VanDrie Group has been represented for many years by Henny Swinkels. As of 1 January of this year, however, he is only ambassador of the veal group and has been replaced in Marijke Everts (29).
It is now up to this young and ambitious lady to guide the largest veal integration in the world (with locations in the Netherlands, Belgium, Italy, France and Germany, about 1.100 veal farmers on contract and more than 2.300 employees) into the future.
How exciting is it to succeed a figurehead like Swinkels?
"Exciting, but above all a great opportunity and challenge. I have been working at the VanDrie Group for almost 7 years and have been able to work towards this. Not from the start, but we have been heading for this for a year or two. We consciously opt for a soft landing, in which Henny can still advise in the background."
"He is an institution; to be in his shoes is a big step, but I see it completely and will also give it my own twist. That will be a slightly different way here and there. Rejuvenating, you could say "That means, among other things, much proactive communication through more modern channels, for example about dilemmas that we encounter. We discuss this, especially with individuals and groups who are critical of us."
You are probably also referring to the increasing critical attitude towards eating meat and keeping veal calves for that purpose. In that light, do you ever worry about the future of the veal sector and your company?
"It is an undercurrent of a certain group of people who say that eating meat is wrong. We do not know how large that group is. They may also say that, but I am convinced that there is a future for this sector. because we have an eye and an ear for what goes on in society. At the moment this means that most people still like to eat meat. It could well be that meat consumption, especially in Western Europe, will come under further pressure. , if in the future there is 'only' 7 days of meat on the menu instead of 4 days, our challenge is to make it more often veal."
Particularly in our own country, the cooperation between the calf sector and the dairy farmer has intensified in recent years, partly due to the arrival of KalfOK. This happened during a period that was also quite often criticized. How do you view the collaboration with dairy farming?
"I think that there has been demonstrable good cooperation in recent years and that this is now also bearing fruit. KalfOK entails issues that pose a number of questions for dairy farmers. I am certainly aware of that. As the veal sector, we have an interest in vital calves, but that also applies to dairy farming. More vital calves, for example, mean less antibiotic use. To be able to show this is an advantage for the entire cattle sector."
- Mary Everts
"The most important thing is that everyone in the cattle sector realizes that the dairy and veal sectors are inextricably linked. We need each other and benefit from each other. That does not mean that we should not follow and question each other critically, on the contrary. Remain critical. is positive, but based on the realization that we belong together. The moral obligation to accept calves from Dutch dairy farming is part of that for us and we will continue to do so as we have been used to for years."
Where are your market opportunities in the coming years?
"Our market share in Europe is around 30%, which is fairly stable. In the European Union (EU), our main sales markets are in Italy, Germany and France. The growth opportunities do lie outside the EU. Countries such as the United States (US) Chile and China have been open to our products in recent years. This is positive, but does not immediately mean much more sales and turnover in the very short term. China has enormous potential, but for now it mainly involves a lot of investment in market development. Veal is not yet a well-known product in China; it will take a few years before we really have a serious turnover there."
"We will also continue to invest in the traditional markets. In Italy, for example, our largest market, we are focusing extra on ease of use; in this way we also want to continue to reach millennials. We have set up an extensive campaign for this target group of the future. Products 'instagramable† Beautiful products that you can present beautifully. That's something the younger generation is focusing on."
A decrease in meat consumption is 1 risk. What else do you see as the major challenges for the coming years?
"The climate and sustainability are things that everyone, including us, are busy with. This certainly includes the challenge in the field of labour, because without our 2.300 employees we would be nowhere. The average age within our production is above 46 years, which means a wealth of knowledge and experience.However, it also means that we have difficulty attracting young people.VanDrie Group, but also the meat sector as a whole, must work hard to show that our industry offers interesting workplaces. "
"The same is true for veal farmers. Takeover of companies is under increasing pressure due to all kinds of factors. We must also find enough young people willing to run those companies in the future. Whether we should also consider setting up veal farms ourselves under our own management "No, we don't have those plans. Our current system works well. We will continue to point out this problem to the government. It can stimulate and facilitate."
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