Coming soon to Jumbo: sustainable Dutch edamame beans
Press release | September 25, 2024
Coming soon to Jumbo: sustainable Dutch edamame beans
Starting in 2025, Dutch consumers will be able to find frozen-fresh, domestically-grown edamame beans from local farms in Jumbo supermarkets. This is the result of a collaboration between the supermarket chain and Dutch farmers. The partnership begins today and is supported by Plant Protein Forward, an initiative of Foodvalley NL, Rabobank and Interprovinciaal Eiwitoverleg.
Edamame, a fresh soya variety, is originally an Asian bean and is often found in dishes such as poké bowls, meal salads and wraps. More and more Dutch consumers are drawn to its sweet, nutty taste and high nutritional value: edamame is full of protein, fibre, vitamins and minerals. The increasing market demand is making soybean cultivation appealing for Dutch farmers as well. Thanks in part to the impetus from Plant Protein Forward, it is becoming more attractive for more farmers to start growing edamame. Plant Protein Forward aims to expand the Dutch market for domestically-grown protein-rich crops.
Sustainable bean on the shelves
The Dutch edamame is more sustainable than its Asian alternative. This is not only due to the reduced CO₂ emissions from shorter transport distances. Unfortunately, in Asia, the cultivation of edamame beans is often associated with deforestation and high pesticide use. Dutch edamame farmers do things differently. With this initiative, we are also contributing to expanding the market for Dutch farmers.
Ton van den Hoek, Fresh Produce Buyer at Jumbo Supermarkets: “We are incredibly proud to be one of the first major supermarket chains in the Netherlands to offer frozen edamame beans of Dutch origin. This allows us to excite a large group of customers in our stores in both the Netherlands and Belgium about this tasty green powerhouse, which also supports a protein-rich and plant-based diet.”
Possibility for a larger harvest
The Netherlands is an excellent place to cultivate certain varieties of soybean, as shown in the recently presented report ‘Proeftuin Dutch Edamame’ (‘Dutch Edamame Testing Ground’). This details experiences with different varieties of edamame and cultivation conditions. Thanks to the collaboration with Jumbo, which guarantees both good sales and a fair price, Dutch edamame growers will gain greater financial stability. This enables them to invest in technology and agricultural practices to further increase their harvests and reduce the disparities in yield from their fields.
Biodiverse and fertile fields
“The edamame beans that I cultivate can already be harvested in September,” says farmer Harry Schreuder, one of the Flevoland chain partners who contributed to the report. “This works well with my cultivation plan. In addition, edamame makes this plan more sustainable.” The bean is a ‘leguminous crop’, he explains. “As a result, I can increase biodiversity. On top of this, the crop fixes nitrogen, which is good for soil fertility. Thanks to edamame, I need less fertiliser, even for other crops that I grow later on the same plot.”
Added value through chain amplification
The official starting shot for the collaboration between Jumbo and Dutch soybean farmers was sounded today during the edamame harvest at Schreuder’s farm, where Wouter Staal was also present. This sustainability adviser played a key role in the creation of that collaboration. “Via Plant Protein Forward, I am working as a ‘chain amplifier’ to help edamame farmers – at their request – to increase the sales of their soybean. My experience in food retailand corporate chain sustainability seamlessly complemented the knowledge of growers like Harry. So, we managed to make the added value of the Dutch edamame bean very tangible for Jumbo.”
Lupin meal and field bean meal too
Plant Protein Forward aims to continue supporting farmers in the coming years, both in their upscaling and professionalisation and in stimulating their sales market. This involves not only the Dutch edamame chain but also at least five other protein-rich crops. Chain amplifiers are using this to attract major Dutch buyers to domestically-grown lupin meal and field bean meal too. Plant Protein Forward hopes that the example of edamame will be followed up on; that everyone in these chains will also work to ensure that commerce and sustainability go hand in hand.
More info about Plant Protein Forward initiative
