Designated as a UNESCO Biosphere in 2001, Switzerland’s Entlebuch region offers visitors the chance to explore moorland landscapes and alpine meadows. If you plan to visit this region in the canton of Luzern, I recommend seeking out food products with the green label that reads “Echt Entlebuch.” Products with this label have a strong connection to this scenic valley. Your purchase helps to support the economic and environmental goals of this region.
What is the Entlebuch Biosphere?
With an area of about 400 square kilometers, the UNESCO Biosphere Entlebuch has unique pre-alpine moorlands and karst topography. This designation requires the biosphere to support over a dozen sustainability goals of the United Nations. These goals relate to ecological, economic and social objectives.
For visitors, this region has many opportunities for various sport and leisure activities. You can hike, bike, ski, pan for gold (Romoos / Doppleschwand), watch cheese-making demonstrations (Marbach) and more.
A Special Regional Label
Today, over 500 products have the Echt Entlebuch (“Genuine Entlebuch”) label. Dairy, cheese and meat make up a large portion of this product range. Other food products include flour, pasta, tea and honey, among others.
To qualify for this label, at least 80 percent of the raw materials in these products must come from the region. In addition, a minimum of two-thirds of the added value of these products must be generated within the biosphere.
Where to find these products:
- Biosphäre Markt in the town of Entlebuch
- supermarkets in the region
- directly from approved producers
- nearly a dozen online shops
For more information:
Categories: Alpine food, Cheese, Culinary travel, Drink, Drinks, milk, Swiss, Swiss food, Switzerland
