Flevofood
'Flevoland is the vegetable garden of Europe. We have a hugely diverse offering: more than 1,000 products. From blueberry and kiwi berries to soya beans, pickles, organic parsley and quinoa. Besides the familiar onions, potatoes and carrots. Every season it allows us to eat healthy and varied food in our province.'
Bauke van der Veen is a board member of Flevofood, the network association of Flevoland food companies. Producing and consuming food locally is what Flevofood strives for.
Polder pioneer - in fair food
Fair food by the best farmers
Bauke himself calls himself a booster of the short chain. Flevofood is already thriving, within a few years, in the province. Flevoland therefore offers entrepreneurs every opportunity to pursue ideals. 'I have to from myself. After all, I believe in honest food.'
'The first inhabitants of Flevoland were the best farmers in the Netherlands. They came to the polder as pioneers to solve the food problem. We wanted no more hunger in the Netherlands. We succeeded. Now we are going one step further. How do we make the food issue sustainable? We export as much as 80% worldwide!'
Regional food chain
'In 2017, we dreamed with a club about changing our food system sustainably. Less exports, less kilometres, more local, more seasonal and fairly priced. Now the supermarket still has the upper hand: 95% do their shopping there. Flevofood wants to put a powerful, regional food chain alongside it. A chain from farmer to retailer where you can buy local, seasonal food at fair, preferably competitive prices.'
VPRO vs RTL audience
Meanwhile, Flevofood has a good number of partners and members. Together, they encourage the production and consumption of local food. In this way, they realise a positive impact on the regional food economy, the environment and the relationship between producer, buyer and consumer. 'We now need to go from the early adapters to the early majority and late majority. From VPRO to RTL4 audiences. That first target group thinks it's great and doesn't mind if we don't deliver once. But the majority just wants 'ordered today, delivered tomorrow'.'
Worldly dishes - with local ingredients
Poldertortilla
'The taste of Flevoland? That's worldly dishes with local ingredients. Do you know the polder tortilla? Sounds Spanish, but is simply made from onions, potatoes and eggs from the polder. We are also working on plans for an (un)manned regional shop.'
Unique in terms of diversity
'Flevoland is unique in terms of food diversity. And we are used to just getting on with things here. I think the world is getting a little better because of our approach. As an early adapter, I like to be at the forefront. In that sense, I am also a pioneer and have a big heart for driving new developments in the field of our food issue.'