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The day starts early at Mr. Sonnay’s farm in Ecoteaux - Vaud - Switzerland. But fortunately, the concept of “home office” was a reality here long before the COVID-19 pandemic hit us all. “We don’t have to commute, so it’s practical”, says Mr. Sonnay, just after mentioning that he wakes up every morning at 5:15 am, starting to work at 5:30 in the barn next door.
Teamwork as precise as a Swiss clock is necessary to milk, feed and clean 60 milking cows and 70 calves several times a day, besides all the work that needs to be done in the farm and on the fields. That’s why Mr. Sonnay counts on the help of 2 staff members. His retired father and uncle also give a hand, as well as his wife, who ensures the smooth running of the farm by taking care of the stewardship.
Bridging tradition and innovation
Surrounded by green pastures as far as the eye can see, it is easy to understand why, 5 generations ago, in 1853, the family of Mr. Sonnay chose this location to build their farm. From 6 hectares at that time, the farm has grown to a whopping 65 hectares: 55 of grassland for the livestock, and 10 for other crops, such as wheat, maize, triticale and colza.
Despite mostly supplying his milk to the village’s fromagerie, built in 1913 and renovated 25 years ago to produce Gruyères cheese, Mr. Sonnay likes to keep up with market trends and to analyse opportunities for improvement. When he heard about A2 milk from colleagues in the industry, he “was intrigued and went online to search what this milk was”, finding out “this is the original type of milk, easier to digest by the human organism”.
Collaborating with SwissDeCode to supply A2 milk
Mr. Sonnay did not have to go too far away to find a company that could support him in his vision to test and supply the world-famous A2 milk, and got in touch with SwissDeCode soon after hearing about it.
With the help of our on-site tests and our nearby laboratory, he was already able to select the milk from some of his cows, and even started experimenting with making A2 yoghurt. Everyone in the family described the yoghurt as “lighter and very tasty”. For Mr. Sonnay, A2 milk is an opportunity to sell a premium product, while catering for changing consumer preferences, so he will continue to work on his A2 line, which he aims to launch in the future.
The future is sustainable
When asked about the future of his farm, Mr. Sonnay has no doubt: “the future, above all, needs to be sustainable”. He wants to make sure that he leaves a positive impact on the land, so that future generations in the region can continue the mission to provide food for the population, whether that will be by supplying milk or other crops.
For SwissDeCode, all customers are special. But seeing local producers in Switzerland looking at global trends and actively seeking out innovative solutions to support them makes us immensely proud, and we wish to continue making an impact on the local community by supporting them.
Thank you Mr. Sonnay for your trust and availability!