You are an acquired taste and you know it. People either love you or are confused by you, and you are fine with both.
Cheese profile
- MildBold
- SoftFirm
- HomebodyExplorer
- SoloFondue crowd
- ClassicWild
The real cheese facts
- Origin
- Canton of Glarus, one producer (GESKA)
- Milk
- Skimmed cow’s milk
- Type
- Ziger mixed with Schabziger clover, shaped into a cone
- Best for
- Grated
Source: schabziger.ch · Last checked 28.10.2026
Taste and texture
The Schabziger clover gives it its green colour and a strong herbal flavour.
How to eat it
Grate it. In Glarus the traditional tool for that is the Zigerriibi, a grater made for the cone.
Did you know?
In 1463 the Landsgemeinde of Glarus passed a quality decree that made cheesemakers stamp their products with their origin. That is why Schabziger calls itself the oldest branded product in Switzerland. Today a single company makes it, GESKA in Glarus.
Schabziger or Ziger?
Schabziger starts as Ziger. In Glarus it is mixed with Schabziger clover and shaped into a cone, and only GESKA makes it. Plain Ziger is a fresh whey cheese that is skimmed off after about 15 minutes and sold by some dairies.
More about Ziger →How to keep it
Keep it wrapped in the fridge and grate only as much as you need.
Questions about Schabziger
What is Schabziger made of?
Skimmed cow’s milk from the Glarus region. Heated above 90 °C with a lactic culture, the milk separates into Ziger and whey, and the Ziger is mixed with Schabziger clover.
Who makes Schabziger?
Only GESKA AG in Glarus.