Sustainability

Drought impacts the chain from farming to processing

The ongoing drought is affecting nearly all agricultural and horticultural sectors. LTO Nederland reports lower yields, declining quality, and growing concerns about livestock feed supplies. Logistics and agricultural ma..

On the way to PlanetProof grows in crop production and trade

03 August 2026

On the way to PlanetProof strengthened its position within the agricultural supply chain in 2025. The certification scheme expanded its reach in crop production. More trading companies also became involved. In the livest...

Dutch-grown quinoa heads to supermarket shelves

29 July 2026

Starting in August, Jumbo will sell quinoa grown in the Netherlands. The product will appear under its private label in stores. GreenFood50 supplies the quinoa, which is produced by Dutch growers. Jumbo has made a multi-...

De verborgen voetafdruk van ons voedsel

27 July 2026

Niet iedere maaltijd drukt even zwaar op klimaat en natuur. De impact hangt sterk samen met wat mensen eten en tot welke bevolkingsgroep zij behoren. Zo hebben jonge, hoogopgeleide mannen in steden gemiddeld de grootste ...

New plant-based plastic offers opportunities for food sector

23 July 2026

Biobased plastics are advancing rapidly, but practical use remains challenging. A material must be strong, resist moisture and break down after use. Researchers from Wageningen, Amsterdam and China have now taken a new s...

Most-read articles in the first half of 2026

23 July 2026

Which stories drew the most attention in the food industry in the first half of 2026? This top 10 brings together the topics that kept readers engaged: sustainability, automation, data-driven working, cooling, renovation...

NVDE: Europe needs to push through with electrification plan

20 July 2026

For many food companies, sustainability revolves around practical questions. Is there enough grid capacity? Will energy remain affordable? And when does investing in electric heat, storage, or cooling actually pay off? T...

Recyclability of primary packaging remains a concern

20 July 2026

The supermarket sector has used less packaging material, but still lags behind on recyclability. This is stated in the CBL Verpakkingsrapportage 2025. Primary packaging in particular remains a concern for the supply chai...

End of Soy Moratorium increases pressure on EUDR

17 July 2026

The end of the Amazon Soy Moratorium is raising major concerns about rising deforestation. With the collapse of this agreement, vast areas of forest are at risk of being lost. Over the next decade, at least 1.4 million a...

Stricter import rules for organic food on the horizon

15 July 2026

Stricter rules are on the way for importing organic food from outside the EU. The European Parliament's agriculture committee approved new measures regarding certification. This decision aims to better protect European p...

EUDR update: palm oil derivatives and instant coffee added

14 July 2026

The European Commission is adding certain palm oil derivatives, instant coffee, and frozen beef tongues to the EU Deforestation Regulation (EUDR). Meanwhile, soybeans for sowing are being removed from the scope. These an...

Rigid standards cost farmers 20 percent of their crop

14 July 2026

The gap between industrial standards and the unpredictable whims of nature is growing. While the climate causes more variation, the industry is demanding even more uniformity. On average, 15 to 20 percent of the fruit an...

Albert Heijn goes all in on B Corp brands

08 July 2026

Albert Heijn is launching the recurring "Every B-it helps" campaign alongside more than 45 well-known brands. The supermarket chain is using this initiative to boost the visibility of B Corp-certified companies both in-s...

Consumers opt for Fairtrade more often despite high cocoa prices

08 July 2026

Sales of products carrying the Fairtrade label increased by 11 percent in 2025. Dutch consumers purchased over 247 million items. As a result, farming cooperatives in Africa, Asia, and Latin America received 8.9 million ...

SMK tightens sustainability requirements further

03 July 2026

The sustainability of the Dutch food chain continues to gain momentum. In 2025, SMK tightened the requirements for several certification schemes and saw the certified acreage under On the way to PlanetProof continue to g...

Deposit return system may soon cover dairy and juice bottles