264: Foodvalley: 'The global food system has to change'

For years, the Netherlands has had a particularly important role to play in the global food system - but how is that role changing as sustainability becomes an ever more pressing issue?

The Dutch food production system has historically been the envy of the world, a small country but a big exporter.

That has usually meant some pretty intensive farming practices, but now the Netherlands is becoming a global exporter of sustainable ideas.

It's in no small part down to some of the work being done at Foodvalley, an independent international organisation, working to accelerate the transition to a sustainable food system.

In this episode of the Table Talk podcast, Stefan Gates is joined by Foodvalley Managing Director, Marjolein Brasz.

She explains what the organisation does, why it exists, and some of the challenges it hopes to overcome.

The crux of it, is that Foodvalley identifies problems in the food system that can only be solved by bringing people together from across different sectors.

The organisation focusses on innovation around sustainability and supports start-ups, corporates, and investors - anyone who falls under its umbrella term "game changers".

But it's not just about the health of the planet, Foodvalley also wants to transform our diets to be healthier too.

Listen to the full episode to find out more about the projects Foodvalley is supporting, why the Netherlands was the perfect environment for the organisation to flourish in, and how it is trying to overcome what Marjolein says is one the biggest blocks to change - vested interests.

Marjolein Brasz, Managing Director at Foodvalley

Marjolein Brasz has been active in the field of ecosystem innovation since 2015. The transition from a linear to a circular economy was central when she was involved with the Economic Board Amsterdam from 2015 to 2019. 

Since 2020, she has been directing  Foodvalley. Breakthrough innovations are essential for the food system transition. But the current system often fails to offer the right conditions and incentives necessary to cultivate and scale necessary innovations. Therefore the challenges facing the food system are too complex to be tackled alone. Foodvalley helps partners in and beyond the food chain to break the barriers and accelerate the transition together.

Foodvalley is the independent party that steers organisations on direction, process, content and speed. “Shaping the future of food, together.