Switzerland’sTête de Moine (Monk’s Head) cheese broke all-time sales and production records last year, due particularly to its “conviviality”, according to the sector’s president.
Tête de Moine sold 3,300 tons sold worldwide in 2022, up 3.7% on the previous year, despite a difficult economic climate marked by the strong Swiss franc and war in Ukraine. The main export markets are Germany and France, sector president Jacques Gygax said on Monday.
Gygax put this down particularly to good marketing. He said producers were particularly proud of the fact that it had become part of people’s customs in Germany.
But Gygax said it was also because of the “playful and convivial aspect” of this cheese, which is traditionally served in rosettes scraped off with a special tool called a “girolle”. The cylindrical form of the cheese represents the arc of the Jura in northwest Switzerland, where it has been produced for centuries at the Bellelay Abbey.
“It’s rather a festive product,” said Gygax. “Even in a gloomy environment, people still want to buy a Monk’s Head from time to time, to mark the occasion.”
Popular Stories
More
Culture
Documentary portrays Swiss teenagers forced to return to parents’ homeland
Switzerland condemned for deciding to deport gay Iranian
This content was published on
Switzerland violated the prohibition on inhuman treatment by considering that a gay Iranian could be returned to his country.
Gestational diabetes found to increase risk of adult-onset diabetes
This content was published on
A research team from the Lake Geneva region has identified persistent dysfunctions in glucose regulation in women with gestational diabetes. In the long term, this can increase the risk of adult-onset diabetes by up to ten times.
Swiss village must be evacuated by midday on Sunday
This content was published on
The village of Brienz-Brinzauls in eastern Switzerland, which is threatened by a rockfall, must be evacuated by 1pm on Sunday. All residents must leave the village.
This content was published on
A former judge of the Graubünden Administrative Court in eastern Switzerland has been found guilty of rape, sexual harassment and threatening a former trainee.
Costs and care time increase in Swiss retirement and nursing homes
This content was published on
In 2023 the costs of retirement and nursing homes increased by 5% compared to 2022 and those of assistance and care at home by 7%. Together, they amounted to CHF15 billion.
This content was published on
Almost half of the population in Switzerland shows clear to pronounced signs of smartphone addiction, according to a survey.
Swiss healthcare stakeholders want to save CHF300 million
This content was published on
The main players in the Swiss healthcare sector want to save around CHF300 million ($340 million) in healthcare costs a year from 2026.
This content was published on
Swiss comedian and director Patrick Karpiczenko apologises for the Cheese Union, a mafia-like cartel that has flooded the world with cheese.
You can find an overview of ongoing debates with our journalists here . Please join us!
If you want to start a conversation about a topic raised in this article or want to report factual errors, email us at english@swissinfo.ch.