5Q: ForFarmers COO Discusses Van Triest Acquisition

ForFarmers has announced that it has concluded an agreement to acquire the Dutch company Van Triest Veevoeders, which specialises in trading in by-products. Rob Kiers, ForFarmers COO, answers 5 questions (5Q) about the acquisition and company strategy.

With this transaction, we are taking an important step in expanding our by-products business. This acquisition therefore fits very well into our strategy of reducing the carbon footprint of dairy, meat and eggs at an affordable price.

Increasing the use of by-products and thereby reducing our own carbon footprint and that of our customers. In this way, we strengthen circularity.

By-products of the brewing, dairy, bioethanol and potato processing industries (e.g. brewer’s grains, potato pulp, corn silage and wet beet pulp).

The animal feed industry has long used by-products, is there room for improvement? Is it a matter of communication?

The idea is to provide our customers with an even better and wider range of co-circulating products and explain how this will contribute to our ambitions of increasing circularity. Our farmers and livestock complete the food cycle.

This acquisition is in line with our strategy to reduce our carbon footprint.

ForFarmers’ mission is: “For the future of farming.” Can you define that?

ForFarmers’ mission is For the Future of Farming. We want to support farmers in achieving good profits and a solid, long-term business model through our knowledge, advice and products on the farm. We focus on the following pillars:

• Reducing our own carbon footprint and that of our customers;
• Introducing more and more by-products into the food chain and thus strengthening the circular economy;
• Protection of biodiversity

In this way we take responsibility for affordable and sustainable food.

We already sell by-products in Belgium, Germany and the UK. Overall, we want to strengthen our position by adding more by-products to our mixed feed and selling more on the farm.