Earning and adding value
“What I like is that our business model, where we realize lower feeding costs for farmers, goes hand in hand with sustainability," says Waijers. To achieve its goals, the Duynie team works with suppliers to find the maximum value for their co-products. This not only eliminates waste, but also makes the most of all that livestock farming has to offer. In this way, financial, ethical and sustainable benefits are perfectly in line.
Daily business - but not business as usual
Duynie ensures that more than 6 million tons of co-products are collected from processors throughout Europe. In the Benelux alone, more than 3 million tons of co-products find a circular destination as locally sustainable animal feed. Most of these co-products come from processing products such as grain, sugar beets and potatoes. "We have qualified personnel on board to ensure the quality of the products," says Waijers. "They can also provide advice to livestock farmers, organize the logistics process and, of course, facilitate suppliers in marketing the co-products."
Duynie’s suppliers typically experience significant seasonal peaks. So, the company helps them manage those peaks as much as possible. Wherever they can, the Duynie team offers their help, from product storage to transportation to document processing. "We do this because it is crucial to balance supply and demand," explains Waijers. Production planning is discussed frequently with all parties involved and product supply is monitored in real time by sensors. The focus is on creating maximum value for all: the supplier, the customer and Duynie.
"I am proud of our culture," tells Waijers. "Every day, we work with our customers and suppliers to turn local co-products into sustainable animal feed. This is quite unique in the vast and globalized markets in which we operate."
It is no secret that the future of livestock farming is a hotly debated topic. So is the question ‘ how to make circular agriculture a reality’. One of the definitions of circular agriculture is the use of co-products. Duynie's business model could not be more practical: crops such as cereals, potatoes or beets are processed into food, which generates co-products that are made available to livestock farms in the region. The manure from these farms is eventually returned to the fields where the crops grow, which is a great example of "circulair agriculture" .
"By optimizing the use of co-products, we eliminate waste and reduce the climate impact of dairy and meat production," says Waijers with some pride. This is also in line with another societal discussion: how can meat and dairy be produced sustainably? " We believe that there are opportunities in feeding co-products and that there is more momentum for sustainable supply chain approaches.”
More appreciation for livestock farmers
With current developments, the livestock industry is expected to shrink. That's why Duynie Feed wants to emphasize that co-products contribute to a future-proof solution.
Waijers is convinced that livestock farmers who have invested in a more sustainable and future-proof ration should receive more recognition for their end products. He believes it is time for consumers, retailers and governments to reward farmers for these efforts.
"I am 100% convinced that co-products are part of a sustainable and future-proof ration. Duynie Feed plays an important role in promoting this vision and increasing the value of the farmer who invests in it.”
