Hug grows sustainable wheat in Aargau
Malters/Leibstadt - Hug AG has collaborated with Knecht Mühle in Leibstadt in the canton of Aargau to test the cultivation of sustainable wheat. Following a successful pilot project, the approach is being expanded. Ten other farms in Aargau have already committed to the project.
The health brand DAR-VIDA made a significant contribution to Hug's sales growth in 2023, according to a statement from the baked goods manufacturer based in Malters in the canton of Lucerne. In a pilot project with Knecht Mühle in Leibstadt and a local farmer last year, the company tested the cultivation of sustainable wheatmeal for DAR-VIDA. Pesticide use was avoided where possible while increased row spacing promoted biodiversity.
«The project is a pragmatic approach that achieves a lot in terms of cultivation,» Marianne Wüthrich Gross, Co-Managing Director Operations at Hug AG, is quoted as saying in the statement. «In the medium term, we aim to grow 80 per cent of all the wheatmeal for DAR-VIDA sustainably.» Ten other farms in the canton of Aargau have already come on board as project partners. «DAR-VIDA reflects the zeitgeist of healthy snacking and is now available almost everywhere,» commented Anna Hug, Co-Managing Director Markets at Hug. «We have been able to gain market share with DAR-VIDA and consolidate our status as the original.»
In addition to the DAR-VIDA brand, Hug's food service business also grew strongly in the 2023 financial year. «We now generate almost 40 per cent of our sales in food service, and we want to grow further in the coming years,» explained Hug Chairman of the Board of Directors Andreas Hug. To achieve this goal, the company plans to invest 11 million Swiss francs in the renovation of a tartelettes production facility.
