"New business processes" for a community of common values
"1000" cows for Moin
Helge Schneider once sang: "If you have a mother, you’ll always have butter…" (the German version rhymes!). Unfortunately, we cannot confirm this even though we have many mothers working with us at Moin. Every year, we need 150 tons of butter for the production of our baked goods because there is simply nothing better than butter for our fine croissants and puff pastries (sorry, dear vegans - but we continue making our vegan baked goods for you, too!). So for this amount of butter we need the milk of about 400 cows, which is quite a lot really.
The production of butter is very costly which is why a lot of dairies don’t even produce butter anymore. Marketing organic milk successfully only works with business networks. We will also require reliable supply relationships in the future and want to ensure that more organic farming is possible in our region. Therefore we have been working towards cooperating with the Horster Meierei.
The Horster are people of real conviction. Their idea for seasonal milk called Ökomelkburen, has proven that a staple food like milk can also be greatly valued (by the way, our joint innovative marketing agency in Hamburg, Mutter, supported them in this endeavour).
Regional value chains are good for everybody. They can guarantee short delivery routes, thereby lowering the CO2 footprint. We can establish personal relationships and create communities of value to improve and expand organic farmland. We can enter into long-term supply contracts and thus ensure safety for all involved. And the water in our surroundings may also become cleaner.
Sounds nice, right? But it is extremely difficult.
You have to realize that for one kilogram of butter you need 20 liters of milk. If this was just about the butter, then a kilogram made from Bioland milk would cost about € 14,- and our croissant would then have to cost around € 2.50.
So, what is the solution? You have to "cross-subsidize", which means creating something good from production by-products like buttermilk or whey, which can be marketed effectively. This works if you have the producers and buyers. You can, for example, make delicious and healthy drinks from whey products. Sport enthusiasts or fitness club members appreciate these products. Another idea is quark.
The Horster Company makes the so-called Schulenburger Quark. It is made using a special procedure where the quark is not pressed. It is collected and left to sit. After it has sat for a while, its own weight creates the Schulenburger Quark. As with the production of our own baked goods, investing enough time is very important in the production process of this quark. We have already tried it and want to create something delicious with it.
We have been trying out innovative ideas like this to come up with something you may call “new business processes“. This requires a community where people share common values based on brotherhood, trust and economic viability. A community like this would work on a project for organic milk, but it will take a lot of time, persuasion and energy. We are committed to investing in these qualities, but there is still a long way to go. We will keep you posted. In the meantime, cross your fingers!