Remei AG and Coop jointly launched the bioRe Foundation in 1997 and have remained two strong pillars of it to this day. Being the most significant buyers of organic cotton, the two companies support the bioRe Foundation’s social and agricultural projects.
Jürg Peritz, a member of Coop’s executive management at the time, wanted to find a sustainable alternative in the field of textiles. In 1993, he met a visionary entrepreneur by the name of Patrick Hohmann, the founder of Remei AG, a yarn trader at the time. Patrick Hohmann had committed his life to organic farming as a sustainable livelihood for farmers in India. It was the beginning of a long journey marked by exciting developments and changes. When Jürg Peritz retired in 2012, he took over Patrick Hohmann’s function as Chairman of the bioRe Foundation.
The bioRe Foundation’s history since 1997 has been marked by substantial environmental changes and a continuous sequence of new challenges, but the focus has always been on achieving equality, self-determination and a life in dignity for the farming families.
In 2002, Remei AG and Coop jointly received the United Nations’ Award for Sustainable Development Partnerships. Until this day, the two companies have lived up to their social and ecological responsibility.
Founder of the bioRe Foundation
I have learnt that it was essential to redefine organic farming as simply “free from pesticides and chemicals”.
We need to consider an organism as a holistic entity and give it room to live.
Patrick Hohmann
Chairman of the bioRe Foundation for many years
I experienced Hong Kong when it was a production site of ours. Waste water from dyeworks was discharged directly into the bay, turning it blue or red. A crime against nature.
The disastrous working conditions I saw on my trips through Asia inspired me to look for solutions as a contribution towards a better world.
Jürg Peritz
Milestones
- 1991 Launch by Remei of Indian organic-cotton project
- 1994 Launch by Remei of Tanzanian organic-cotton project
- 1997 Non-profit bioRe® Foundation established
- 2003 bioRe Association of Indian farmers established
- 2004 Opening of training centre for organic farming in India
- 2005 Opening of training centre for organic farming in Tanzania
- 2005/06 Remei AG’s two bioRe Ltd. companies in India and Tanzania taken over by the Foundation
- 2006 Mobile health bus starting to operate
- 2006 Launch of the first three animation schools
- 2007 Launch of long-term systems comparison in India in co-operation with FiBL
- 2007 Successful pilot project in India aimed at securing livelihood: Aavran, production of organic-cotton scarves spun and woven manually
- 2008 Launch of CO2 projects with direct added value for organic farmers
- 2010 Non-GMO seeds no longer available in India
- 2010/11 Launch of research project for non-GMO types of cotton
- 2011 bioRe® Foundation of Tanzania established
- 2013 “Friends of the bioRe Foundation” association established
- 2014 Successful pilot project in Tanzania aimed at securing livelihood by crop rotation: sunflower-oil press
- 2014 Opening of bioRe® school campus with integrated vocational training
- 2015 Emergency aid for climate-related crop losses in Tanzania in the amount of USD 32,500
- 2016 New ginning plant opened by bioRe® India Ltd.
- 2017 Foundation taking over the bioRe® brand as umbrella brand with two quality labels
- 2017 First charity event for donors in Switzerland
- 2018 First generation of bioRe Animation School students completing secondary-level education. A total of 18 bioRe Animation Schools have been established since 2006.
- 2019 Official release of first six non-GMO types of cotton from bioRe® seed research
- 2019 Emergency aid for climate-related crop losses in India in the amount of CHF 40,000
- 2020 The two bioRe Ltd. companies in India and Tanzania sold to Remei AG
- 2021 Covid-19 emergency aid for the Indian community of farmers in the amount of CHF 140,000 plus 15 oxygen apparatuses as a donation-in-kind
- 2022 Anniversary year, 25 years of the bioRe Foundation