Berglandmilch Invests 25 Million Euros in Topfen and Fresh Cheese Production in Aschbach

According to the press release, an additional approximately 15,000 tonnes of topfen and 7,000 tonnes of heat-treated fresh cheese are to be produced annually at the Aschbach location in the future. This would double the previous topfen volumes and triple the fresh cheese under the Bojar brand. The project includes new filling lines, which will also enable new packaging formats. Commissioning is planned for early 2027.

Berglandmilch is considered the largest dairy company in Austria with more than 500 employees. According to the company, the additional topfen and fresh cheese from Aschbach is primarily intended for export to Germany, Italy, Spain and, to a lesser extent, also to Greece.

Funding from the State, Federal Government, and EU

The expansion is supported as part of an investment package by the state of Lower Austria together with the EU and the federal government. In total, the package comprises 15 projects in all four quarters of Lower Austria with a total volume of 66.7 million euros. Of this, approximately 8.2 million euros in public funds are attributable to subsidies from the EU, the federal government, and the state. Of this, 8.9 million euros alone goes to the Aschbach location, of which the state of Lower Austria contributes 1.9 million euros.

On the occasion of a joint on-site inspection at the location, Deputy Governor Stephan Pernkopf emphasized the importance of the investment. "Wirtschaft und Landwirtschaft gehören zusammen und werden durch diese Projekte gleichsam gestärkt. Denn wenn die Lebensmittel-verarbeitenden Unternehmen ausbauen, dann bauen sie auf die Qualität der angelieferten Produkte der heimischen Bäuerinnen und Bauern", said Pernkopf. In addition, Berglandmilch thereby secures the income of the supplying farms.

Pernkopf also stressed that the processing and marketing of food is an important economic sector in Lower Austria that one wants to continue to promote. "die Verarbeitung und Vermarktung von Lebensmitteln ein wichtiger Wirtschaftszweig in Niederösterreich ist, den wir weiter forcieren, weil die Investitionsprojekte der Unternehmen die Wirtschaft und die Landwirtschaft stärken", he said.

NÖM and Other Projects in the Package

Chamber of Commerce President Wolfgang Ecker pointed to the broad impact of such projects. "Solche Investitionen stärken nicht nur die Unternehmen, die ihre Standorte weiterentwickeln, Innovationen vorantreiben und in die Zukunft investieren, sondern bringen auch vielen weiteren Betrieben unterschiedlicher Branchen und Größen Aufträge. So entstehen zusätzliche Wertschöpfung, Beschäftigung und neue wirtschaftliche Impulse. Genau diese regionalen Wirtschaftskreisläufe machen unseren Standort stark und sichern Arbeitsplätze in Niederösterreich", said Ecker.

Topfen Boom Among Young Consumers

In addition to Berglandmilch, the dairy cooperative NÖM is also part of the investment package. In Baden, the funding is being used to construct a new high-bay warehouse, a shipping building, and modern cooling technology, among other things. This is intended to expand storage capacities and make thousands of truck journeys unnecessary.

With the expansion in Aschbach, Berglandmilch is responding to a trend that the company is observing particularly among young consumers. Topfen is considered a protein-rich dairy product and, according to Braunshofer, is experiencing a renaissance in demand. The extension is intended to set new standards in quality, hygiene, and process efficiency, while at the same time creating additional value-added and new jobs in the region.