Values
- Our farmers and all our workers
- Passion for dairy farming and production
- Partnership and networks
- High quality and safe products
- Happy Cows
- Environmentally friendly approach
Objectives
- Carbon footprint measure per kg milk
- GHG reporting
- Increased use of Renewable Energy %
- Carbon Net Zero Operations
- Animal Welfare Standard
- Sustainable packaging
- Closed loops
- Responsible Sourcing
SOCIETAS COOPERATIVA EUROPEA (SCE) EPIIM
SCE EPIIM is the first and largest cross-border European dairy cooperative (SCE) in the Baltics.
Our history dates back to the beginning of the last century when farmers in both Estonia and Latvia began to form cooperatives for more efficient management.
This is how the cooperative was formed:
1910 – Põltsamaa Dairy Cooperative (EE)
1911 – Järva-Jaani Dairy Cooperative (EE)
1912 – Jaunpils Dairy Producers Association (LV)
In addition to joint milk collection, all cooperatives also established their own milk processing dairies, which were the basis for our current factories in Põltsamaa, Järva-Jaani and Jaunpils.
A characteristic feature in the development of the cooperative over the years has been the constant merging with other cooperatives.
In 1997, Järva Jaani Dairy Cooperative and Cooperative Haimre Piim merged and formed the dairy cooperative Epiim, with which Põltsamaa Dairy Cooperative joined in 1998.
On 27 February 2020, the Latvian agricultural services cooperative Piena celš and the dairy cooperative Epiim merged to form SCE EPIIM.
Start of construction20 of July 2021
In addition to joint milk collection, all cooperatives also established their own milk processing dairies, which were the basis for our current factories in Põltsamaa, Järva-Jaani and Jaunpils.
A characteristic feature in the development of the cooperative over the years has been the constant merging with other cooperatives.
In 1997, Järva Jaani Dairy Cooperative and Cooperative Haimre Piim merged and formed the dairy cooperative Epiim, with which Põltsamaa Dairy Cooperative joined in 1998.
On 27 February 2020, the Latvian agricultural services cooperative Piena celš and the dairy cooperative Epiim merged to form SCE EPIIM.
Our cooperative has more than 200 members-milk producers in the Republic of Estonia and the Republic of Latvia, who provide approximately 450-500 tons of milk per day for processing at our factories in Põltsamaa, Järva-Jaani and Jaunpils.
Põltsamaa factory is the largest cheese producer in Estonia, Jaunpils factory is the largest producer of curd products in Latvia, and Järva-Jaani factory is the only company in Estonia that produces demineralized whey powder.
We have a chain of Jaunpils factory stores in Latvia with 24 stores across Latvia and two farmer goods stores in Estonia (Põlva and Järva-Jaani) working for the benefit of members.
SCE EPIIM organizes information days and seminars for members, where top speakers from Estonia and elsewhere participate with the aim of helping farmers to implement the CARING FARM program.
The cooperative owns subsidiaries AS Epiim Tootmine, AS Dessert, OÜ Epiim Transport, OOO Epiim RUS in Russia and shares in the bio-competence center BioCC, which together ensure the successful operation of the cooperative.
On 21 April 21, SCE EPIIM, Royal A-ware and Interfood B.V. signed a shareholder and investment agreement with which Royal A-ware and Interfood B.V. joint venture Meierei B.V. acquired 24.99% of our subsidiary AS E-Piim Tootmine. This was a very important milestone in our new Paide plant project. A project that will ensure the sustainable development of our cooperative for many years!
The story of Epiim
Epiim is one of the largest cheese and butter producers in Estonia, owned by more than a hundred local dairy farmers. Epiim dairies were established at the beginning of the 20th century: the first one in 1910 in Põltsamaa and the second one in 1911 in Järva-Jaani. Today, Epiim dairies and cream station produce cheese, butter and milk powder from more than 120,000 tons of pure domestic raw milk per year.
The letter E in our name stands for Estonian milk, through which we introduce Estonian dairy to both domestic and cross-border cheese lovers. Pure Estonian nature, long-term traditions and a climatically favourable geographic location in a strong agricultural area have created historically good preconditions for successful milk processing. We follow this principle even today.
Food industry developer
Epiim is a company focused on the healthy development and innovation of the food industry. Since 2005, Epiim has been a partner in Bio CC, which collaborates with universities and researchers in the field of both functional food and clinical research. For example, Harmony cheese containing Lactobacillus plantarum TENSIA® and D90 whey powder suitable for infant use have been developed.
Today, Epiim is the first Estonian and Latvian food industry to have created a sustainability program measuring carbon footprint and greenhouse gases. Epiim is also the first Estonian and Latvian dairy cooperative to have its world-class farm standard Caring Farm.
Estonian cheese exporter
Our goal is to add value to and market the raw materials of all the dairy farmers of our cooperative in the best possible way, thus offering high-quality dairy products to both domestic and cross-border consumers. Epiim is the largest exporter of Estonian cheese, having worked closely with the largest cheese countries in the European Union, such as Italy and Switzerland, for decades, and brought Estonian cheese to Asian, African and American markets. Our dairies are recognized with the BRC quality certificate of the food industry, and the Halal and Kosher certificates of conformity.
Modern production of milk powder
In 2011–2013, Epiim Järva-Jaani milk powder industry underwent a complete renewal process. In the summer of 2013, we launched the most modern and environmentally friendly spray-dryer in Järva-Jaani, with the help of which we produce whey, skimmed milk and milk powder; butter and frozen cream in monolithic and small packages. Every year, we produce 8,000 tons of milk powder in Järva-Jaani, as well as 3,000 tons of high-quality 82% fat Estonian butter.
The story of Epiim cheese
Epiim cheeses and butter are made from pure and natural milk collected from hundreds of Estonian dairy farms. This way you can be sure that only high-quality and domestic food will reach your table, by eating which you will also contribute to the development of Estonian rural life.
At Epiim Põltsamaa dairy and Järva-Jaani cream station, varieties of traditional cheese and butter have been made since 1910. In order to offer taste experiences to both big and small cheese lovers and to create new opportunities for using Estonian cheese in different foods, Epiim offers a wide selection of cheese with different degrees of taste and maturity that are available in packaged piece, slice and grated form.
For example, Epiim Põltsamaa dairy produces traditional semi-hard cheeses such as Edam, Tilsit, Gouda, Oltermann, and Basque and Cagliata used in the food industry. Among the more special cheeses, Bresto hard cheeses, Maasdam-type Epiim Special, and Harmony ™ cheese enriched with Lactobacillus plantarum deserve special mention.
In total, Epiim Põltsamaa dairy produces almost 10,000 tons of cheese a year.
Our cheese industry also includes a special smoker, where various smoked and processed cheeses, cheese spreads and cheese snacks are made by hand. All our smoked cheeses get a beautiful golden yellow colour, pleasant aroma and savoury taste because we use only domestic alder chips for preparation.
You can recognize Epiim products by the cheese flower logo. The flower inspired by the sliced cheese ball symbolizes Estonian nature, the countryside and pure domestic milk of a known origin, from which all our cheeses and butter are made.
