Press release
Apeldoorn/Essen, 2017
German Federal Minister of Food and Agriculture visits global veal leader at IGW
VanDrie Group serves veal burger breakfast to kick-off the Green Week
Berlin, 20 January 2017 - At the kick-off of the International Green Week, IGW, Christian Schmidt, the German Federal Minister of Food and Agriculture, and Martijn van Dam, the Dutch State Secretary for Economic Affairs, visited the stand of the VanDrie Group, the world leader in veal. Within the framework of their opening walkabout, they enjoyed a veal burger in a small breakfast format. The whole week, visitors to the agriculture trade fair can try out all sorts of veal dishes and inform themselves of the high quality and preparation methods of this tender type of meat. The culinary programme is complemented by several interactive offerings, including video shows and audio tours with integrated prize contests.
VanDrie Group is the leading producer of veal speciality products and is committed to security and sustainability. Virtually all phases of the supply chain are integrated into the company's family – from farmers to processors. In this year's transparency benchmark of the Dutch Ministry of Economic Affairs, the Group rose 36 places to number 54. This benchmark is the result of an annual examination of Dutch enterprises in terms of their corporate social responsibility policies and sustainable business management. At number 54, the VanDrie Group is the highest-ranked family business on the list.
Taking responsibility for people, animals and the environment
"The sustainability and social function of enterprises are playing an ever greater role," stated Henny Swinkels, Director Corporate Affairs of the VanDrie Group. "It is important that our commitment, and that of the industry, is transparent and receives the attention and recognition from the public that it deserves. The transparency benchmark openly shows how we work and that we have nothing to hide." Above all, the VanDrie Group's presence at the trade fair shows how professionally the veal is handled and that the product is appreciated accordingly. "As a family-run business, we are proud to be rated so highly. It's an acknowledgement of our efforts and shows confidence in our work," Swinkels emphasised. Especially for the Green Week, film and audio contributions have been produced that inform the visitors to Hall 18 about the subject of veal in an entertaining and captivating way.
Exquisite veal
Throughout the course of trade fair, Dutch chef Edgar Buhrs will treat visitors to the stand with a tasting of the all sorts of cuts of veal. Veal stands out because of its versatility, but it is also tender, low in calories and easy to digest. Anyone who is searching for inspiration in preparing veal should take a look at the various offerings in the VanDrie Group's multifaceted communication campaign. You can visit the Facebook page "VanDrieGroup" (cooking with veal), the YouTube channel of the same name, the website or the numerous veal recipes in printed form - everywhere you go, you can be enticed by veal.
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Caption:
Image 1 from left to right
Phil Hogan, Euro Commissioner for Agriculture and Rural Development
Michael Müller, mayor of Berlin
Martijn van Dam, Dutch State Secretary of Economic Affairs
Christian Schmidt, the German Federal Minister of Food and Agriculture
Edgar Buhrs, head chef at the VanDrie stand
Image 2 from left to right
Martijn van Dam, Dutch State Secretary of Economic Affairs
Edgar Buhrs, head chef at the VanDrie stand
Henny Swinkels, Director Corporate Affairs of the VanDrie Group
Cabinet ministers’ tour during the kick-off of International Green Week (IGW) in Berlin.
Further information and fantastic recipes can be found at the Facebook fan page “VanDrieGroup” (cooking with veal) or the YouTube channel of the same name.
Product information: Veal
Veal comes from cows that are younger than eight months of age. The meat is very tender, is mostly light pink in colour, and contains a great deal of protein and little fat. It is particularly easy to digest due to the low number of connective tissues it contains. Veal is suitable for pan-frying, as well as for delicious stews – depending on the cut of veal used.
The VanDrie Group
The VanDrie Group is based in Apeldoorn, the Netherlands, and is among the most significant veal manufacturers in the world. The group, which consists of over 25 companies, forms the largest integrated veal chain in the world. The “Safety Guard” quality assurance system guarantees food safety and animal welfare within the product chain as a whole. All companies within the VanDrie Group feel 100% responsible for achieving optimal product quality.
Safety Guard ensures transparency
The VanDrie Group is the leading global manufacturer of speciality veal. Virtually all members of the supply chain are integrated into the company's family – from farmers to processors. The company itself has placed high demands on sustainability, safety and health, which are being stringently met in the chain as a whole. All products and production steps within the VanDrie Group are therefore subject to the “Safety Guard” quality assurance system, which guarantees that the fulfilment of all specifications concerning nutritional safety and animal welfare is completely traceable. The customers are happy with this degree of transparency within the VanDrie Group. They know that they are able to rely on the quality of veal bearing the “Safety Guard” logo.
Further information:
You can contact Mr Swinkels, phone: +31 555492152 or by email