TRENDS

Local food? A great idea (on paper)

Getting your groceries straight from a nearby farm, who wouldn’t want that? Less transport, fairer prices for farmers, shorter supply chains. Governments have been trying to promote it for years. Still, making local food..

European demand for chicken rises, supply shifts

19 December 2024

The poultry sector continues to thrive in Europe, with a steady demand for chicken. However, Dutch production is declining, while other European countries are expanding, according to Rabobank. Prices under pressure fr...

New insights into the risks of perchlorate in food

19 December 2024

The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) has published a draft opinion on the health risks of perchlorate in food. This opinion, open for public consultation, responds to a request from the European Commission to reasse...

Unilever sells Unox and Zwan to Zwanenberg

18 December 2024

Unilever has received a binding offer from Zwanenberg Food Group to acquire the Unox and Zwan brands. Both brands are icons in the Netherlands and Belgium, respectively. The sale of these brands aligns with Unilever’s...

Healthy incentives: encouraging a healthier food environment

17 December 2024

The number of overweight people in the Netherlands is rising rapidly. According to calculations by the RIVM, by 2050, as many as 64% of the population will be overweight. At the same time, 79% of the current food supply ...

European agriculture: transition in numbers

16 December 2024

Climate goals, economic pressure, and changing market conditions are having a major impact on European agriculture. Recent data from Eurostat shows how the sector is adapting. Production, sustainability, and labour marke...

New insights improve the texture of plant-based meat

13 December 2024

The mouthfeel of plant-based meat alternatives remains a challenge for the industry. Consumers demand products with a structure closer to real meat, particularly for whole-cut alternatives. Recent research by Wageningen ...

Robotics in agriculture essential due to labor shortages

13 December 2024

The agriculture and horticulture sector is seeing volumes decline once again in 2024 compared to the previous year. However, the financial results of the sector remain positive, supported by stable prices and lower costs...

200th V-Label client: a milestone for the Vegetariërsbond

12 December 2024

The Vegetariërsbond has reached an important milestone with its 200th V-Label client. The certification mark, now featured on over 5,000 products in the Netherlands, provides consumers with clear information about vegeta...

Food industry under pressure due to law on labor migration

12 December 2024

After a period of rising prices, some stability seems to have returned to the food sector. However, growth remains stagnant due to structural challenges such as shortages of raw materials, declining exports, and a labor ...

Circular food production crucial for biodiversity

11 December 2024

Circular food production and a shift towards more plant-based proteins offer significant opportunities to combat biodiversity loss and climate change. This approach could reduce land use and greenhouse gas emissions in E...

The food industry is missing opportunities to tackle obesity

10 December 2024

Obesity remains a growing problem in the Netherlands. The RIVM predicts an increase in the percentage of Dutch people with obesity from 50% in 2022 to 64% by 2050. These alarming figures are highlighted in the report Kie...

Sabor Verde launches sustainable avocado alternative

05 December 2024

The avocado is more popular than ever, but its cultivation is far from sustainable. Sabor Verde, an initiative by three Dutch entrepreneurs, aims to change that. As the first European brand, it offers avocados grown enti...

Two-thirds of Dutch want to eat less meat

04 December 2024

The Netherlands appears ready for a protein transition. Research by ProVeg shows that two-thirds of Dutch people want to eat more plant-based and less animal-based food. This support spans various demographic groups, fro...

7th Meat Café: Collaborating on food strategy is crucial

28 November 2024

Should the government allow the meat sector more room, or should the EU's climate policy line take precedence? Is agriculture a strategic geopolitical asset for the Netherlands and the EU? For which market does the Dutch...