The Province is helping support the shortest-possible food chains
Due to the Coronavirus outbreak, many local food producers can no longer sell their goods through traditional channels. And with restaurants only just getting back to welcoming guests, Drenthe is also buzzing with innovative food providers for home cooks. Consumers are increasingly buying into the idea, reports the province of Drenthe.
For several weeks now, there has been a national campaign in which local producers play a leading role.
In Drenthe there are various projects helping develop shorter food chains. The Southwest Drenthe Area Cooperative (GCZWD), for example, is directing the Short Food Chain project. Coordinator Jan van Goor says: “In Southwest Drenthe, various crops such as onions, grain and beans are grown, which can be found in the shops in the region as a final product after a journey through the Netherlands, or even abroad. We look within our project to see whether that food chain can be made shorter and more regional. Chain shortening not only offers the region prospects for the economy and employment, but also increases the recognisability of food. ”
The Coronavirus outbreak is helping foment new innovations and new collaborations. In Zuidwolde, for example, four farmers have joined forces to provide people in their region with packages filled with locally prepared delicacies: fish, bread, cheese and dairy.
Some places are even further ahead, with producers in Ruinen having banded together for a number of years. Boerderijwinkel ‘t Vershuus is a group of three agricultural companies, which sell their products in one shop.
Poultry farmer Johan Laarman is one of the owners of ‘t Vershuus: “We can tell the story behind our products to our customers”, he says.
Image by Erich Westendarp via Pixabay
