Website Offers Portal for American Food Industry to Partner with Holland

News article | June 26, 2012

(Washington, D.C.) — A new website, www.HollandFoodPartner.com, provides a portal to the food industry in the Netherlands.

The agro-food industry is the largest contributor to the Dutch economy, responsible for 10 percent of the Dutch GPD and 21 percent of exports from the country. The value of Dutch agro-food exports to the US is more than $2 billion.

The entire food chain is present in the Netherlands, from new seed and ingredient development to processing and packaging. This large community of industrial and academic players has led to a dynamic, research-intensive sector that has spurred many new innovations focused on sustainable production and foods with additional health benefits. In addition, the Dutch food sector works hard to increase animal welfare and food safety, as well as to understand better the interaction between behavior and nutrition.

Examples of some of these exciting new developments are featured on HollandFoodPartner.com, which provides American businesses a portal to investment opportunities, trade information, and the latest developments in food and nutrition research in the Netherlands. Some of the innovations involve products that slow digestion or have a reduced fat content, machinery that packages vegetables so they stay fresher longer, and more efficient greenhouse technologies. The site is a source of information for American industries and research institutes looking to identify investment opportunities and partnerships within the stimulating Dutch agro-food cluster.

The site emphasizes how the Netherlands is a leader in sustainable agriculture, and environmentally friendly and energy-efficient greenhouses; provides innovative solutions for sustainable livestock practices; has developed food and ingredients that lower the amount of salt, sugar and fat in food, making it easier for consumers to combine good taste with a healthy and convenient meal; and is an expert in developing superior textures and flavors for nutritious foods.

A preview of some of these Dutch innovations can be seen at the Institute of Food Technologists Annual Meeting and Expo 2012 in Las Vegas, where the website will be unveiled on June 26. Dutch food technology experts will be speaking at two IFT sessions:

• Tuesday, June 26, at 10:30 a.m., Room N117 of the conference center: How can new technologies improve the efficiency of water, energy and raw material use in the food industry?
• Wednesday, June 27, at 1:30 p.m., Room N115 of the conference center: The many faces of food packaging: processing, perforation and preparation.

“As Americans look for better and healthier ways to eat, we want them to know they can turn to Dutch innovation for the latest advancements in food and nutrition,” said Ambassador Renée Jones-Bos. “Business investors can use the site to find promising opportunities to launch or expand their operations in the Netherlands to meet this growing demand.”

The website highlights food-related developments out of the Netherlands, including:

• How a Dutch company grows tomatoes in a greenhouse with basalt instead of dirt to lower the amount of water used.
• How one Dutch company is partnering with Purdue University to determine the effects LED bulbs have on plants in a greenhouse.
• How two Dutch companies partnered with each other to invent a machine that perforates plastic bags for the type of fruit or vegetable packaged in them, extending the food shelf life.

The website is a partnership between the Royal Netherlands Embassy and the Netherlands Foreign Investment Agency. Holland Food Partner is also on Facebook, and Twitter. You can follow the conversations on Twitter using the hashtags #HollandFoodPartner and #IFT12 or sign up for our newsletter online.