Website Aids U.S. Partnerships with Netherlands Food Industry
At a Tuesday evening reception hosted by the Netherlands Office for Science and Technology, the Royal Netherlands Embassy and the Netherlands Foreign Investment Agency (booth 1641/1741) unveiled a new website, www.HollandFoodPartner.com, that provides American businesses a portal to investment opportunities, trade information, and the latest developments in food and nutrition research in the Netherlands.
The agro-food industry is the largest contributor to the Dutch economy, responsible for 10% of the Dutch GPD and 21% of exports from the country. The value of Dutch agro-food exports to the U.S. is more than $2 billion.
The food chain in the Netherlands is vast, extending from new seed and ingredient development to processing and packaging. This large community of industrial and academic players has led to a dynamic, research-intensive sector that has spurred many new innovations focused on sustainable production and foods with additional health benefits. In addition, the Dutch food sector works hard to increase animal welfare and food safety, as well as to understand better the interaction between behavior and nutrition.
Examples of some of these exciting new developments are featured on the new website. Some of the innovations involve products that slow digestion or have a reduced fat content, machinery that packages vegetables so they stay fresher longer, and more efficient greenhouse technologies. The site is a source of information for American industries and research institutes looking to identify investment opportunities and partnerships within the Dutch agro-food cluster.
The site emphasizes how the Netherlands is a leader in sustainable agriculture and environmentally friendly and energy-efficient greenhouses; provides innovative solutions for sustainable livestock practices; has developed food and ingredients that lower the amount of salt, sugar, and fat in food, making it easier for consumers to combine good taste with a healthy and convenient meal; and is an expert in developing superior textures and flavors for nutritious foods.
