Thijs Cuijpers, directeur beleid van LTO Nederland en bestuurslid stichting Fresh Upstream

Om de agrifoodketen verder te verduurzamen is het digitaal delen van data noodzakelijk. Willen we minder uitstoot, meer biodiversiteit en meer gesloten kringlopen? Dan moeten we meten en weten in de keten: over wie, wat, waar en hoeveel praten we? Met eenduidige informatiestandaarden worden data inzichtelijk en kunnen efficiënte technologieën in agrifood worden toegepast. Zonder uitwisselbare informatie is de innovatieve boer of tuinder nergens. De stichting Fresh Upstream werkt aan één uniforme, digitale ketentaal in de internationale versketen. 

“When you want to do business successfully, you have to cooperate with other companies. For companies to understand each other, they need to speak the same language. GS1, one of Fresh Upstream’s initiators, supports this by issuing unique identification codes in the world of food. According to Jerry Tracey, retail sector manager at GS1, more awareness of the importance of standardization is needed.

As Fresh Upstream’s co-initiator, Murk Boerstra (deputy director of the Dutch Food Industry Federation (FNLI)), is faced with a complex but also incredibly relevant adventure. “Societal demands regarding food safety  and sustainability require more transparancy about food. That’s what we are working on at Fresh Upstream.”

The Dutch Food Retail Association(CBL) is one of the initiators of Fresh Upstream. Director Marc Jansen explains why his organization has taken this step. “Transparency has become a hygienefactor; it is no longer a nice to have for consumers, they just expect it to be there. And if that’s not the case, this will result in distrust . That makes Fresh Upstream’s mission a very relevant one. ”

“Compared to twenty years ago, consumers want more insight into the origin of their food. They even demand this kind of transparency. Moreover, this information must be available à la minute. Reason for me to become a member of the core board of Fresh Upstream, an initiative that revolves around stimulating and supporting data exchange within the international fresh chain,”  says Bert Urlings, Corporate Director Quality Assurance of the Vion Food Group.