Eosta

Eosta is a Netherlands-based company focused on fresh organic produce and sustainability-oriented food distribution. Headquartered in Waddinxveen, it sources organic fruit and vegetables from growing regions across Africa, South America, Oceania, Asia, North America, and Europe, then supplies markets through import, export, distribution, and related commercial activities. Its business developed in response to rising supermarket demand for fresh organic food and the expansion of the health-food sector during the late twentieth century. The company was established in 1990 by Dutch entrepreneurs Volkert Engelsman and Willem van Wijk. Rather than positioning organic produce solely as a premium food category, Eosta has emphasized the environmental and social qualities of the farms and growers in its supply chain. Its stated approach is directed toward consumers concerned with health, ecology, and social conditions, rather than toward competing primarily on the lowest possible price. Eosta's commercial and transparency activities have been closely associated with Nature & More, a consumer-facing trademark and traceability system. Nature & More products can carry a QR code or short numerical code that enables consumers to find information about the grower and about ecological and social impacts. The system uses Eosta's Sustainability Flower model, which presents several dimensions of sustainability as measurable indicators based on Global Reporting Initiative-related principles. The company has also connected this work with True Cost Accounting, an approach that estimates environmental and social effects that may not be reflected in conventional market prices. By 2007, Eosta had become a significant participant in the European organic fruit and vegetable market and was exporting beyond Europe, including to the United States, Singapore, and Hong Kong. In the same year, it established Soil & More Impacts as an agricultural consultancy enterprise. The consultancy and the Sustainability Flower work broadened Eosta's activities beyond produce logistics into sustainability measurement, agricultural impact assessment, and communication. Eosta has promoted several public initiatives related to sustainable food systems. Its Natural Branding project introduced laser marking on individual fruits and vegetables as an alternative to some plastic stickers and packaging. Its True Cost of Food campaign sought to explain how soil degradation, water pollution, and other externalities can affect the total societal cost of food. In 2017 the company published a True Cost Accounting report covering food, farming, and finance, including impact calculations for selected organic products and an integrated profit-and-loss presentation for the company. In 2018 the True Cost of Food campaign received a European Business Award for the Environment. The company and its chief executive have also participated in public debate about supermarket purchasing practices and the distribution of environmental and health costs. In 2016, Engelsman criticized Dutch supermarkets, including Albert Heijn, for allegedly failing to pay growers prices that reflect broader production costs. Albert Heijn rejected the characterization and indicated that it would discuss the issue with him. Engelsman was named the Netherlands' Most Influential Sustainability Voice in Trouw's 2017 sustainability ranking. Publicly available reference material does not establish the current ownership structure, a current executive roster beyond the documented leadership of Engelsman, or a current corporate website.

Eosta was founded in the Netherlands in 1990 by Volkert Engelsman and Willem van Wijk. Its creation reflected two linked market developments: supermarkets were beginning to seek larger supplies of fresh organic produce, and the health-food sector was expanding. The company built its business around the international sourcing, import, export, and distribution of organic fruit and vegetables. Eosta's supply model includes produce from a wide range of regions outside Europe, including Africa, South America, Oceania, Asia, and North America. By 2007, the company was described as a major European organic fruit and vegetable player. Its export network reached Germany, the United Kingdom, Scandinavia, Belgium, France, and other European markets, while also extending to the United States, Singapore, and Hong Kong. In 2007, Eosta founded Soil & More Impacts as an agricultural consultancy enterprise, adding an advisory and impact-measurement dimension to its produce activities. Transparency became a prominent part of Eosta's identity through Nature & More. The initiative began as a nonprofit foundation in 2004 and was later integrated into Eosta. Nature & More products could be identified by a QR code or three-digit code. Consumers using the system could access information about the organic grower and examine ecological and social performance indicators. Eosta organized this information through its Sustainability Flower, a seven-petal framework covering different aspects of natural and social capital. The framework uses quantitative key-point indicators associated with Global Reporting Initiative-based methods. Related organizations in the organic sector, including SEKEM and Soil & More Impacts, have used versions of the same broader model. Eosta connected the Sustainability Flower with True Cost Accounting. This approach attempts to identify and assign monetary values to impacts such as soil erosion and water pollution that are often omitted from retail prices. In 2017, the company issued a report titled True Cost Accounting in Food, Farming and Finance. The report examined selected organic supply chains, including apples from Argentina and oranges from South Africa, and presented an integrated profit-and-loss statement for Eosta. The work was presented to Prince Charles, according to the reference material. The company's innovation and communications work also addressed packaging. In 2016, Eosta promoted Natural Branding, a process using lasers to place identifying marks on produce. The stated objective was to reduce the need for plastic stickers and some packaging. In 2018, Eosta's True Cost of Food campaign received a European Business Award for the Environment, recognizing its effort to communicate the hidden environmental and social costs associated with food production. Eosta's leadership has taken an outspoken position in debates about the economics of organic agriculture. In 2016, chief executive Volkert Engelsman criticized Dutch supermarkets in the financial press, arguing that low prices could shift environmental and health costs to society. Albert Heijn disputed the description of its conduct and said it would meet with Engelsman. In 2017, Trouw named Engelsman the Netherlands' Most Influential Sustainability Voice in its sustainability top-100 ranking. The available reference material does not provide a complete account of later corporate ownership, current management, revenue, or present-day geographic operations.

• 2018

  True Cost of Food campaign wins European award

  [1]Eostaen.wikipedia.org

  Eosta receives a European Business Award for the Environment for its True Cost of Food campaign.

• 2017

  True Cost Accounting report is released

  [1]Eostaen.wikipedia.org

  Eosta publishes a report analyzing environmental and social impacts in food, farming, and finance, including selected produce examples and an integrated profit-and-loss statement.

• 2017

  Volkert Engelsman is recognized for sustainability advocacy

  [1]Eostaen.wikipedia.org

  Trouw's annual sustainability ranking names Eosta chief executive Volkert Engelsman the Netherlands' Most Influential Sustainability Voice.

• 2016

  Natural Branding campaign is introduced

  [1]Eostaen.wikipedia.org

  Eosta promotes laser marking on fruit and vegetables as an alternative to some plastic stickers and packaging.

• 2013

  Nature & More receives sustainability award

  [1]Eostaen.wikipedia.org

  The Nature & More transparency system receives a Sustainable Entrepreneurship Award in Vienna.

• 2009

  Sustainability Flower model developed

  [1]Eostaen.wikipedia.org

  An international group of companies and non-governmental organizations develops the broader Sustainability Flower model later used by Eosta and related organizations.

• 2007

  Soil & More Impacts is established

  [1]Eostaen.wikipedia.org

  Eosta establishes Soil & More Impacts as an agricultural consultancy enterprise while expanding its international organic-produce markets.

• 2007

  International market expansion

  [1]Eostaen.wikipedia.org

  Eosta is described as a major European organic fruit and vegetable player, exporting across Europe and to the United States, Singapore, and Hong Kong.

• 2004

  Nature & More begins

  [1]Eostaen.wikipedia.org

  Nature & More starts as a nonprofit transparency initiative that later becomes integrated into Eosta.

• 1990

  Eosta is founded

  [1]Eostaen.wikipedia.org

  Volkert Engelsman and Willem van Wijk establish Eosta in the Netherlands to serve growing demand for fresh organic food in supermarkets and the health-food sector.

A sustainability-led organic produce importer and distributor that combines international fresh-food sourcing with grower transparency, environmental and social impact measurement, and consumer education.

• Organic fresh produce

  Fresh organic fruit

  Eosta's core business includes the sourcing, import, export, and distribution of fresh organic fruit. The company has imported fruit from Africa, South America, Oceania, Asia, North America, and other producing regions, with some products connected to Nature & More grower and impact information.

• Organic fresh produce

  Fresh organic vegetables

  Fresh organic vegetables are part of Eosta's principal product portfolio. The company supplies produce through an international distribution network and has used sustainability information and impact indicators to communicate the conditions and effects associated with production.

• Consumer transparency and traceability · 2004

  Nature & More

  Nature & More is Eosta's consumer trademark and transparency system. Codes placed on qualifying products allow consumers to retrieve information about the grower and review ecological and social sustainability indicators presented through the Sustainability Flower framework.

• Produce identification and packaging reduction · 2016

  Natural Branding

  Natural Branding uses laser marking to place identifying marks directly on selected fruits and vegetables. Eosta presented the method as a way to reduce dependence on plastic stickers and certain forms of packaging while maintaining product identification.

• 2018True Cost of Food

  Europe · International

  The campaign raised awareness of external environmental and social costs that may be excluded from conventional food prices and promoted True Cost Accounting in agriculture.

  Outcome. The campaign won a European Business Award for the Environment.

  Source
• 2017True Cost Accounting in Food, Farming and Finance

  International

  Eosta published research and communications explaining how environmental and social impacts, including soil erosion and water pollution, can be included in assessments of food production costs.

  Outcome. The report was presented to Prince Charles and reinforced Eosta's public positioning around true-cost food economics.

  Source
• 2016Natural Branding

  Europe

  Eosta promoted laser marking as a packaging-reduction alternative for labeling certain fruits and vegetables. The campaign linked product identification with reduced use of plastic stickers and packaging materials.

  Outcome. The initiative received international press coverage and became one of Eosta's prominent sustainable-packaging innovations.

  Source

• 2017

  Publish an integrated True Cost Accounting assessmentStrategy

  Background

  Eosta sought to make environmental and social impacts more visible in food-sector decision-making.

  Action taken

  The company released True Cost Accounting in Food, Farming and Finance, including impact calculations for selected products and an integrated profit-and-loss statement.

  Aftermath

  The report strengthened Eosta's advocacy for pricing and accounting systems that include external environmental and social costs.

  Source

• 2016

  Introduce Natural BrandingProduct launch

  Background

  Plastic stickers and packaging used for produce identification were a sustainability concern.

  Action taken

  Eosta introduced laser marking for selected fruit and vegetables.

  Aftermath

  The approach was promoted as a means of reducing packaging materials and gained press attention.

  Source

• 2007

  Expand into agricultural impact consultancyStrategy

  Background

  Eosta was developing sustainability measurement and transparency work alongside its organic produce operations.

  Action taken

  The company founded Soil & More Impacts as an agricultural consultancy enterprise.

  Aftermath

  The move broadened Eosta's activities beyond produce distribution into agricultural sustainability and impact assessment.

  Source

1. 1Eostaen.wikipedia.org