worktagFidu Fankhauser produces vegan cheese and yogurt

From insurance company to vegan cheesemaker: That's what you call a career change! A year ago, Fidu Fankhauser started working at New Roots in Oberdiessbach, Bern, as an hourly helper: "I've always enjoyed doing different and new things." So, after more than ten years as an insurance consultant, it was high time for a change. At New Roots, he immediately felt at home: "It's a manageable company with exciting products, where even the bosses pitch in and all employees are taken seriously."

After just a few months, he was offered a position as deputy head of the packaging and finishing department. Although he didn't have much management experience, he seized the opportunity. He felt comfortable at the company and fit in well with the team. While his salary is now lower than in the insurance industry, it's no longer performance-based and is linked to more meaningful work. With his 90% workload, Fankhauser earns slightly more than 5,500 Swiss francs gross per month.

By hand

At New Roots' production site, located on a main road towards the Emmental region, approximately 35 people currently work. The employees gather in a spacious kitchen at lunchtime. When Fidu Fankhauser is on the early shift, he starts work at 5:15 a.m. Fortunately, he lives in the neighboring village and therefore has only a short commute. Fankhauser says:

Here at New Roots, we are somewhere between a family business and an industrial production facility, but much is still done by hand, which can be physically demanding.

Today, for example, 6,000 pieces of "Lupi" are produced; at the beginning of the year, it was only half that number. Lupi are fermented protein blocks made from lupins, legumes with superfood qualities. The production process is similar to that of a cheese dairy. First, the milk is produced from the lupins, followed by fermentation. The cheese is then cut with a special tool called a harp, and the water is pressed out before the individual pieces are packaged. Cleaning the tanks also takes up a considerable amount of time in the afternoon.

The usual strict hygiene regulations of the food industry apply in production: shoes and clothing must be changed before entering the production area, and hairnets are worn at all times. Safety goggles are now also mandatory. Fankhauser says: "We're no longer just a start-up. There are increasingly more standardized processes and rules that also benefit the safety of us employees." However, flexibility in working hours is still necessary. Sometimes a workday can last longer than planned.

Participation

Naturally, in a growing company, there are also discussions about the right direction and the right investments. As an employee, his opinion is heard. Because the products are often new, they first have to prove themselves in the market before investing in new machinery. The vegan raclette and fondue are already established. Grated cheese is also a new product, currently still being packaged by hand. But that should change soon, as sales figures are good.

At the company, employees are also informed about vegan nutrition, animal welfare issues, and the climate benefits of a plant-based diet. However, veganism is not a requirement to work at New Roots. "I myself am now a vegetarian," says Fankhauser. This September, New Roots will celebrate its 10th anniversary with a party on the factory grounds. Fankhauser believes there's a good chance that veganism will become even more popular in the next ten years, and that New Roots will continue to expand.

Baker apprenticeship

Fidu Fankhauser originally completed an apprenticeship as a baker and confectioner, which he passed with flying colors, and worked in the profession for 12 years. Fankhauser says:

I could probably have taken over my apprenticeship company, but the salary and workload were no longer right for me in that industry.

Fankhauser joined the SP a year ago. Regarding his motivation, he says: "Something political was bothering me again, and I wanted to get as far away as possible from the SVP's (Swiss People's Party) hype and perhaps become more actively involved in the future."

Hedgehog, paraglider and hypnosis

Fidu Fankhauser lives with his partner and her two children in a detached house in Niederhüningen, Bern. They don't have any pets, but they do have a hedgehog in their garden. They plan to redesign their garden to promote even more biodiversity around the house.

In his free time, Fankhauser enjoys paragliding. Since obtaining his tandem flight certification, he also flies with a partner. He enjoys observing the emotions his passengers experience, from the tension before takeoff to the euphoria after landing. As president of the Emmental Paragliding Club, he knows the best hiking trails and launch and landing sites in the area.

For a long time, he was a "stubborn Emmental citizen." He grew up in the Emmental region, worked in insurance, had a wife, two children, and volunteered with the fire department. After separating from his wife, Fankhauser sought more adventure and a connection with nature: from a solitary night hike from the sea to Mount Teide in Tenerife to a wilderness tour through Alaska with a friend. Most recently, Fankhauser also completed training in hypnosis. In the future, he would like to offer therapy for fear of flying through hypnosis sessions and tandem paragliding flights.