuell |language=de-DE}} As these names are better known to the general public than Fenaco who owns them, it has also been called "the silent giant".{{cite web |url=https://www.bazonline.ch/wirtschaft/unternehmen-und-konjunktur/der-stille-riese-fenaco-will-bauernhoefe-digitalisieren/story/21030849 |title=Der stille Riese Fenaco will Bauernhöfe digitalisieren |author=Mischa Stünzi |date=15 May 2019 |website=Basler Zeitung |access-date=15 April 2020|language=de}} Altogether, Fenaco owns 80 subsidiary companies.{{cite web |url=https://syna.ch/aktuell/fenaco-der-unbekannte-riese |title=Fenaco – der unbekannte Riese |author= |date=18 April 2019 |publisher=Syna |access-date=15 April 2020|language=de}} Swiss trade union Syna has a "social partnership" (a term for a cooperative relationship between trade unions and employer's associations) with Fenaco.

Fenaco has over 11,300 employees and in 2024 had a sales revenue of 7.3 billion Swiss francs.{{cite web |url=https://www.fenaco.com/en/about-us/facts-and-figures |title=Facts and figures |publisher=Fenaco |access-date=13 May 2025}} In 2022, Fenaco was ranked 39th in the list of the largest companies in Switzerland.{{Cite web |title=So verteilen sich die grössten Firmen in der Schweiz – das Muster ist deutlich |url=https://www.watson.ch/!271055799 |access-date=2023-11-08 |website=Watson|language=de}}

Fenaco is the largest company actually owned by Swiss farmers. The original idea was that farmers should be both customers and suppliers of "their" Landi cooperative, i.e. they would buy their means of production as well as sell their products there. Today, however, there are no longer any contractual obligations. Fenaco and its member cooperatives sell production resources (seeds, feed, plant food and others) to farmers for the production of food. In return, Fenaco buys the farmers' products, especially seeds, grains, oilseeds, potatoes, cattle, eggs, corn, vegetables and fruits. Fenaco markets the products and partially processes them through subsidiaries.{{Cite web |last=Bühlmann |first=Raphael |date=2018-10-10 |title=Fenaco: Von der "Gnossi" zum Agrarkonzern Landwirtschaft |url=https://www.luzernerzeitung.ch/meinung/fenaco-von-der-gnossi-zum-agrarkonzern-landwirtschaft-ld.1060358 |access-date=2023-11-08 |website=Luzerner Zeitung |language=de}}

The most important areas of activity are:

• Manufacture, import and trade of agricultural goods
• Purchase, storage, processing and marketing of agricultural products
• Trade in grain and oilseeds as well as fuels

Fenaco owns the transport company Traveco.{{Cite web |date=2017-12-08 |title=Fenaco-Tochter Traveco expandiert im Getränketransport – in Rothrist gibt es eine neue Zentrale |url=https://www.luzernerzeitung.ch/aargau/kanton-aargau/fenaco-tochter-traveco-expandiert-im-getranketransport-in-rothrist-gibt-es-eine-neue-zentrale-ld.1470767 |access-date=2023-11-08 |website=Luzerner Zeitung |language=de}} In October 2014, Fenaco took over all shares of Bison, which operates in the IT sector.{{Cite web |last= |first= |title=Fenaco übernimmt Bison, Fehlmann nimmt den Hut |url=https://www.itreseller.ch/Artikel/78620/Fenaco_uebernimmt_Bison_Fehlmann_nimmt_den_Hut.html |access-date=2023-11-08 |website=Swiss IT Reseller |language=de}} Fenaco publishes the largest Swiss agricultural magazine, the UFA-Revue.{{Cite news |last=Angeli |first=Thomas |last2=Hostettler |first2=Otto |date=2016-09-27 |title=Die Macht der Bauern |language=de-CH |url=https://www.beobachter.ch/politik/die-macht-der-bauern-16486 |access-date=2023-11-08 |issn=1661-7444}} Union-Fruits SA was taken over in 2007 and Steffen-Ris AG in 2008. Both companies were later liquidated, while the names continued as brands as part of the strategic business unit Inoverde (formerly: Fenaco Landesprodukte).{{Cite web |title=fenaco National Products becomes Inoverde |url=https://www.fresh-market.info/fruitsandvegetables/fruits/pears/fenaco-national-products-becomes-inoverde-2020277150 |access-date=2023-11-08 |website=www.fresh-market.info |language=en}}{{Cite web |last= |title=Aus Fenaco Landesprodukte wird Inoverde |url=https://www.nau.ch/news/schweiz/aus-fenaco-landesprodukte-wird-inoverde-66411599 |access-date=2023-11-08 |website=Nau |language=de}} Inoverde, in turn, reports to the Division Lebensmittelindustrie (Food Industry Division). At the beginning of 2011, Fenaco took over Biomill AG (small animal feed) from Groupe Minoteries.{{Cite web |date=2018-10-03 |title=Fenaco gibt Biomill auf |url=https://www.schweizerbauer.ch/markt-preise/marktmeldungen/fenaco-gibt-biomill-auf/ |access-date=2023-11-08 |website=www.schweizerbauer.ch |language=de}} In 2015, the majority of Solvatec AG, based in Basel, was taken over, which later would be fully integrated into Agrola.{{Cite web |date=2015-04-13 |title=Wirtschaft - Vom Landwirt zum Energiewirt: Fenaco steigt ins Solargeschäft ein |url=https://www.srf.ch/news/wirtschaft/wirtschaft-vom-landwirt-zum-energiewirt-fenaco-steigt-ins-solargeschaeft-ein |access-date=2023-11-08 |website=Schweizer Radio und Fernsehen (SRF) |language=de}}{{Cite web |last= |title=Agrola mit Schweizer Solarpreis 2021 und Solarpreis-Diplomen ausgezeichnet |url=https://www.wirtschaftszeit.ch/news/agrola-mit-schweizer-solarpreis-2021-und-solarpreis-diplomen-ausgezeichnet/ |access-date=2023-11-08 |website= |language=de}} Fenaco also operates its own photovoltaic systems. The largest plant, with an electricity production of around 1.2 GWh per year, was put into operation at the Bätterkinden site in 2019.{{Cite web |title=Fenaco mit grösster Photovoltaik-Anlage |url=https://www.bauernzeitung.ch/artikel/landtechnik/fenaco-mit-groesster-photovoltaik-anlage-361445 |access-date=2023-11-08 |website=bauernzeitung.ch |language=de-CH}} In 2018, the grain trading activities of the Swiss Grana Group were taken over.{{Cite web |date=2018-04-17 |title=Fenaco übernimmt Getreidehändler |url=https://www.schweizerbauer.ch/markt-preise/marktmeldungen/fenaco-uebernimmt-getreidehaendler/ |access-date=2023-11-08 |website=www.schweizerbauer.ch |language=de}} In 2020, the majority (70%) of Provins was acquired.{{Cite web |date=2020-04-17 |title=Fenaco kann Provins übernehmen |url=https://www.schweizerbauer.ch/politik-wirtschaft/agrarwirtschaft/fenaco-kann-provins-uebernehmen/ |access-date=2023-11-08 |website=www.schweizerbauer.ch |language=de}} DiVino AG, which had already merged with Wein AG, VOLG Weinkellereien AG and Caves Garnier AG, merged with the Rutishauser Weinkellerei AG from Scherzingen to form Rutishauser-DiVino AG in 2021.{{Cite web |date=2021-04-01 |title=DiVino und Rutishauser fusionieren zur Rutishauser-DiVino SA {{!}} fenaco |url=https://www.fenaco.com/artikel/divino-und-rutishauser-fusionieren-zur-rutishauser-divino-sa |access-date=2023-11-08 |website=www.fenaco.com |language=de}} As of April 1, 2022, Fenaco took over Green Pack Swiss and Bio Pack Swiss, thereby strengthening the organic and demeter areas.{{Cite web |date=2022-03-16 |title=Fenaco kauft in der Romandie hinzu |url=https://www.schweizerbauer.ch/markt-preise/marktmeldungen/fenaco-kauft-in-der-romandie-hinzu/ |access-date=2023-11-08 |website=www.schweizerbauer.ch |language=de}} In addition, the Fenaco subsidiary Serco Landtechnik of Groupe Serco is the exclusive importer of Claas.{{Cite web |title=Internationale Kompetenz gewinnt an Bedeutug |url=https://www.barto.ch/docs/Presseartikel/LT_06_2021_Fenaco.pdf |access-date=2023-11-08 |website=Barto |language=de}}

Switzerland was considered a crop producing country until the 1880s. This changed with Switzerland's construction of the railway. With the help of the new means of transport, cheap grain could be imported. Out of necessity, agricultural cooperatives were founded as self-help organizations for farmers.{{Cite web |last=Moser |first=Peter |date=2019-04-03 |title=Die Modernisierung der Schweizer Landwirtschaft |url=https://blog.nationalmuseum.ch/2019/04/modernisierung-der-schweizer-landwirtschaft/ |access-date=2023-11-08 |website=Blog zur Schweizer Geschichte - Schweizerisches Nationalmuseum |language=de-DE}} Fenaco was founded in 1993 as a merger of six existing agricultural cooperative federations with roots in the late 19th century:{{cite web |url=https://www.fenaco.com/en/about-fenaco|title=About fenaco |publisher=Fenaco |access-date=April 11, 2020}}{{Cite web |title=50 Jahre Wertbeständigkeit |url=https://www.anicom.ch/acslight/static/Webnews/WEBNEWS.2016-11-21-15.37.31.000.Anicom_Jubi_50J_de2.pdf |access-date=2023-11-09 |website=Anicom |language=de}}

• Union des coopératives agricoles romandes UCAR
• Association of agricultural cooperatives of the Canton of Friborg (French Fédération des coopératives agricoles du Canton de Fribourg, FCA), based in Fribourg
• Association of agricultural cooperatives of Bern and neighboring cantons, VLG Bern, based in Bern
• Northwest Association of Agricultural Cooperatives NWV /Association of Agricultural Cooperatives of Northwestern Switzerland (VLGN), based in Solothurn
• Association of Agricultural Cooperatives of Central Switzerland (VLGZ), based in Sursee
• Association of Eastern Swiss agricultural cooperatives (VOLG), based in Winterthur

Willy Gehriger, who was awarded the Agro-Star Suisse in 2013, played a key role in the merger. Gehriger was head of Fenaco from 2002 to 2012.{{Cite web |date=2013-02-22 |title=Agro-Star-Preis geht an Willy Gehriger |url=https://www.tagblatt.ch/ostschweiz/stgallen-gossau-rorschach/agro-star-preis-geht-an-willy-gehriger-ld.383514 |access-date=2023-11-09 |website=St. Galler Tagblatt |language=de}} Previously, co-founder Ulrich Schlup was the first chairman of the management board.{{Cite web |title=Erster Fenaco-Chef Ulrich Schlup verstorben |url=https://www.bauernzeitung.ch/artikel/organisationen-firmen/erster-fenaco-chef-ulrich-schlup-verstorben-363170 |access-date=2023-11-09 |website=bauernzeitung.ch |language=de-CH}} Martin Keller has held the position since 2012.{{Cite web |date=2009-12-08 |title=Fenaco: Martin Keller wird ab 1. Juli 2012 neuer Geschäftsleiter |url=https://www.swissinfo.ch/ger/fenaco--martin-keller-wird-ab-1--juli-2012-neuer-geschaeftsleiter/7855618 |access-date=2023-11-09 |website=SWI swissinfo.ch |language=de}}

In 1995, the Cisag S.A. in Cressier, NE was taken over.{{Cite web |last=AG |first=DV Bern |title=fenaco Genossenschaft |url=https://be.chregister.ch/cr-portal/auszug/auszug.xhtml?uid=CHE-106.106.123 |access-date=2023-11-09 |website=Handelsregisteramt des Kantons Bern |language=de-CH}} In 2001, the first gas station store was opened under the brand name TopShop.{{Cite web |title=Unsere Geschichte {{!}} fenaco |url=https://www.fenaco.com/ueber-fenaco/unsere-geschichte |access-date=2023-11-09 |website=www.fenaco.com |language=de}}

Since 2015, Fenaco has been operating the German-Swiss logistics center LahrLogistics in Lahr in a joint venture with ZG Raiffeisen.{{Cite web |date=2018-11-15 |title=Neue Hallen in Lahr: Mehr Kapazität für die LANDI-Logistik {{!}} fenaco |url=https://www.fenaco.com/artikel/neue-hallen-lahr-mehr-kapazitaet-fuer-die-landi-logistik |access-date=2023-11-09 |website=www.fenaco.com |language=de}} In 2018, Lonza stopped producing nitrogen fertilizer at its Visp site.{{Cite web |title=Agroline wird zu Landor |url=https://www.bauernzeitung.ch/artikel/landwirtschaft/agroline-wird-zu-landor-374628 |access-date=2023-11-09 |website=bauernzeitung.ch |language=de-CH}} The joint venture between Lonza and Fenaco, known as Agroline AG, was then dissolved.{{Cite web |title=Aus Agroline wird Landor |url=https://www.ufarevue.ch/fenaco-landi/aus-agroline-wird-landor |access-date=2023-11-09 |website=UFA-Revue |language=de-CH}} Landor AG was also dissolved and now serves as a private label for fertilizer products. In the same year, in the port of Muttenz, where, among other things, 100 to 200 thousand tons of fertilizer are unloaded each year,{{Cite web |title=fenaco Geschäftsbericht 2022 |url=http://geschaeftsbericht2022.fenaco.com/ |access-date=2023-11-09 |website=fenaco Geschäftsbericht 2022}} a silo system for grain was put into operation, which also served as a mandatory storage facility.{{Cite web |date=2018-06-08 |title=Landwirtschaft - Die Region hat ein neues Hochhaus – Fenaco stellt Riesen-Silobau in den Muttenzer Auhafen |url=https://www.bzbasel.ch/basel/baselland/die-region-hat-ein-neues-hochhaus-fenaco-stellt-riesen-silobau-in-den-muttenzer-auhafen-ld.1509948 |access-date=2023-11-09 |website=bz Basel |language=de}} In 2023, David Käser, who has been working at Fenaco since 2001, took over management of the Landi division.{{Cite web |title=Käser, David (1977-)--DB9034 |url=https://www.histoirerurale.ch/pers/personnes/Kaeser,_David_(1977_)__DB9034.html |access-date=2023-11-09 |website=www.histoirerurale.ch}}{{Cite web |last= |first= |title=Jungfrau Zeitung - "Jeder Bauer hat bei der Landi etwas zu sagen" |url=https://www.jungfrauzeitung.ch/artikel/209933/ |access-date=2023-11-09 |website=www.jungfrauzeitung.ch |language=de}}

Fenaco is a member of the Swiss Farmers' Association and is represented on the board by Fenaco board president Pierre-André Geiser.{{Cite web |title=Mitgliedorganisationen - Schweizer Bauernverband |url=https://www.sbv-usp.ch/de/mitgliedorganisationen/ |access-date=2023-11-09 |website=www.sbv-usp.ch}}{{Cite web |title=Vorstand - Schweizer Bauernverband |url=https://www.sbv-usp.ch/de/organisation/vorstand/ |access-date=2023-11-09 |website=www.sbv-usp.ch}}

Fenaco's revenue is in billions of Swiss francs according to the annual reports 2015, 2016, 2021 and 2022,{{Cite web |date=2016-05-20 |title=So mächtig ist die grösste Bauern-Genossenschaft |url=https://www.blick.ch/politik/fenaco-chef-verkuendet-96-millionen-gewinn-so-maechtig-ist-die-groesste-bauern-genossenschaft-id5055286.html |access-date=2023-11-09 |website=Blick |language=de}}{{Cite web |date=2017-01-25 |title=Umsätze der Landi-Läden stagnieren 2016 |url=https://www.swissinfo.ch/ger/alle-news-in-kuerze/umsaetze-der-landi-laeden-stagnieren-2016/42897278 |access-date=2023-11-09 |website=SWI swissinfo.ch |language=de}}{{Cite web |date=2023-05-16 |title=Fenaco schreibt 2022 nächsten Umsatzrekord |url=https://www.swissinfo.ch/ger/alle-news-in-kuerze/fenaco-schreibt-2022-naechsten-umsatzrekord/48515958 |access-date=2023-11-09 |website=SWI swissinfo.ch |language=de}} as well as various media reports.{{Cite news |date=2001-06-01 |title=Lebhafte Umsatzentwicklung in der Fenaco-Gruppe |language=de-CH |work=Neue Zürcher Zeitung |url=https://www.nzz.ch/article7FI1B-ld.174066 |access-date=2023-11-09 |issn=0376-6829}}{{Cite web |last= |date=2005-05-31 |title=Fenaco: Umsatzsteigerung 2004 auf 4,091 (3,807) Milliarden Franken |url=https://www.moneycab.com/news/fenaco-umsatzsteigerung-2004-auf-4091-3807-milliarden-franken/ |access-date=2023-11-09 |website=Moneycab |language=de-CH}}{{Cite web |date=2011-05-25 |title=Fenaco 2010 wieder gewachsen |url=https://www.bernerzeitung.ch/fenaco-2010-wieder-gewachsen-378452468082 |access-date=2023-11-09 |website=Berner Zeitung |language=de}} When Fenaco was founded in 1993, sales amounted to around 3 billion francs.{{Cite web |last=Bühlmann |first=Raphael |date=2018-10-10 |title=Fenaco: Von der "Gnossi" zum Agrarkonzern Landwirtschaft |url=https://www.luzernerzeitung.ch/meinung/fenaco-von-der-gnossi-zum-agrarkonzern-landwirtschaft-ld.1060358 |access-date=2023-11-09 |website=Luzerner Zeitung |language=de}}

From 1996 to 2015, Guy Parmelin was a member of the board of directors of Fenaco and vice-president from 2009.{{Cite web |last=WBF |first=Eidgenössisches Departement für Wirtschaft, Bildung und Forschung |title=Guy Parmelin, Bundesrat |url=https://www.wbf.admin.ch/wbf/de/home/das-wbf/bundesrat/portraet.html |access-date=2023-11-09 |website=www.wbf.admin.ch |language=de}} Ueli Maurer was also once represented on the board of directors of Fenaco.{{Cite news |last=Angeli |first=Thomas |last2=Hostettler |first2=Otto |date=2016-09-27 |title=Die Macht der Bauern |language=de-CH |url=https://www.beobachter.ch/politik/die-macht-der-bauern-16486 |access-date=2023-11-09 |issn=1661-7444}}{{Cite web |date=2021-05-09 |title=Die ungesunde Nähe des Bundes zur Pestizid-Industrie |url=https://www.blick.ch/meinung/kolumnen/editorial-von-sonntagsblick-chefredaktor-gieri-cavelty-die-ungesunde-naehe-des-bundes-zur-pestizid-industrie-id16512476.html |access-date=2023-11-09 |website=Blick |language=de}} The management positions at Fenaco are almost exclusively occupied by men. There are four women for every 19 men{{Cite web |date=2022-06-22 |title=Verwaltungsrat {{!}} fenaco |url=https://www.fenaco.com/ueber-fenaco/organisation-aufbau/verwaltungsrat |access-date=2023-11-09 |website=www.fenaco.com |language=de}} on the board of directors and two women for every 15 men{{Cite web |title=Geschäftsleitung {{!}} fenaco |url=https://www.fenaco.com/ueber-fenaco/organisation-aufbau/geschaeftsleitung |access-date=2023-11-09 |website=www.fenaco.com |language=de}} on the executive board (as of January 2023).

{{Reflist}}

• {{Official website|https://www.fenaco.com/}}

{{Authority control}}

Category:Cooperatives in Switzerland

Category:Cooperative federations

Category:Retail companies established in 1993

Category:1993 establishments in Switzerland

Category:Food cooperatives

Category:Companies based in Bern