Interview Colzaco & Sonneveld
'We must first create sales and only then grow'
Responding to hypes. It is also common in the agricultural sector these days. Think of the cultivation of soybeans in the Netherlands for the production of soy drinks or a delivery service such as Crisp where the supermarket is skipped. It all sounds nice, but according to Erik Schieven, chairman of the colzaco rapeseed association, it also has a disadvantage. "We all grow, without thinking about whether there will be sales. That is the wrong order. We have to learn to create sales first and only then grow."
Erik Schieven has been chairman of the cooperative rapeseed association in the east of the Netherlands, or Colzaco, for about four years now. With 120 members, the majority of whom are agricultural entrepreneurs themselves, it aims to generate added value for rapeseed cultivation. A cultivation that is becoming increasingly extinct in the Netherlands. Schieve thinks that is more than a sin. "I think it's wonderful to walk through those blooming rapeseed fields. Not only I, but also my fellow councilors look at it with great pleasure. Sometimes they say: can't the whole of the Netherlands look like this? And then I joke: That's possible yes, but then you have to ensure that it yields a certain amount per hectare. That always leads to a nice discussion. But the conclusion is always: we pay too little for our food."
By the way, sales of rapeseed oil are doing quite well, says Schieven. "We can now even pay a little extra to the members who supply rapeseed (beyond the normal market price). That space is now available within the BV. That is of course also what a cooperative is intended for. That you can give those members some extra space in the development of the cultivation. It's not much, but you can hear the appreciation. They have the feeling that they are doing it for something." Schieven would like to see more agricultural entrepreneurs opting for rapeseed cultivation. That is why he finds it so important to generate that added value.
Create sales first, then grow
Colzaco has therefore started a one-on-one collaboration with Sonneveld. This company develops, produces and sells confectionery and bread mixes/powders to bakery organizations. "We were brought into contact with each other through FoodAtelier from Enschede. They do a lot of marketing and some commercial business for our Brassica oil brand. I didn't know Sonneveld further. But the conversations were good and they saw some value in it, literally and figuratively. " Going off the beaten track is sometimes necessary to avoid all the hassle and discussion. "And it often produces a nice product."
Although there is no concrete product on the shelves yet. "We are developing it. But, as it should be, you first need parties who want to sell it. In the agricultural world, there is often wrong reasoning. An example is an organization that focuses entirely on field beans and then only after the cultivation asks itself whether the consumer is waiting for that. Soon you will have no sales and everything would be for nothing. We must therefore first learn to think about the possibilities for sales and only then start cultivation/production." However beautiful Schieven himself thinks the product is, he therefore consciously chooses to wait for Sonneveld's 'go'.
That company is now pitching the product to the two largest bakery organizations. Unfortunately, such processes can take months or sometimes even years. "But there is a lot of optimism. The product we now offer – this mix with rapeseed semolina, is really unique. It is distinctive in terms of taste, but especially in terms of production," says Erik Ligtenberg, key account manager at Sonneveld.
Special production method
The special aspect, which Ligtenberg spoke about above, is the fact that the rapeseed from Colzaco is delivered cold-pressed and peeled. "We don't know that, it's really distinctive. In terms of taste, it also gives a lot of its own character. We will not do more with it than: flour, water, yeast, this groats and a little bit of bread improver. unique, that it cannot be described as the umpteenth multigrain bread roll."
Schieven: "Usually the rapeseed is pressed under high pressure and all kinds of things are added. We don't do that. That makes us unique: cold pressing and peeling. The product has a different taste, much more neutral. better, less bitter. In addition, it is a completely regional process. The rapeseed comes from this region (Schalkhaar) and we work together with an oil mill in Germany, almost around the corner here. Let it be clear, it is not scrap, but real protein."
The story counts too
And let that be exactly what the consumer wants. But it often also means that the price is higher and that is something that remains a challenge. "Consumers are always talking about all these requirements: from circular agriculture to regional cultivation. This product could therefore be a textbook example of how they want to see agriculture in the Netherlands. But in the supermarket they often decide differently. The consumer then has a "And then they still opt for that product with imported soy protein from Verweggistan. That is not sustainable. That awareness reaches citizens, but not yet with the consumer. That is a challenge."
Ligtenberg: "The story is therefore of great importance. You really have to show clearly what makes your product distinctive. In our case that is: locally grown, cold pressed and without skin (and therefore without bitterness). That is the USP of The moment the bakery or retailer cannot properly convey that story to the consumer, they will not buy it either, because in the end we all decide with our wallets and it becomes that sandwich with blue poppy seed from Verweggistan. " In short: that sales must be measured, otherwise the work will be for nothing.
Kimberly Baker
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