Creating a sustainable business practice can feel like juggling a dozen frying pans. Electricity usage, waste generated, and carbon emissions all need to be considered and balanced carefully. It’s not as simple as just flipping a switch. Cheesemaker Emmi Roth, creator of Wisconsin-made Roth Cheese, has been walking this line delicately for years. For a multi-pronged approach, Emmi Roth considers the origins of their milk, the production of their product, and the operations of their creameries. It’s a lot to focus on at one time, but it’s the only way to move forward with creating a cheese that’s delicious and truly sustainable.
Emmi Roth operates in the two cheese capitals of the world: Switzerland and Wisconsin, but they don’t use the same blanket approach globally. While their Swiss operations work only with milk meeting the “Suisse Garantie,” their domestic operations work with farmers who follow the National Dairy Farmers Assuring Responsible Management (FARM) Program. No matter where the cheese is made, it starts with high-quality milk.
Although Emmi Roth is part of a global company, they’ve prioritized working with local farmers. The average dairy farmer who supplies milk for Roth cheeses is located within 60 miles of one of their three creameries in Wisconsin, and has an average herd size of 100 cows. By partnering with more than 150 small Wisconsin farms, Emmi Roth has been able to produce larger amounts of cheese without compromising on values.
At the plant in Platteville, Wisconsin, Emmi Roth has installed 1,602 solar panels. They estimate that during the lifetime of this plant, the panels will eliminate over 14,000 tons of CO2 emissions. As they continue to evolve their sustainability program, they’ve vowed to convert to 100% recyclable packaging by 2027, as well as cut their water usage by 15%, and reduce their landfill-bound waste by 50%. Emmi Roth has pledged to be Net Zero by 2050.
Blue Apron is proud to send Roth branded cheeses and other products made by Emmi Roth as part of our Meal Kits. Partnering with like-minded suppliers is just one way that we strive to meet our sustainability goals. To taste the fruits of their labors, pick your next cheesy dinner here.
