The Coop sponsorship for mountain regions is an independent Swiss NGO aiming at helping mountain people and stakeholders to improve their living and working conditions. Created in the 40’s, it belongs to the cooperative group “Coop” and is funded by donations and by the Coop member’s subscriptions. In 2007, Coop created Pro Montagna, a sustainable brand dedicated to Mountains products.
Pro Montagna certifies that its yogurts, beers, cheese or meat have been entirely made and transformed in Swiss Mountains. By eating authentic products, the consumer enjoys himself and at the same time supports the mountain supply chains. For instance, in Haute-Conches, at 1300 meters, about 20 persons are working in the Novena pastry factory. All the ingredients, including cheese and herbs, come from Swiss mountains. These pastries are valued and able to survive thanks to the Pro Montagna brand.
In addition, each time a Pro Montagna product is bought, a tax payment is given to the Coop sponsorship for mountain regions association. Thus, in 2013, more than one million Swiss francs enabled the establishment of around 140 projects contributing to the durability of mountains farmers and producers activities. This is how the dairy from the Hinter Trüttlisberg Alpine Pasture (the Grisons region) has been able to survive. Indeed, one of the alpine cabins in which the cheese was made was obsolete and the 7 local farmers working in this pasture couldn’t afford it replacement. Thanks to Coop sponsorship and Pro Montagna, which financed the new Alpine cabin, the Hinter Trüttlisberg cheese can still delight our taste buds.
To know more about the project, click here
To discover the Pro Montagna TV spot, click here
