SWITZERLAND Sustainable Swiss


For many years, Switzerland has led the way as an exponent of sustainability and greening. The mushroom growing sector also promotes sustainable use of water and energy. In the past, Switzerland was one of the first countries to take steps to reduce the ammonia emissions caused by composting and now Wauwiler Champignon is


taking another step forward. By John Peeters


Roland Vonarburg near the heat exchanger that crosses the outgoing with the incoming air.


W 26 MUSHROOM BUSINESS


auwiler Champignon, formerly known under the name of its founders, the Hirsbrunner family, was


founded in Biglen in the canton of Bern in 1951. Therese Hirsbrunner, who is still active as an ambassador of the company, took over the company in 1972 with her husband Heinz. In 1987 the company relocated to its current site in Wauwil, where it was expanded in 1989 and 1993. The name was changed to Wauwiler Champignons AG in 1998. By that time Roland


Vonarburg had become a co-owner. In recent years, several more expansion projects were completed, with the addition of more growing rooms to cope with extra production, and for logistic purposes. Considerable investments have also been made in renewable sources of energy and water, more about which later.


Swiss market


At present, Wauwiler produces white and brown mushrooms in 25 growing rooms. The eight, older rooms each offer a growing surface area


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