Sustainability & Values

Natural raw materials

We know our suppliers.

We select our raw materials according to the principles of quality, sustainability and regional origin. Our Swiss flour with the IP SUISSE label comes from Meyerhans Mühle, a fifth-generation family business. Our IP SUISSE sugar is crystallized in the Rupperswil Mill. We source our chocolate couvertures from Felchlin, a Swiss chocolate manufacturer with the highest reputation for quality and sustainable partnerships with cocoa farmers. Our Baselbieter Kirsch comes from cherries from local farmers in the Oberbaselbiet region and is distilled locally. Wherever possible, we also work with Swiss partners for packaging.

Handmade

Processing

At our Basel manufactory, our employees are at the heart of everything we do. Their craftsmanship, experience, and meticulousness define the quality of our specialties. Modern technology supports them where it simplifies workflows, but it does not replace traditional craftsmanship.

We handle our production resources responsibly. Many of our machines and equipment have been in daily use for over 50 years and are regularly serviced and continuously maintained. This extends their lifespan and conserves valuable resources.

For us, sustainability is also evident in energy consumption. Although we have significantly increased our production volume in recent years, our electricity consumption has remained almost unchanged. Modern ventilation systems, LED lighting, and the continuous optimization of our production processes contribute to efficient energy use and long-term resource conservation.

Local

We deliver from

Short distances are part of our understanding of sustainability. Around 60% of our employees live less than three kilometers from our Basel manufactory and often reach their workplace on foot or by bicycle. Within Basel and the neighboring communities, we prefer to deliver by bike courier and have our own bicycles for this purpose. Wherever possible, we work with regional raw material suppliers and Swiss partners. For deliveries to the rest of Switzerland, we continuously optimize our logistics to make transport routes efficient, reduce emissions, and keep our ecological footprint as small as possible.

Fairness & Equality

Succeeding Together

The success of our Basel manufacture is based on the people who daily produce our Basler Leckerli, confectionery specialties, and VOLRO Cräcker with dedication, experience, and craftsmanship. Therefore, we create a working environment characterized by fairness, appreciation, and equal opportunities. Equal development opportunities and equal pay for women and men are a matter of course for us.

These values also shape our corporate leadership. Since 2012, our Board of Directors has been chaired by a woman – first by Inge Kiefer, and since 2017 by Dr. Charlotte Kuster Gun.

"Our employees are the heart of our manufacture. Their skill, care, and passion make Jakob's Basler Leckerly what we have stood for since 1753."

Dr. Charlotte Kuster-Gun, Chairwoman of the Board of Directors

Care instead of waste

Use resources consciously

Responsible use of raw materials is a central component of our sustainability strategy. For our Basler Läckerli, confectionery specialties, and VOLRO crackers, we use carefully selected ingredients with a long shelf life. This allows us to purchase based on demand, keep inventory levels low, and avoid food waste.

In our production, we also focus on resource conservation and zero food waste. Flour from baking sheets is reused. Edges of the Basler Läckerli are sold as broken pieces. The "scraps" created during cutting are partly reincorporated into production or offered for further use with recipe ideas from top Basel chef Josy Nussbaumer.

Thanks to the long shelf life of our products and flexible artisanal production, we largely avoid overproduction. If possible, we pass on products that are not regularly saleable to our customers or the secondary market. Only in exceptional cases are remaining production residues used as animal feed.

Certification

We are Swisstainable.

Level I — Committed

We make sustainability measurable. That's why we have our efforts independently audited and certified.

Jakob's Basler Leckerly is part of the Swiss sustainability program Swisstainable and is classified at Level I – committed. By the end of 2026, we aim for Level II – engaged. In parallel, we are in the audited certification process of ESG2Go, which systematically reviews and further develops our sustainability performance.

Learn more at MySwitzerland.com/Swisstainable

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