This starts with cultivation, where we work with our growers to keep arable farming profitable, innovative and sustainable as part of our Groeikracht programme. We also research mechanical weeding and assist in purchasing hoeing machines to reduce the use of plant protection products. As part of De Natuurakker 2.0 project, we are exploring whether profitable cultivation and nature development can go hand in hand.
Our ambition is to create a fully circular and carbon-neutral production process. We are working hard on energy-saving projects, green energy procurement and the in-house production of renewable energy. We are the largest producer of green gas in the Netherlands and built a solar park in 2021 with 65,000 solar panels.
We are expanding our portfolio with healthy and climate-friendly alternatives. In doing so, we are shifting our focus to the production of other dietary fibres (inulin), plant-based proteins and biobased products. In 2019, for example, we successfully extracted protein from beet greens and we partnered with paper producer Crown van Gelder to make paper from sugar beets.
