This theme was at the heart of the Food Transformation Forum, hosted by Patrick Niels, BU President Taste, Texture & Health, en lid Executive Committee, dsm-firmenich
on 29 October 2025. The forum brought together 85 C-suite executives from across industries and functions.
Key insights:
- The Netherlands’ agri-food sector stands at a pivotal crossroads where competitiveness, sustainability, and food security must advance in unison.
- Transformation cannot occur in silos — it requires collaboration across the entire value chain, from soil to shelf, supported by coherent government policy and a stable regulatory framework.
- True progress depends on shared accountability and fair cost distribution, ensuring that farmers, processors, retailers, and consumers all contribute to sustainable outcomes.
- Innovation and technology — including biotechnology, AI, and precision agriculture — can unlock significant impact, but only when combined with transparency, education, and behavioural change.
- Policy clarity and bold leadership are essential to move from fragmented initiatives to coordinated, system-wide transformation.
- The Forum reinforced that the sector’s future hinges on integrating the four C’s — conscious consumers, courageous leadership, conscious capital, and true cost — as guiding principles for a resilient, regenerative, and competitive Dutch food system.
Moderators:
Lisbeth Imbo, Chris Lakens & Kiran Sanchit
Contributors:
Sjoukje Heimovaara, WUR
Kees Kruythoff, Summa Equity
Patrick Niels, dsm-firmenich
Gerda Verburg, Next Food Collective