The Epiim story

Epiim is owned by over a hundred local dairy farmers, and is one of the largest cheese and butter producers in Estonia. Various locations for Epiim’s dairies date back as early as the beginning of the twentieth century. The first of them was opened in Põltsamaa in 1910, while the second opened in Järva-Jaani in 1911. Today, over 120,000 tons of pure local raw milk is used every year to produce cheese, butter, and milk powder in Epiim’s dairy and creamery.

The letter ‘e’ in our name symbolises Estonian milk, which we use to introduce the Estonian dairy industry to all cheese lovers in Estonia, as well as those who live abroad. Pure Estonian nature, long-standing traditions, and a climatically-favourable geographic location in this strong agricultural area have all combined to create historically good conditions for successful milk processing. This principle is also followed today.

Estonian cheese exporter

Our goal is to increase the value of, and to offer the best marketing for, the raw materials used by all of the dairy farmers who are part of our cooperative efforts by producing and distributing quality dairy products both to local markets as well as abroad. Epiim is the largest exporter of Estonian cheese, and has established several decades of great cooperation with the largest cheese-producing countries in the European Union, such as Italy and Switzerland. Epiim has also taken Estonian cheese to markets in Asia, Africa, and also America. The quality of our dairies has been acknowledged by our being awarded the BRC Food Safety certificate, and Halal and Kosher certificates of conformity.

Food industry developer

Epiim is a company that has orientated itself towards the healthy development of the food industry and innovation within that industry. Since 2005, Epiim has been partner at the Bio-Competence Centre of Healthy Dairy Products LLC, in which the centre cooperates with universities and scientists who are working in various fields of food functionality and in clinical trials. In cooperation with the Bio-Competence Centre of Healthy Dairy Products LLC, we have developed Südamejuust Harmony™, which comprises Lactobacillus plantarum TENSIA® – which helps to maintain a healthy heart by lowering blood pressure that is around the high-to-normal level – and demineralised whey powder (D90) which, with its low mineral content, is suitable as a food supplement for infants.

Modern milk powder production

Between 2011 and 2013, Epiim’s Järva-Jaani milk powder industry went through a complete innovation process. During summer 2013, we started working with the most modern and environmentally-clean spray drain in Järva-Jaani, which helps to produce whey, skimmed milk, and milk powders, bulk packaged and small packaged butter, and also frozen cream. Every year we produce 8,000 tons of milk powders and 3,000 tons of high quality 82% Eesti butter in Järva-Jaani.