Fair & associative
A new logo for tried and tested methods of collaboration
More than 60 products in the BIOG brand bear the fair&associative label, that was created in summer 2017. This indicates the processing of high-end organic and biodynamic raw materials as well as a mutual collaboration “from field to fork”.
What does “associative” mean?
Almost all the produce passes through several hands before being tasted. The agricultural produce passes from producer to processing company, then from the wholesaler to the retailer, before finally ending up with the consumer. “Associative” means that all the value creation stakeholders come together during discussions on the current state of the market, i.e. they associate. For the companies in the OIKOPOLIS group, these discussions have been a matter of course since the beginning of the 1990s. Farmers, processors, retailers and consumer representatives organise a round table and exchange views on the quality of their commercial relationships. They discuss, among other things, growing methods, processing procedures, production conditions, climatic conditions and the setting of fair prices. The objective is not to maximise profits on just one side, but to arrive at a cooperation that is good for all commercial partners.
A new dimension in “fair trade”
The term “fair trade” often relates solely to trade with countries in the southern hemisphere. The relationship with local producers is reassessed less often, because one is working from the principle that organic equates to fair. However, this is not always the case, because neither the European label nor the national labels include social norms. It is also for this reason that mass organic products can be sold at a discount, which constitutes an existential threat to small producers in particular.
The right price
“Profit is made when you buy” is a commercial slogan that won't die and one which bears little relationship to associative collaboration. If a retailer buys too cheaply, he is doing business to the detriment of the preceding steps in value creation and, ultimately, the environment. A fair price must be sufficiently high for a product to be produced in conditions that are decent for humans, the animal world, and nature. It must also remain affordable for consumers. A price that is balanced on both sides is possible, particularly in an associative process.
“Fair & associative”: more than words...
...it’s a commitment to cooperation. Besides participating in discussions on the current state of the market, all the commercial partners who wish to display the fair&associative label must obtain certification, from an impartial institute, that they are serving the public good.
The precise conditions are set out in the charter for an associative economy. Despite its stringent demands, more and more companies are expressing their interest in becoming part of the fair&associative community of companies. Our customers will therefore be offered, in the future, a wider range of products produced and marketed under fair conditions from start to finish.
The value chains of fair&associative products
Value chain: soft cheese "BIOG Klenge Mëllen" / "BIOG Klenge Sténkert"
Value chain: soft cheese "BIOG Klenge Mëllen" / "BIOG Klenge Sténkert"
The basic product in both BIOG Klenge Mëllen, the soft cheese with a white mould rind, and BIOG Klenge Sténkert, the cheese with a red mould rind, is fresh Demeter quality milk produced at the Kass-Haff farm in Rollingen/Mersch. In the BioG farm cheese dairy at Kass-Haff the milk is inoculated with cheese cultures, in a traditional manner, to be processed into artisanal cheese. Ripened and packed, the cheese is picked up by the organic wholesaler Biogros and transported to the warehouse in Munsbach. Next, Biogros delivers the cheese to the retailers, where it can be bought by the consumers.
Those involved in this value chain are:
the Kass family and their employees, the cheese-makers from the Kass-Haff farm cheese dairy, the employees of BioG, Biogros and Naturata, and finally the cheese-loving consumers.
Value chain: curd cheese "BIOG Bio-Stoffi"
Value chain: curd cheese "BIOG Bio-Stoffi"
The basic product in the curd cheese known as BIOG Bio-Stoffi is fresh Demeter quality milk produced at the Kass-Haff farm in Rollingen/Mersch. At the BIOG farm cheese dairy at Kass-Haff the milk is inoculated with cheese cultures, in a traditional manner. After a period of ripening, the curd is mixed until it reaches a creamy consistency, then poured into cups. Lastly, the packaged curd cheese is picked up by the organic wholesaler Biogros and transported to the warehouse in Munsbach. Biogros delivers the "Stoffi" to the retailers, where it can be bought by the consumers.
Those involved in this value chain are:
the Kass family and their employees, the cheese-makers from the Kass-Haff farm cheese dairy, the employees of BioG, Biogros and Naturata, and finally the consumers.
Value chain: cheese "BIOG Éisleker Kéis"
Value chain: cheese "BIOG Éisleker Kéis"
(natural, Haarden, Bauerekéis, low-fat, bell pepper, garlic, pepper, fine herbs, mustard)
The basic product in the Éisleker Kéis cheese (in portions, sliced, or cubed) is the fresh Demeter quality milk produced at Schanck-Haff in Hupperdange. In the BioG farm cheese dairy at Schanck-Haff, this milk is inoculated with cheese cultures, in a traditional manner, refined with herbs and spices, then traditionally processed into cheese. Lastly, the ripe cheese is picked up by the organic wholesaler Biogros and transported to the warehouse in Munsbach. The cheese is cut and packed in the Biogros Cuisine Artisanale then delivered to the retailers, where it can be bought by the consumers.
Those involved in this value chain are:
the Schanck family and their employees, the cheese-makers from the Schanck-Haff BioG farm cheese dairy, the employees of BIOG, the Cuisine Artisanale, Biogros and Naturata, and finally the cheese-loving consumers.
Value chain: ice cream "BIOG Bio-Glace"
Value chain: ice cream "BIOG Bio-Glace"
vanilla, strawberry & vanilla, coffee, chocolate, stracciatella and during summer time frozen yogurt mat Zitroun
The main ingredient in the BIOG ice cream is fresh organic milk. It comes from our organic dairy farms in Luxembourg, which sell their milk to the Luxembourg organic farmers’ cooperative (BioG). In the BioG dairy in Bascharage, the milk and cream (obtained from the milk) are pasteurised then processed into ice cream by adding cane sugar, vanilla, cocoa or coffee powder. Filled into 1.1-litre tubs, the organic ice cream is stored in the dairy’s freezer temporarily, before finally being delivered to the retailer by La Provençale and Linkgel, which have refrigerated lorries.
Those involved in this value chain are:
the BioG dairy farmers, the employees of BioG and the BioG-Molkerei dairy, the employees of La Provençale and Linkgel, the employees of the Naturata Bio Marchés and finally the consumers.
Value chain: BIOG fresh milk
Value chain: BIOG fresh milk
The fresh organic whole milk comes from eleven Luxembourgish organic dairy farms that sell their milk to the Bio-Bauere-Genossenschaft Lëtzebuerg (BioG). At the BioG dairy in Bascharage, the milk is pasteurised and homogenised and filled into reclosable packages. The milk is temporarily stored in the dairy's refrigerated room and is then delivered by Biogros to the retail trade. The whole milk has a natural fat content of 3,8 percent and the BioG semi-skimmed milk has a fat content of 1.5 percent.
BIOG organic chocolate milk: At the BioG dairy in Bascharage, the milk is mixed with fair trade raw cane sugar and fair trade cocoa powder, pasteurised and filled into reclosable packages. The chocolate milk is temporarily stored in the dairy's refrigerated room and is finally delivered by Biogros to the retail trade.
Those involved in this value chain are:
the BioG dairy farmers, the employees of BioG, the dairy BioG-Molkerei and Biogros, the employees of the Naturata Bio Marchés and finally the consumers.
Value chain: BIOG fresh cream
Value chain: BIOG fresh cream
BIOG organic cream is made from fresh organic milk that comes from eleven Luxembourgish organic dairy farms that sell their milk to the Bio-Bauere-Genossenschaft Lëtzebuerg (BioG). At the BioG dairy in Bascharage, the cream is separated from the milk, is pasteurised and filled into reclosable packages. Biogros in Munsbach is responsible for the distribution of the organic cream to the retail trade.
Those involved in this value chain are:
the BioG dairy farmers, the employees of BioG, the BioG-Molkerei and Biogros, the employees of the Naturata Bio Marchés and finally the consumers.
Value chain: BIOG yoghurt
Value chain: BIOG yoghurt
BIOG organic yoghurt is made from fresh organic milk from eleven Luxembourg organic dairy farms that sell their milk to the Bio-Bauere-Genossenschaft Lëtzebuerg (BioG). At the BioG dairy in Bascharage, the fresh milk is inoculated with lactic acid bacteria to produce a natural yoghurt. This yoghurt is mixed with a fruit preparation and filled into yoghurt pots. The organic yoghurts are then distributed to retailers via Biogros.
Those involved in this value chain are:
the BioG dairy farmers, the employees of BioG, the BioG-Molkerei and Biogros, the employees of the Naturata Bio Marchés and finally the consumers.
Value chain: BIOG Demeter eggs
Value chain: BIOG Demeter eggs
The BIOG Demeter eggs come exclusively from the biodynamically farm of the Meyers-Weis family from Windhof. The eggs are packaged on the farm itself and brought to the warehouse in Munsbach by Biogros. From here Biogros delivers the BIOG Demeter eggs to the Naturata shops, where they can be purchased by consumers.
Those involved in this value chain are:
the farmer Guy Meyers and his employees, the employees of BIOG, Biogros and Naturata and finally the consumers.
Value chain: BIOG potatoes
Value chain: BIOG potatoes
Organic potatoes from the organic farm Fischbach in Enscherange and Demeter potatoes from Schanck-Haff in Hupperdange are offered under the BIOG brand. The range includes amongst others the varieties Nicola, Charlotte and Désirée. The potatoes are filled into paper bags at Biogros in Munsbach and then marketed. The BIOG potatoes are also packaged ready for use in the Cuisine Artisanale for the needs of professional kitchens and the gastronomy sector or used to produce BIOG ready-to-eat meals, such as BIOG potato puree.
Those involved in this value chain are:
The Fischbach and Schanck families and their employees, the employees of Biogros and Naturata, and finally, the consumers.
Value chain: BIOG carrots
Value chain: BIOG carrots
Organic carrots from the Fischbach organic farm in Enscherange and Demeter carrots from Schanck-Haff in Hupperdange are offered under the BIOG brand. After harvesting, the carrots are stored on the farm, washed and sorted. At Biogros in Munsbach they are finally packed in bags and are then sold to retailers. The carrots are also packaged ready for use in the Cuisine Artisanale for the needs of professional kitchens and the gastronomy sector or used to produce BIOG ready-to-eat meals.
Those involved in this value chain are:
The Fischbach and Schanck families and their employees, the employees of Biogros and Naturata, and finally, the consumers.
Value chain: BIOG fruit
Value chain: BIOG fruit
Since 2013, Biogros has been supplying the retailers with apples and pears, but also with various stone fruit varieties, from the Latz fruit plantation in neighbouring Saarland. Since 1997, this orchard on the southern slope of the Hoxberg has been cultivated by the brothers Christian and Johannes Latz according to the guidelines of biodynamic agriculture. Biogros discusses the annual purchase quantities with the fruit growers and accepts that the harvest is highly dependent on weather conditions. Biogros distributes the fruit to the retailers and so the fruit finally end up in the fruit bowls of the consumers.
Those involved in this value chain are:
Christian and Johannes Latz and their employees, the employees of Biogros and Naturata, and finally, the consumers.
Value chain: BIOG tomato products
Value chain: BIOG tomato products
All BIOG tomato products are produced by the family owned business Cal Valls in Catalonia. Sun-ripened tomatoes are the main ingredient in this light summer soup. The cooperation with Cal Valls started in 2005 and is based on mutual understanding and fair cooperation. This cooperation guarantees the family business a further, permanent buyer for the home-produced tomato products and BioG/Biogros a reliable producer and supplier of high-quality organic food.
Those involved in this value chain are:
The Valls family and their employees, the employees of Biogros and Naturata and finally, the consumers.
