These parties together create breakthrough in regenerative agriculture

The story begins at accountancy and (tax) advisory firm PwC, where the desire arose to make regenerative food and drink available to employees. And that is pretty special. Rob Klinkert, portfolio manager at PwC, says: "Healthy, varied and plant-based eating is enshrined in our policy. I believe that if you do something, you should do it right the first time. So we not only opt for organic, but also for stronger biodiversity and climate adaptation. That this is now policy is partly due to Future Up. They took parties from all along the chain on a visit to a regenerative farm. There I felt in my deepest vessels: this ticks all the boxes."

Anyone can put an ambition on paper. Translating that into catering practice is another story. And so Rob got in touch with facility management partner ISS, where Christel Simmelink is sustainability manager: "When Rob called me, I had to switch gears. What is regenerative? And why do we want that? A world opened up for me when, like Rob, I went to look at regenerative farm Schevichoven. But then I was quickly converted."

Share risk with all

To actually bring regenerative into policy, cooperation with other parties was essential. "In the initial talks with Bidfood and Van Gelder, not everyone was enthusiastic. But other caterers like Vitam were also supporters and that gave the call more force. Partly as a result, it came to a conversation." Eventually, this also ensured that Bidfood and Van Gelder started talking to their own farmers as well as new farmers. "Those were immediately in favour," Christel says.

In the interplay, speaking the same language and getting a sharp grasp of what 'regenerative' means proved essential. "PwC set the dot on the horizon, ISS translated that into a concrete question, and we at Bidfood assessed whether it was feasible," says Wim van der Aar, freshman at Bidfood. "So when we noticed that many parties wanted regenerative, it was a matter of also getting it workable in the kitchen. The cook has to be able to work with it." Together, they discovered that it could - provided clear agreements were made. Farmers Naturally provided the basis for this.

Learning from each other in the chain

The joint search also brought new insights. For ISS, it meant that its own organisation took a broader view of sustainability: from mainly CO₂ reduction to also biodiversity and circularity. For Bidfood and Van Gelder, it meant that earlier scepticism gave way to a concrete approach. Wim: "At first, I was afraid that regenerative was just as much hype as organic was at the time. That never really grew because of all kinds of labels. The difference now is that Boeren Natuurlijk offers certainty and transparency, without being a hallmark. This allows us to start small with 15 products, with ambition towards more."

For PwC, it was a learning process to understand the impact of regenerative agriculture. Rob: "Awareness is in seeing and experiencing. Go and see a farmer. Hardly anyone has been there. Only when you see that will you understand the impact of the current farming system." That is why Bidfood and Van Gelder will organise tours at Cornelis, so that chefs, caterers and clients can see for themselves where the products come from.

The farmer himself also learned along the way. Cornelis Mosselman had been looking for stable sales for years. "I once wanted mainly short chain, direct to citizens. That's nice, but not realistic at scale. Now I can reach the whole of the Netherlands through chefs and wholesalers. After all these years of uncertainty, I can finally show that it works." For him, the collaboration is a breakthrough: he can focus on growing, while the chain takes care of logistics, pre-processing and distribution. "The most exciting thing will soon be the start: how do we arrange washing and storage? At least I know: I no longer have to do it alone."

A shared language is key

What makes this process special is that the parties did not merely follow each other, but complemented each other. PwC asked the question, ISS translated it into a concrete request, Bidfood from Van Gelder made it executable, and Cornelis supplied the products. Future Up brought everything together from a common goal: bringing regenerative food to scale. In between, there was a constant search for a common language. Christel: "I am proud that together we can change the chain and show that it works. Step by step, with an eye for smaller sites as well as a good price for the farmer."

That shared language proved key. PwC, ISS and Bidfood/Van Gelder recognise Farmers Naturally from Future Up as the leading initiative for regenerative agriculture. That gives a foothold: no fragmentation, but agreements that everyone can agree on. In this way, the integrity of natural agriculture remains intact while creating the opportunity to scale up.

Towards system change

The result of this collaboration is more than just a set of products in the PwC company restaurant. Now that regenerative vegetables and arable products are in the Bidfood and Van Gelder range, other organisations with the same ambition can step in. In doing so, the impact of one question grows into a systemic change. Rob: "I would say: don't talk but do. Work together. And join existing initiatives such as Farmers Naturally."

Scaling up

Bidfood, meanwhile, is looking ahead. Wim: "If I have three per cent regenerative turnover in two years' time, I think that's very neat. I hope more farmers will join." For PwC, the ambition is higher. Rob: "Why stick to five per cent of your potato, vegetable and meat purchases? That's too low. If you put volume down together as buying parties, there will be real traction."

Cornelis looks at it soberly, but not without pride. "It feels like pioneering, but also like a dream come true. After all these years, we can finally show that it will work."

Together, PwC, ISS, Bidfood, Van Gelder and Cornelis show how ambitions become reality. Not by one party, but through the chain. That is the strength of Farmers Naturally: building a system in which regenerative agriculture can grow big, with all parties involved from start to finish.

"Without Future Up, this would never have succeeded. As an independent party between supply and demand, it connects interests and allows parties to bear risks together from such a bold step," concludes Cornelis Mosselman.

Farmers Naturally

Visit boerennatuurlijk.nl for more about Cornelis Mosselman and the other natural farmers in Future Up's network. Please contact us if you also want to buy food for nature and the farmer.

More about Cornelis Mosselman

Van Gelder Netherlands made a video about Farmers Naturally farmer Cornelis Mosselman. Watch his story below.