ZiN culinary affiliated to Dutch Cuisine
ZiN Inspiratielab, an initiative of Sligro Food Group, recently joined Dutch Cuisine, a foundation that aims to put our unique, Dutch food culture back on the map. ZiN Inspiratielab is the place where you can find new stimuli, impulses and inspiration in the form of blogs, training courses, trend tours and culinary events as a catering professional.
At ZiN they have been cooking according to the Dutch Cuisine principles for years. For example cooking with Dutch products, products from the season or according to the 80/20 rule (vegetables/meat). No-waste and sustainability are key. In addition, this way of cooking is beneficial for the purchasing and calculation of dishes for chefs and entrepreneurs. With this philosophy the chefs of ZiN want to contribute to the Dutch food culture.
Dutch Cuisine gives a new perspective on our food culture, creating new economic values. The foundation has five principles based on the Dutch culinary identity. Principles that are sustainable for people, animals and the environment and guide our daily actions.
- Cultural: the dish tells where and in what season we are.
- Healthy: good for us and our earth.
- Nature: honest and versatile food from what nature offers us.
- Quality: we buy, cook and eat consciously.
- Value: we work on results for tomorrow.
Besides ZiN, De Nieuwe Winkel (**), Bolenius (*), De Librije (***) and Brut 172 (**), among others, are affiliated with Dutch Cuisine. The ZiN chefs are extra proud to be affiliated with this beautiful collective as a 'non-restaurant'.
Everything you need to know about the SUP directive
As of July 1, 2023, the SUP directive will take new follow-up steps. SUP stands for Singe Use Plastics. The huge amount of disposable plastic has a significant impact on the environment. Disposables must slowly but surely make way for reuse. Therefore, in 2019, the European Commission drafted a directive to reduce plastic waste.
The new follow-up steps cover disposable cups and food packaging made of plastic or with a plastic coating. In this, a distinction is made between consumption on the go, pickup and delivery and on-site consumption.
From July 1, 2023: Levy for consumers
Almost everyone uses them: food packaging and disposable cups made of plastic or with a plastic coating. As of July 1, 2023, these packaging and cups may no longer be provided free of charge for delivery or on-the-go consumption. That includes the cardboard coffee cup and the heat-resistant meal box. Prepackaged food without preparation and portion packs are also covered by this SUP directive. These include milk cups, butter tubs and apple sauce containers.
As a provider, it is mandatory to charge a levy to the consumer. Guideline amounts range from €0.05 to €0.50, but this fee may be set at one's own discretion. In addition to this charge, it is also mandatory to offer a reusable alternative or allow consumers to take the container or cup with them. Think of a deposit system or the 'bring your own' principle.
From January 1, 2024: On-site SUP ban
As of January 1, 2024, SUP legislation goes one step further. Then there will be a complete ban on disposable plastic packaging for on-site consumption. This applies to cardboard materials with a plastic coating, but also to pre-packaged products such as milk cups and butter tubs.
So at events and in the hospitality industry, the use of single-use plastic is being banned. In the snack bar, the cafeteria, at a festival, but also in the office, reuse is becoming the norm. Reusable alternatives, such as tableware or washable plastic cups are being encouraged. As is setting up a deposit system.
Want to know more anout the SUP directive? Then check out the Frequently Asked Questions.
Sligro takes big step towards more sustainable urban distribution
Sligro receives the first of 25 new electric trucks.
Koen Slippens (Sligro Food Group) received the keys to the first fully electric Renault truck from Bas van Heertum (BAS Trucks Veghel).
Making transport more sustainable is an important part of the ambitious sustainability program of Sligro Food Group. For several years, Sligro has been experimenting with different electric vehicles to discover which type is most suitable for distribution to the hospitality industry in an urban environment. From small van and classic truck to an advanced road train for the inner city. The delivery of the first of 25 new all-electric Renault trucks marks the next step.
Specially built
These are not standard trucks, they are specifically built and assembled for conditioned deliveries to catering companies and corporate caterers. With great attention paid to the ergonomics and safety of the driver and his surroundings.
Amsterdam
The trucks will drive to Sligro customers within the Amsterdam ring road. Another 25 electric trucks will be delivered later this year and, together with the electric trucks already present, Sligro will then be able to supply the capital entirely electrically. This will be done from the so-called 'BS Amsterdam', the Sligro distribution center on the outskirts of the city. An entirely new charging infrastructure was recently installed at that location, which is necessary to be able to charge all electric trucks. This means that Sligro is ready for the ambitious plans of Amsterdam to introduce emission-free zones for new trucks and other vehicles from 2025.
Own transport company
The new trucks will be incorporated into Sligro Food Group Transport, a new business unit in addition to the regular transport partners with whom Sligro has worked for many years. This gives Sligro control over its sustainability ambitions, the pace and the means by which they will be achieved. The drivers of the new electric trucks will be employed by Sligro Food Group Transport.
Koen Slippens (Sligro Food Group) received the keys to the first fully electric Renault truck from Bas van Heertum (BAS Trucks Veghel).
The Green Hen
The Green Hen is one of the exclusive brands of Sligro for sustainable egg products and carries the 'On the way to PlanetProof' certification on its entire assortment.
On the way to PlanetProof
The production of eggs involves a major impact on our environment. Farmers who are On the way to PlanetProof certified limit this impact. This is because they are ambitious in terms of energy, climate and animal welfare. Chickens that are allowed to exhibit natural behavior lay the best eggs. The habitat of the chickens has a green energy supply, thus minimizing emissions.
'Eerlijk & Heerlijk'
Of course, the egg products of The Green Hen are part of 'Eerlijk & Heerlijk'. With the Eerlijk & Heerlijk range, Sligro helps customers find their way around the world of sustainable food and non-food products and supports them in making sustainable and responsible choices. This is based on four pillars: organic, sustainable, fair trade and local.
Sligro tests Solar City Train in Amsterdam
Sligro Food Group recently conducted a technical test in Amsterdam with the Solar City Train from manufacturer Trens. Sligro already delivers in Den Bosch and Vlissingen with this special apparition.
"We wanted to know how the vehicle would cope in the special infrastructure of Amsterdam," says Sligro spokesman Wilco Jansen to Out.of.Home Shops. "The narrow roads along the canals and steep bridges are challenging with the small streets and tight turns. And we have a lot of delivery addresses in the centre of Amsterdam. We tested whether the Solar Train could handle this and it certainly did. However, we have no concrete plans to deploy the vehicle in Amsterdam any time soon," Jansen said.
Electrification
At Sligro, however, they are working on electrification of delivery. There will be 25 new electric trucks in Amsterdam soon. "But these are classic box trucks, so they are the same size and weight as the fuel-powered trucks we have now," Jansen explains. "In Amsterdam we have built a separate charging infrastructure to charge the trucks."
In addition, Sligro is looking at the urban distribution of the future. Especially the old cities present a challenge. "Those are still built for horse and cart and certainly not for trucks," Jansen explains. "To keep livability intact there, in cities like Amsterdam and Utrecht, the axle load of vehicles must be reduced. This can be done by carrying less freight or, as with the Solar Train, having more axles under the vehicles. Years ago, we started looking at a solution with Trens. The disadvantage is that this vehicle, like any electric vehicle, is still very expensive."
Roller containers
"Importantly, the Solar Train can take standard roll containers. The whole logistics system in foodservice and food retail is geared to roll containers. Other electric vehicles for delivery are often smaller and use crates. That would mean additional transfer, which is very inefficient. The Solar Train even has an elevator platform on the side so that loading and unloading can be done from the sidewalk," Jansen says.
The test in Amsterdam showed that the Solar Train can handle the tricky city of our capital. "But we are still going to test with all kinds of other vehicles," Jansen concludes.
Sligro from now on 'Accredited Work Placement Company'
As of May 19th, Sligro Food Group may call itself an 'Accredited Work Placement Company' in the Netherlands. An important part of mbo-education consists of working and learning in practice, known as vocational practice training. Students do this at a recognized work placement company. As a student, you can now work at all Sligro locations.
As an accredited work placement company, we have met the following conditions:
- We offer students a good and safe workplace where they can practice the activities associated with the profession for which they are being trained.
- We appoint a practical supervisor who knows the requirements of the training and provides the time and resources to supervise the students on the workplace.
- We are willing to cooperate with the school and SBB, and provide the necessary information for this purpose.
- We agree to mention the company details on Stagemarkt.nl and Leerbanenmarkt.nl, the websites where students look for an internship or apprenticeship.
As an accredited work placement company you make an important contribution to the future of craftsmanship. Did you know that we already have 104 mbo students employed? We can be proud of that!
Update on the acquisition of Metro activities in Belgium
Two elements have been completed in the process of Sligro Food Group acquiring part of the Metro outlets in Belgium.
Appeal against court decision rejected
In the court-supervised restructuring proceedings for Makro Cash & Carry Belgium NV, the court in Antwerp authorised the court-appointed judicial trustees on 7 December 2022 to sell the majority of the Metro activities in Belgium to Sligro Food Group. An appeal was filed against this decision by the Antwerp court, but on 30 March 2022 the Antwerp Court of Appeal rejected the arguments made in the appeal.
Final approval from the BCA
The Belgian Competition Authority (BCA) already invested a great deal of time and energy in investigating the market consequences during the course of the court-supervised restructuring. On the basis of its preliminary investigation, the BCA had previously issued an ‘unconditional decision to grant an exemption’, which meant that the transaction could already go ahead. Today, 3 April 2023, the Belgium Competition Authority (BCA) gave its final, unconditional approval of the transaction.
Veghel, 3 April 2023
On behalf of Sligro Food Group N.V.
Koen Slippens, CEO
Rob van der Sluijs, CFO
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Trading update first quarter 2024
Veghel, 18 April 2024 - Sligro Food Group N.V. generated €652 million in revenue over the first quarter of 2024, up €18 million or 2.7% on the revenue of €634 million posted in the first quarter of 2023.
As expected, revenue growth was slightly positive over the first three months of the year and was fully organic.
In the Netherlands, revenue was up 3.8% in line with the general upward trend we are seeing in the market. Both the new customer growth rate and expansion of packages for existing customers are developing well. However, consumers are still cautious in their spending, which is leading to our professional customers individually buying less volume right now.
In Belgium, revenue fell by 3.2%. As expected, the customer churn we saw at our delivery site in Antwerp last year continued to have an impact on revenue development over the first quarter of 2024. New customer acquisition is progressing well and we have even started to see some of the customers we lost last year return. At Sligro-M’s cash-and-carry outlets, revenue grew to €37 million compared to €31 million in the same period last year.
The impact of inflation on our revenue levelled off in the first quarter and is now around the 3% mark.
With more and more retailers opting to stop selling tobacco well before the ban comes into effect, we are seeing tobacco sales shift to the outlets of some of our customers. On the back of this development, tobacco’s share in our revenue grew to 9.2% in the first quarter. Sligro will stop selling tobacco from 1 July 2024, with the exception of tobacco sales under several contracts that run to the end of 2024. We will stop selling tobacco altogether from 2025.
Over the coming period, we will maintain an unwavering focus on putting into place the building blocks for our plan in the run-up to 2025, which we presented during our capital markets day last year.
We refrain from making concrete predictions about the half-year results. The half-year figures will be published on 18 July.
On behalf of Sligro Food Group N.V.
Koen Slippens, CEO
Rob van der Sluijs, CFO
Click here for the press release in PDF
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Trading update first quarter 2023
Veghel, 20 April 2023 - Sligro Food Group N.V. generated €634 million in revenue over the first quarter of 2023, up €166 million or 35.5% on the revenue of €468 million posted in the first quarter of 2022.
The revenue increase in the first quarter was positive, as expected. In the first few weeks of 2022, lockdowns were still in place, which ended over the course of that quarter. In increasing our revenue, we have exceeded the market in both countries and further reinforced our position.
Revenue growth in the Netherlands was entirely organic. In Belgium, the revenue came from the outlets acquired from Metro, which generated €31 million in revenue in the first quarter. We are delighted about and proud of the way we reopened the outlets following the acquisition. The revenue levels posted in the first quarter are encouraging.
We refrain from making concrete predictions about the half-year results. Instead, we focus our attention once again on several exceptional elements that are important or have the greatest impact in the first half-year in particular. In 2022, we posted a one-off book profit on the Smeding transaction. In 2023, we are facing additional SAP amortisation charges and start-up losses for the outlets acquired from Metro. The finance costs are increasing, due to general interest rate developments in the market.
The half-year figures will be published on 20 July.
On behalf of Sligro Food Group N.V.
Koen Slippens, CEO
Rob van der Sluijs, CFO
Click here for the full press release
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Nomination of Mr Dirk Anbeek for appointment to the Supervisory Board of Sligro Food Group N.V.
Sligro Food Group’s Supervisory Board intends to nominate Mr Dirk J. Anbeek for appointment to the Supervisory Board during the Extraordinary General Meeting of Shareholders to be held on 29 June 2023.
This nomination is made in light of Mr Freek Rijna stepping down during the General Meeting of Shareholders on 27 March 2024, as per the rotation schedule. The Supervisory Board intends to have Mr Anbeek replace Mr Rijna as chair of the Supervisory Board on that date. Mr Anbeek will be a member of the Supervisory Board during the period up to 27 March 2024.