The working and living conditions in mountain regions are becoming increasingly difficult and are posing a significant challenge to the mountain population. This was the reason we launched Pro Montagna more than ten years ago – products directly from the mountains, from the farmers.
By purchasing Pro Montagna products, you are choosing mountain and Alpine specialities. The ingredients for these products come from Swiss mountain regions, where they are also processed. The farmers benefit from this and the processing facilities and jobs in these mountain regions are safeguarded. When you buy a Pro Montagna product, a certain amount also goes to Coop Aid for Mountain Regions, which supports farming families and thus completes the cycle.
Coop Aid for Mountain Regions
Coop Aid for Mountain Regions is a non-profit organization that is committed to better living and working conditions for the inhabitants of Swiss mountain regions and supports families with advice and financial backing. The amount of money that goes to Coop Aid for Mountain Regions can be found on the packaging of each Pro Montagna product. It may just be a few centimes per product, but it all adds up and makes a big difference. Since the launch of Pro Montagna, more than 8.3 million Swiss francs has been raised.
Pro Montagna products meet the requirements of the Mountain and Alpine Produce Ordinance (MAlpO) and even exceed them in some cases. All Pro Montagna products also meet our own strict quality requirements. Some bear the Bio Suisse bud label. Mountain farms are inspected every two years by an independent certification or inspection body to ensure compliance with these requirements. Alpine farms are inspected every four years.
The Swiss Agriculture Act takes account of the difficult production and living conditions in Swiss mountain regions. The areas used for agriculture are divided into zones denoting levels of difficulty. Mountain zones 1 (favourably situated mountain locations) to 4 (extreme mountain locations) and summer pasture regions are relevant for Pro Montagna. This classification also provides the basis for the labelling of our mountain and Alpine products.
At 1 000 metres above sea level, Reto Raselli grows organic herbs for Pro Montagna organic mountain herbal teas. He and his family have been farming in the Val Poschiavo region of Graubünden for generations. Of the hundred or so valleys in Graubünden, Val Poschiavo is the southernmost, and its microclimate is perfect for growing mountain herbs. Intense exposure to the sun’s rays gives the herbs a particularly intense aroma. Reto Raselli and his team plant, nurture and harvest the herbs from the fields, which requires a great deal of manual labour.
Switzerland’s highest brewery is situated at 1 626 metres above sea level in Monstein, above Davos. In this former Alpine dairy, master brewer Sebastian Degen produces his beer using traditional methods. He uses crystal clear spring water from Monstein, Swiss hops and aromatic malt for his local speciality beers. The beers have regional names such as Mungga (marmot in the Valais dialect) and Steinbock.
