How we work on quality
Think, then act is the guiding principle at Leo de Kock. We invest in the future. This is not limited to just our potatoes and vegetables, but also extends to our operational processes, the growth potential of our employees and fruitful cooperation with our partners. Together with our parent company Agrico, we are committed to a professional and sustainable top-quality end product that can benefit everyone.
Certification
How do we safeguard quality? Our processes and protocols are audited by external parties.
- Many growers affiliated to Agrico hold Global Gap certification. This means that they meet the food safety, sustainability and quality standards applicable to cultivation and the supply chain.
- Another certificate that guarantees food safety is BRC. Leo de Kock has also been awarded this certification.
- SKAL is an important control authority for the processing of organic food. This inspection body monitors and verifies that organic produce – in accordance with European regulations – is processed separately from conventionally produced foodstuffs. At Leo de Kock we operate in complete compliance with the requirements of SKAL certification: we wash, dry and pack our organic potatoes and vegetables in a dedicated production site separate to the other production areas.
To read more about the inspection authorities and their certification requirements, click view certificate next to the image.
This is the logo with which we want to express what Leo de Kock stands for. In the residual form of our initials you will see a plus sign, which symbolizes the value we add to our product as a dedicated, analytical and innovative go-getter. So that we can take our service and partnership to an even higher level. And deliver the quality we are so proud of!
CUSTOMIZATION IS A MUST
Agrico and Leo de Kock work data-driven in every part of the chain. In this way we collect a wealth of information about our products and processes. We also operate according to customer-specific protocols. In this way we and our growers can guarantee the excellent quality guarantee that you as a customer expect from usSustainability and continuity: not words, but deeds
Tasty, nutritious and super healthy produce and uniform, consistent high quality. That sums up the potatoes and vegetables cultivated by our growers. Grown with a passion for the crop and respect for the environment. Sustainability and continuity are not just meaningless words for Leo de Kock and parent company Agrico. We cherish the earth's bounty.
Resistant potato varieties
The researchers at Agrico Research in the Noordoostpolder constantly devote their efforts to making the potato even more powerful. So that future generations can continue to enjoy all the goodness of this wonderful natural product. Next Generation is the collective name of these sustainable and organic potato varieties, which are the results of decades of dedicated research and breeding. By cross breeding wild species from the Andes, the robust Next Generation varieties have a high natural resistance to the potato disease Phytophthora infestans.
Agrico and Leo de Kock share a deep commitment to increasing the sustainability of the cultivation of organic potatoes. The goal is to sell only robust potatoes to Dutch consumers from 2020. Other parties in our sector are also striving to achieve this aim. For more information about the covenant that we concluded in 2017 with Bionext, the chain organisation for organic farming and food, visit: www.bionext.nl .
Do not deplete nature - let nature flourish
Potatoes need relatively little water to grow. This makes their environmental impact relatively low. The growers affiliated to Agrico grow and protect their crops in the most natural way possible. Contributing to biodiversity is playing an increasingly important role here.
For more information about the sustainable cultivation of our potatoes, visit: www.agrico.nl. You can also visit: kennisplatform.aardappels.nl.
Washed and packed with respect for the environment
More than 400,000 kilos of potatoes are graded and washed weekly at our site in Purmerend. This volume translates to approximately 30 million filled packaging units every year. As a processor and packer of a wonderful natural product, we take our responsibility – in close consultation with our partners - seriously.
- Our potatoes are packed in 100% recyclable transparent foils. This exceptionally sustainable packaging material maintains the freshness of the potatoes for longer and slows down the process of green discoloration and sprouting, allowing consumers to extend the storage period of the potatoes at home. This is how we try to prevent food waste.
- We recycle the water used in our washing process.
We separate the waste streams in our production areas.