Dr. Schär was founded in 1922 in South Tyrol, in the heart of the Alps, with a view to developing special dietary products that are both healthy and delicious. Under the leadership of Ulrich Ladurner, the company launched its first complete range of gluten-free products in the 1980s.
Today, Dr. Schär is available in around a hundred countries and is the international market leader in gluten-free alternatives and special diets. Since 2013, Arvid Nordquist has been responsible for the sale of Dr. Schär products in Sweden.
Dr. Schär takes its responsibility as a producer of gluten-free products and special diets very seriously. Sustainability challenges are central to the company as environmental conditions have a direct impact on product quality, especially in terms of land use and agricultural practices.
Biodiversity & sustainable farming
Dr. Schär works to protect and boost biodiversity through sustainable farming practices and numerous research projects. Among other things, the company’s research and development team in Trieste is investigating the use of microorganisms and other substances that can improve crop growth by capturing nitrogen from the air as so-called biostimulants. This reduces the need for mineral fertiliser and thereby contributes to a lower environmental impact and reduced health risks for people working in the fields. In collaboration with local farmers and experts, Dr. Schär also develops water-saving methods. This has resulted in a pilot project for drip irrigation with drip tape.
To combat deforestation and promote biodiversity, Dr. Schär is working to create as sustainable a supply chain as possible for risky raw materials such as palm oil, cocoa and soya. By using RSPO and RA certification for cocoa and palm oil, Dr. Schär ensures that they are produced responsibly and with consideration for the environment.
They also prioritise animal welfare: one example is the use of cage-free eggs since 2016.
Innovative projects for the future
Dr. Schär has launched several projects to ensure sustainable food production for the future. In collaboration with CropTrust, Genbank Tyrol and Laimburg Research Centre, they have carried out the Field100 project, where 100 different gluten-free crops are grown to promote biodiversity and the conservation of genetic resources. The aim of this project was to promote biodiversity and investigate how agriculture can adapt to climate change. VItaMì is another initiative aimed at growing new varieties of millet where the first field trials were carried out in 2022. Following detailed analysis, the company plans to start distributing seeds to farmers in 2026.
Sustainable packaging
Dr. Schär strives to optimise the use of packaging materials and to adapt them for the future. On the way to sustainable packaging, they have defined two strategic goals:
- They are committed to reducing the use of packaging and replacing plastic with paper when reasonable.
- They aim to make all their packaging recyclable, recycled or compostable.
To increase consumer awareness, the company is also focusing on providing clear information on how to recycle the packaging.
Read more about the Growing together sustainability strategy here: sowing seeds for a better world: Seeding-a-better-world
