Albert Heijn, Eneco and Bakker Barendrecht accelerate the sustainability of Dutch greenhouse horticulture
Collaboration shows that sustainability and food security go hand in hand
Albert Heijn, together with Eneco, strategic partner Bakker Barendrecht, and Dutch growers, will accelerate the reduction of CO₂e emissions in greenhouse horticulture. Together, they have the ambition to achieve a 70% CO₂e reduction (compared to 2018) in the cultivation of vegetables and fruit for Albert Heijn by 2030. With this collaboration, the parties aim to demonstrate that sustainability and food security reinforce each other.
Sustainable energy for future-proof greenhouse horticulture
Dutch greenhouse horticulture plays a crucial role year-round in the availability of fresh vegetables and fruit. To make this role future-proof, further electrification of greenhouse horticulture companies is necessary. At the request of the supermarket chain, Bakker Barendrecht and AgroEnergy, a subsidiary of Eneco, conducted research. This research shows that sustainability is already feasible and profitable for many companies in the short term. This ensures that locally grown products remain not only fresh and of high quality but also affordable. For Albert Heijn, this is an important step towards achieving the goal of a 45% CO₂e reduction in the entire chain by 2030 (compared to 2018).
Collaboration in the chain
Within the collaboration, all parties strengthen each other thanks to their different areas of expertise. Bakker Barendrecht, together with Eneco, has mapped out which sustainability options are applicable for almost all growers. Eneco provides the technical knowledge and guidance to help growers optimise and make their energy use more sustainable, even in areas where grid congestion presents challenges. Albert Heijn supports growers through long-term collaborations that form the basis for joint development of the chain. Innovation, sustainability, and transparency are central to guaranteeing the quality, affordability, availability, and sustainability of the product.
Concrete step-by-step plan for growers
At the heart of the approach is the AgroEnergy Green Plan, a step-by-step plan that gives growers insight into their energy consumption and which sustainable solutions are feasible for them. By smartly managing energy consumption, sustainability becomes technically achievable. In addition, growers are supported in making optimal use of subsidy opportunities. This allows them to modernise without putting the affordability or availability of locally grown products under pressure.
“Through our mission ‘Making better food accessible. For everyone.’, Albert Heijn believes in the power of collaboration to make a positive impact, not only for our customers but also for our partners throughout the chain,” says Rob Heesen, Director Partnerships & Business Development. “We can truly be proud that together we show it is possible: to become more sustainable while guaranteeing food security.”
“Greenhouse horticulture holds a special place in Eneco’s heart,” says Dick Velings, Director Strategic Growth at Eneco. “Through our subsidiary AgroEnergy, we have been passionately working with growers for more than 15 years to make the sector more sustainable. Through the collaboration with Albert Heijn, we can radically accelerate this and, together with Bakker Barendrecht and the growers, move towards CO₂ neutrality.”
Sector-wide movement
The government also sees the sustainability of greenhouse horticulture as an important opportunity. The cabinet is investing 200 million euros to bring the sector towards climate neutrality by 2040. During a stakeholder meeting at cucumber and pepper grower Reijm & Zn on Monday, 24 November, Albert Heijn spoke with growers, industry organisations, NGOs, knowledge institutions, businesses, and the government about the opportunities and challenges of the energy transition in the sector, with the message: it is possible.
“The greenhouse horticulture sector is important and one in which there is much to gain through sustainability. It is therefore great to see that Albert Heijn, Bakker Barendrecht, and Eneco are committed to the sustainable cultivation of vegetables. Initiatives like this show that together we are building the sustainable, prosperous economy of the future,” says Sophie Hermans, Minister for Climate and Green Growth.