Emmentaler World Champion

Master cheese maker Stefan Haldner, village dairy in Thurgau

Käse-Könner

Cheese tradition, brave paths, teamwork and an Emmentaler world champion title

The Haldner family has always taken bold paths. Stefan Haldner is a third-generation cheesemaker and runs the Sommeri cheese dairy hand in hand with his employees. The cheeses are distributed through their own affinage and trading company Gourmino. Stefan Haldner has been world champion since February 2022. His Emmentaler was named the best in its category at the World Championships in Wisconsin, USA. A success that compensates him for his courageous path and his lived philosophy.

Käserei

Cheese making was in Stefan Haldner's cradle

Stefan Haldner comes from a family of cheese-makers. His father and grandfather were already cheese makers. In 2014, Stefan was faced with the decision to take over the cheese dairy from his father. Already at a young age, Stefan dared to take this courageous step and has been successfully carrying on the family tradition ever since.

The Haldner family has always taken bold steps. Stefan's father, Ruedi Haldner, was one of the five Gourmino founders who decided to market their Emmental cheese independently in 2001.

Cheese world champion title as a reward

Since February 2022, Stefan Haldner has been allowed to call himself World Champion. At the World Cheese Championships, the internationally endowed jury chose Stefan's Emmentaler as the best in its category.

The World Champion title is a reward for the courageous ways as well as confirmation for the uncompromising quality strategy and a team that works hand in hand.

Weltmeister

"I grew up in the cheese dairy. My grandfather and father were already cheese makers."

Stefan Haldner

Stefan Haldner, a cosmopolitan family man with many talents

Stefan mastered his first year of training in French. And after successfully graduating as a milk technologist, he moved to Canada for six months, where he gained his first work experience in a cheese dairy and learned English.

Today Stefan lives with his wife Doris and their three children Damian, Salome and Malia right next to the dairy. Thanks to the proximity of his place of work and home, Stefan can have lunch and dinner with his family. This is exactly what he appreciates so much about his job. And if there is an evening free, he spends it in the sports club or in the fire brigade.

Cheese tradition since 1852

The Sommeri cheese dairy has been around since 1852. It is nestled in a rural landscape, with a view of the Säntis and surrounded by typical orchards. The Sommeri cheese dairy was the second cheese dairy ever in the canton of Thurgau.

The Haldner family originally ran the Neumühle cheese dairy in Amriswil. With the acquisition of the Sommeri cheese dairy in 2006, Stefan's father, Ruedi Haldner, decided to merge the two operations at the Sommeri site.

Point of sale 7/24

Stefan Haldner and his team produce the following products in the cheese dairy:

Emmental AOP
grated cheese
fondue
cheese butter
whipped cream

The local specialties can be bought around the clock and 365 days a year from the vending machine right next to the cheese. The machine accepts cash and Twint.

Team

Data & Facts

Cheese making tradition since 1852
Sommeri was the second cheese dairy in the canton of Thurgau
1970: Sepp Haldner (Stefan's grandfather) takes over the Neumühle cheese dairy in Amriswil as a private business
2006: Takeover of the Sommeri cheese dairy by Ruedi Haldner and merger of the Sommeri and Neumühle cheese dairies in Amriswil
2014: Takeover of the Sommeri cheese dairy by Stefan Haldner
10 farmers deliver milk to the dairy. Their cows graze within a radius of 5 km to the cheese dairy
Amount of milk processed / year: 2.1 million kg
Amount of Emmentaler produced / year: 200 tons