From farmer to Breydel: 4 reasons for a strong partnership

What are we eating tomorrow? Food and beverages based on sustainable agricultural raw materials, if you ask us! In the Belgian food industry's sustainability roadmap, we are therefore aiming for close cooperation with our chain partners, where everyone wins. Ivan De Keyser, manager of pork company Breydel, is already convinced and has been working with regular pig farmers, who put animal welfare first, since 2019.

1. A local story

Breydel makes artisanal pork raised exclusively for them by local farmers. "We have a great sustainability story to tell. We are enormously proud of the goodies from our place. Our Breydel ham and Breydel bacon have even been recognized as a regional product by VLAM," CEO Ivan De Keyser proudly tells us. "Breeding, slaughtering and processing are all done within a 25 kilometer radius. The local cooperation gives a high-quality product as the end result. We create added value for the farmer and the food producer."

Breydel also translates that added value to the consumer. The meat producer is always looking for new buyers who support their local story. He also tries to convince current customers, but that is not easy: "I try to convince traditional stores to bring our story as a sustainability concept to the consumer. Because a quality product also requires correct remuneration for every link in the chain."

2. Fair remuneration for farmers

From rising raw material prices to the demand for greater transparency, the meat industry is in a state of flux. For meat producers, it comes down to constant adaptation and innovation. Ivan De Keyser: "I wanted to move away from the mainstream and focus on the conscious consumer who values sustainability. I decided to change course in 2019 and start my own short chain. We take hold of the links ourselves, from the pig feed to the finished product." A justified switch, because 37% of Belgians want to pay more for sustainably produced food. 

Since then, Breydel has worked together with pig farmers Marvaco from Aarsele, Hapro from Wingene and pig cutter Tom De Stoop from Waregem. "Every link in the food chain deserves proper remuneration. We pay our farmers a 'Breydel surcharge' on the pigs they supply. That added value ensures a better price for the pig farmer."

3. Power supply is 100% traceable

The pig farmers raise the pigs solely for Breydel. Breydel then processes the meat using traditional methods. "I used to have too little grip on the quality of raw materials: where do the pigs come from, what kind of food do they get and what about antibiotics? Our standards go far beyond the legal requirements." 

The collaboration is done with complete transparency. Every piece of meat is 100% traceable, all the way back to the barn. The pigs enjoy a healthy and plant-based diet, with as little use of antibiotics as possible. The feed is composed on the farms and consists of residues from human food. 

4. Animal welfare first

A piece of meat is only as qualitative as a pig's standard of living. A consumer survey by Fevia shows that Belgian consumers are becoming more sensitive to animal welfare. 72% of respondents expect animal welfare to be high on the agenda of food companies. Animal welfare was therefore given a prominent place in the new sustainability roadmap of the Belgian food industry. 

At Breydel, the requirements go beyond just providing adequate space for the animals. Ivan: "We have our own playlist for the pigs. It's about quiet music, from Coldplay to Cirque du Soleil, without pronounced highs and lows. The music should relax the animals and thus smooth out stress. The music echoes in the stalls, but the pigs also get to hear it during transport and at the slaughterhouse."

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fevia.be / food.be