AUTHENTIC BASQUE CHEESE DAIRY: TRADITION, EXCELLENCE, AND COMMITMENT

Can you introduce Onetik in a few words?

Onetik is a family-run cooperative cheese dairy founded over 40 years ago. Specialising in uncooked pressed cheeses from the Pyrenees, it processes sheep's, goat's and cow's milk. All production takes place in Macaye, a small village in the Basque Country, at a single manufacturing site. Onetik controls the entire production chain, from milk collection to cheese production, ripening and marketing. We sell our cheeses in supermarkets, through traditional channels (wholesalers, cheese shops) and abroad. Onetik employs around 100 people and collects milk from more than 250 farms.

You have launched numerous CSR initiatives. Can you tell us more about them?

In this area, our approach is based on the pillars of cheese-making: the farmers in our cooperative, the men and women at Onetik, the quality of our products, and our commitment to the local community, society and the environment. With this in mind, we have implemented several initiatives. At the level of our producers' cooperative, we support farmers by financing their replacement so that they can take holidays. This initiative, already adopted by more than 50 farmers, aims to improve their living conditions and make the profession more attractive. On the environmental front, we have invested in the installation of cooling units equipped with heat recovery systems. This system heats the water used for washing while reducing our overall energy consumption. Thanks to this technology, we are achieving energy savings of up to 30%. Continuing with our focus on sustainability, we plan to plant vegetation on our site in autumn 2025, and we have installed beehives on the cheese factory site to promote local biodiversity. On a social level, we donate our unsold products to the 'Restos du Cœur' charity to combat food waste and help the most disadvantaged. We also support the 'Les Retournées' association, which is developing a local network for the reuse of glass food containers. By organising their collection, washing and redistribution, it reduces waste and promotes the circular economy in the region.

What does the Cheese and Dairy Products Show offer you?

It remains an unmissable event for an SME like ours. It's an opportunity to talk to our customers, meet new ones and share our common passion for quality cheeses! It's always a pleasure to offer our customers tastings of our cheeses. Many of them already use our products, but it's still very rewarding to be able to help them rediscover the consistency and constant quality of our production.