1.5 million kilos of potatoes without buyers after CêlaVíta bankruptcy

In Harskamp, 1.5 million kilos of firm-boiling table potatoes are sitting without a buyer. Following the bankruptcy of potato processor CêlaVíta, the volume now risks going to waste. Arable farmer Richard Hardeman lost his regular customer in August 2025. At the same time, the Netherlands is dealing with a substantial potato surplus.

Ongoing contracts abruptly terminated

Hardeman supplied CêlaVíta for more than ten years. When the company went bankrupt, ongoing contracts were immediately terminated. “From one day to the next, my potatoes were ‘free,’” Richard says. “But in a market that is already saturated, that basically means there is no room for them.”

The 2025 harvest was exceptionally strong. In the Netherlands, this resulted in a surplus of approximately 100 million kilos of potatoes. Hardeman’s Hansa potatoes are table potatoes with lower starch content. As a result, they are less suitable for industrial processing. Processors already have sufficient supply. Without new buyers, the volume risks ending up in a biodigester or being spread back onto the land.

Action focused on direct sales

Food collective No Waste Army is launching a nationwide campaign together with Boerschappen. Consumers can place orders through a dedicated campaign website and, on February 27 and 28, fill a 15-kilo bag themselves at the farm. A stamppot box is also available for nationwide delivery. This box can be donated to the Food Bank. Large buyers can contact No Waste Army for higher volumes of potatoes or fries.

Scaling down and taking control of sales

Hardeman is reducing his acreage from 200 to 20 hectares. He is shifting production to supply his farm shop De Groenerie in Harskamp and direct customers. At De Groenerie, the potatoes are sold fresh and will soon be processed into fresh-cut fries. This will be done in collaboration with participants in daytime activity programs.

“If we coordinate directly with our customers, the chance that a potato gets rejected for the smallest reason is much lower. That prevents waste and ensures a fair price.”

Nowastearmy.nl