EU-backed campaign Made in Nature brings experts together for discussion about the potential for new growth in organic fruit and veg demand
Denmark, it seems, can teach us a thing or two about the organic fresh produce business. That’s certainly a view shared by those behind Made in Nature, an EU-backed campaign to promote consumption and awareness of organic products in selected European markets.
The project’s latest appointment takes place on 24 November, when a special one-hour webinar organised from Copenhagen by CSO Italy will explore the Danes’ apparently unrivalled love of organic foods and explore the potential for future market growth when it comes to fruit and vegetables.
Click here to register for the free organics webinar
According to a recent study by the European Commission, 95 per cent of consumers in Denmark believe in organics as a guarantee that the food they buy complies with regulations on pesticides, fertilisers and antibiotics. That figure is the highest in the EU, just ahead of Italy and Sweden, and significantly higher than the EU average of 83 per cent.
The study also revealed that the area under organic cultivation has also grown a lot in recent years. In 2020, it found, there were almost 15m hectares under organic cultivation, with a growth rate of 50 per cent over the previous decade.
The total planted area for organic fruit and vegetables, meanwhile, accounts for around 11 per cent of total organic production and is said to be rising steadily.
Made in Nature, which is run by CSO Italy and financed by the European Commission, enjoys the support of some of Italy’s leading organic fresh produce suppliers, including Brio, Canova, Ceradini, Conserve Italia, Orogel, and Verybio.
The role of retailers and wholesalers in developing demand for organic fruit and veg across Made in Nature’s four target markets – Denmark, France, Germany, and Italy – will be part of the discussion on 24 November.
The event will feature the following speakers: Elisa Macchi, managing director at CSO Italy; Carsten Ahrenfeldt, head of markets at Økologisk Landsforening; and sustainable food expert Iben Krogh, founder of think-tank Frej. It will be hosted by Mike Knowles, managing director at Fruitnet Europe.
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