Facts & figures

General

Company form: Dairy cooperative
Place of business: Westbeemster

Cash milk price (2023)

€ 47 per 100 kg

Annual sales (2023)

€ 320 Million

Milk supply (2023)

440 million kilograms

Cheese production (2023)

34 thousand tonnes

Number of farmers

400

Number of cheese makers

212 fte

History

  1. 2023

    CONO drives the Netherlands' first all-electric RMO.

  2. 2021

    A new sustainability ambition: positive for future generations

  3. 2021

    Most CONO cheeses are vegetarian

  4. 2020

    100% GMO-free milk

  5. 2020

    Cheese factory climate-neutral certified

  6. 2016

    Closure of old cheese factory

     

  7. 2014

    Opening new cheese factory

     

  8. 2012

    Start of construction of new cheese factory

  9. 2008

    Launch sustainability programme Caring Dairy

  10. 2002

    Start of active promotion of outdoor grazing of dairy cows

  11. 2001

    Receipt of the Supplier of the Year predicate

  12. 1901

    Establishment of cooperative

Prices

2023

World Cheese Awards 2023

Gold for Beemster Old 30+

Golden Cheese Drill NNKC

Rosanne Sluijs of CONO Cheese Makers wins Golden Cheese Drill during Dutch National Cheese Judging Competition 2023

Food magazine

Food magazine marketing awards product group cheese

DLG Awards

Gold for Beemster Young, Beemster Belegen, Beemster X-O, Beemster Goat, Royaal, Royaal Grand Cru and Beemsdammer have Gold and Silver for Beemster Old.

Sustainable Brand Index

Most sustainable cheese brand according to Dutch consumers

Industry distribution trophy

Category A-brand fresh

2022

Avantage Group Report

CONO Cheese makers has been ranked No. 1 within the cheese category in the Advantage Report for the 5th time in a row!

World Cheese Awards

Beemster Old, Beemster Royaal Grand Cru and Beemster Goat awarded Gold

Golden Cheese Drill

Cheesemaker Sjoerd Hiemstra wins the Golden Cheese Drill at the NNKC

Gouda Cheese Awards

Gold for 't Kaas Lokaal at the Gouda Cheese Awards

Taste test The Telegraph

Beemster 30+ young matured winner in the 30+ taste test

Industry distribution trophy

Category A-brand fresh

Food magazine

Food magazine marketing awards product group cheese

Sustainable Brand Index

Most sustainable cheese brand according to Dutch consumers

Foodstuffs newspaper

Beemster 30+ best introduction 2020

Foodpersonality

Captain of the catagory

See our awards and accolades in past years

Milk Milk and more milk

A fair milk price so farmers can produce the very best milk

CONO Kaasmakers set the cash milk price for 2023 at €47.29 per 100 kilograms.

The cows of our cattle farmers walk an average of 176 days a year, over 10 hours a day in the pasture. All our cheeses are made from 100% pasture-raised milk.

Of the CONO dairy farmers, 97% meet the national grazing standard.

Our milk is 100% GMO-free.

Caring Dairy objectives and results

CARING DAIRY THEME 'HAPPY COWS
Happy cowsObjectiveResults
Indicatoruntil 20252017201820192020202120222023
1. Dairy cattle grazing≥ 180 days
OR		Number of days175194182185180191176
≥ 1440 hoursNumber of hours1836207419141907189119591794
2. Grazing young cattle ≥ 120 daysNumber of days169173162177175
3. Closed companyNo supply of cattle% closed companies5661637071
4. Healthy calves≤ 15% calf mortality% calf mortality131210,5310,199,228,838,89
5. Lifetime≥ 6 yearsNumber of days2096207820952185225622902314
Number of years(5 years, 9 months)(5 years, 8 months)(5 years, 9 months)(almost 6 years)(6 years, 2 months)(6 years, 3 months)(6 years, 4 months)
6. Veterinary medicines≤ 2 animal day dosageAnimal daily dose2,162,022,042,192,172,092,18
CARING DAIRY THEME 'MORE GRASS & BIODIVERSITY
More grass & biodiversityObjectiveResults
Indicatoruntil 20252017201820192020202120222023
7. Grass in rations
≥ 15% fresh grass OR
Fresh grass in ration (% dry matter)15171718181817
≥ 60% incl grass silageTotal grass in rations (% dry matter)58585959606059
8. Homegrown protein≥ 65%% own protein6965737064*61*62*
9. Concentrates and by-productsThe concentrate ration is ≤ 25 kg/100 kg of milk ANDKg concentrate / 100 kg milk28,526,5*22,3*2222,222,622,5
Concentrates including by-products (in kg
dry matter) ≤ 30 kg/100 kg of milk measured		Kg concentrate + by-products / 100 kg milk29,6*26,8*26,725,826,826,5
10. Agricultural nature management≥ 5% of the area% farms with >5% agricultural nature45505146524848
Area of agricultural nature of the above mentioned group (%)2627,82929262728
11. Perennial grassland≥ 50% of the area% permanent pasture576061616261
* Modified calculation system
CARING DAIRY THEME 'BETTER ENVIRONMENT & CLIMATE
Better environment & climateObjectiveResults
Indicatoruntil 20252017201820192020202120222023
12. Green power and low energy consumption100% green power and ≤6 kWh/100kg of measured milkPower consumption (kWh/100kg milk)5,55,15,44,85,15,04,8
% of companies purchasing green energy46567380828990
13. Own energy≥ 25% of electricity relative to total
electricity consumption is generated on the farm itself.
generated on the farm.		% of companies with energy generation24263438445363
% own energy vs. electricity consumption17182227304049
14. Greenhouse gas emissions≤120 kg CO2
eq/100 kg
measuring milk		CO₂ equivalents / 100 kg milk13413313412312011994,6
15. N soil surplus≤ 150kg N/haN soil surplus / ha Nitrogen indicator144160134152152166123
16. Ammonia emissions≤ 75kg NH₃/haAmmonia / ha Nitrogen indicator66645658515050
17. Crop protection≤ 250 environmental impact points Number of environmental impact points3858451331266650
Glyphosate-free% of farms glyphosate-free88919899100100
CARING DAIRY THEME 'SOCIAL COMMITMENT
Socially involvedObjectiveResults
Indicatoruntil 202520192020202120222023
18. Company is open to societyMore than 100 unique visitors per yearAverage visitors per company226175249369420
Share of companies with a social side branch (%)10,329,834,931,428,4