East Belgium: In recent years, the “Fairebel” label has become synonymous with fair agricultural products of the highest quality. What began as a reaction to the milk crisis in 2009, developed into a real success story. “At a time when farmers feared for their livelihoods due to rock-bottom milk prices, they received no solutions from policy-makers and decided that it was time to take things into their own hands”, remembers Faircoop President, Erwin Schöpges.

Fairebel, an initiative by and for farmers

A new brand was the solution: Fairebel was born! The aim of this new brand was to valorise regional agriculture and to make it less dependent on large corporations and their price dumping policies. Thus, Fairebel stands for “fair trade from and in Belgium”. With this new strategy of self-managed marketing, cost-covering prices were quickly achieved, with participating farmers guaranteed a secure income and traditional family farms being given a lifeline. “Looking back, this was clearly a great idea that strengthened Belgian agriculture”, says Erwin Schöpges. The Faircoop cooperative was founded by eight farmers – five of them from East Belgium. They engaged independently in negotiations with retailers to determine profit margins, balancing the two objectives of high-quality products for consumers on one hand, and more robust local farming structures on the other.

Well established in East Belgium

Currently, 500 farmers from all over Belgium are members of Faircoop, with a good 80 of them from East Belgium. “We lay special emphasis on the fact that we produce and thus distribute all over Belgium. This has allowed us, slowly but surely, to gain visibility among consumers”, says the Faircoop President. In this context, the figures speak for themselves: a total 800,000 litres of milk were sold in the first marketing year 2010. The cooperative reached its first interim goal in 2020 by selling 11 million litres, the equivalent of one litre per Belgian resident. In the last few years, this figure has risen even further to 13 million, and the trend remains positive. This quick growth shows that the products have been well received by consumers for whom quality is a major concern. While the cooperative carries out joint publicity campaigns and is responsible for lobbying, all cooperative members are called on to contribute locally. The idea is to emphasize direct contacts with consumers so that they, too, identify with the brand and its products. As a result, you can regularly find participating farmers at weekly markets or tastings, where they not only proudly present Fairebel's products but also provide consumers with background information.

100% Belgian butter

In addition to drinking milk, Fairebel also makes chocolate milk, ice cream and grated cheese. For three years now, the cooperative has also been putting quality butter on the market. This butter is 100% Belgian and is made exclusively from Belgian milk. The participating dairy farmers commit to ensuring that their cows have access to pastures for at least six hours per day and for at least 120 days per year. This farming method, which guarantees maximum animal welfare, is the secret behind the unique and delicious taste. “In order to make Fairebel butter, we got together with one of the last family-run dairies in Belgium – the Olympia dairy from Herne in the Flemish-Brabant province. Olympia and the Van Impe family running it defend the same values we do and promote Belgian agriculture and fair remuneration for all stakeholders in the production chain”, says Erwin Schöpges. The milk used to make Fairebel butter comes exclusively from farmers in Wallonia and Flanders. “We collect the milk ourselves from the farmers and can attest to the quality of the milk and cream. This allows us to make pure butter. We use no additives as we trust the natural process where the excellent lactic acid bacteria at the Olympia dairy get to work to sour and flavour the cream. All these factors come together to give Fairebel butter its unique taste”, raves Erwin Schöpges.

20 litres of milk for 1 kilogramme of butter

A total 20 litres of milk are necessary to produce a single kilogramme of butter. Modern scientific studies have debunked the widespread misconception that butter makes you fat and is not good for health. There has been a significant change in image when it comes to butter and it has finally regained its place in consumers' kitchens. According to Fairebel, this is clear from the current sales. The sales volume more than doubled from 250,000 packets in 2020 to over 500,000 packets last year. The initial months of this year have added to this boom as many new stores started stocking Fairebel butter. Fairebel is, therefore, quite confident that they will surpass the 1-million mark this year when it comes to packets of butter sold. “It is only thanks to our loyal customers, who do not go for cheap products or fall for offers from large companies, that we are able to continue living our dream of fair, cost-covering regional and national agriculture”, concludes Faircoop President Erwin Schöpges.

Gerd Hennen, Fairebel

It would be difficult to find a dairy farmer who was left unscathed by the milk crisis of 2009. Rozenn Angenard, dairy farmer in the Ille-et-Vilaine department in Brittany, as well as Isabelle Rouyer and Cédric Dumaine, from the Orne department in Normandy, remember this period where they poured away their milk to protest the rock-bottom milk prices.

They also admit that during this period “they gave a lot of milk away” and they remember “bartering with neighbours, consumers and other farmers”. The support from the French consumers and the solidarity among dairy farmers led to the creation of FaireFrance, a company set up by dairy farmers for dairy farmers. In order to become a member of FaireFrance, you have to contribute a minimum of € 1,000 in capital, “and a maximum of € 5,000”, adds Isabelle Rouyer, one of the board members.

Like a shareholder in any other company, the producers take on the mission of promoting the FaireFrance brand among retailers and consumers. If this sounds scary, Rozenn, Cédric and Isabelle can put you at ease: “It's just two days hosting a stand in a store close to you if you have invested € 1,000, and five days if you have invested € 5,000.”

However, in exchange for their time, farmers receive a bonus that brings the price for their milk, which they continue to sell to their dairy, to 45 cents per litre. “A decent income”, “remuneration that allows you to plan a holiday with your kids”, “an additional income to build up a retirement fund” – that’s what Rozenn, Isabelle and Cédric say. They also add that the FaireFrance initiative is about more than “just” income. It is “one big family where we can discuss our problems and get help”, says Rozenn with a smile. Thanks to FaireFrance, this farmer from Brittany has “rediscovered the pleasures of her profession” and she enjoys talking to consumers who have many questions about dairy cows, their feed, and much more.

Ouest-France Communication for FaireFrance, published on 8 April 2022

Through our cooperative "Faire Milch Säuliamt", we sell two types of pasteurised milk in the eleven branches of the VOLG chain of stores. Unfortunately, it is not possible for us to sell more dairy products via this channel.

This spring, the “Faire Milch Säuliamt” cooperative organised an information event outside six of the eleven outlets, where we demonstrated how to make your own yoghurt, Ziger cheese and quark from local Fair Milk from the Affoltern district. Customers showed a keen interest in this initiative. In addition to someone skilled in these techniques, members from the cooperative were also present to engage with customers. At the information stand, Perrine Brunold was happy to answer the many questions from interested visitors. She also offered samples of home-made yoghurt, quark and Ziger cheese – made from Fair Milk, of course. She showed how to easily make these products at home and also provided some tricks to overcome the most common difficulties.

Our expert Perrine Brunold was a cheesemaker for many years on a shieling in the Grisons canton. She is a two-time gold medal winner at the International Mountain Cheese Olympics in Galtür (Tyrol) for her alpine cheese. Her enthusiasm for milk products was infectious and her confections sold like hot cakes.

The strong interest from customers shows how aspects like origin and ingredients have become very important today when it comes to food. Many customers also highlighted how making their own products allows them to avoid large amounts of packaging and that this is an important factor for them.

About the “Faire Milch Säuliamt” project

The Faire Milch Säuliamt cooperative is made up of 43 members and has been selling “Di fair Milch Säuliamt” pasteurised milk for almost five years through the Landi Albis (Albis Agricultural Cooperative) in the eleven VOLG stores as well as in three independent shops in the region. It offers whole milk, where fat content depends on what the cows have produced, as well as drinking milk with 2.5% fat. The price is calculated in such a way that farmers receive cost-covering prices for their milk. Sales have been steadily rising every year. This is also in part thanks to “Albis Beck”, Landi Albis's bakery, which supplies these stores with baked goods. When it comes to milk as an ingredient in their baked treats, Albis Beck only uses our regional milk. In the VOLG stores, our Fair Milk accounts for 85% of the market share for pasteurised milk (more information on www.di-fair-milch.ch).

Werner Locher, President of the Faire Milch Säuliamt cooperative