Els Willems and Fred Beekmans have been appointed as members of the Core Partner Board of Next Food Collective (NFC), a coalition that brings together dozens of leading companies, knowledge institutions and research organizations in the food industry. Els Willems succeeds Fanny Weinbreck on behalf of Agrifirm, and Fred Beekmans succeeds Gerhard de Ruiter on behalf of Wageningen University & Research.
Els Willems
Els Willems is an expert in sustainable livestock production and animal nutrition, with extensive experience in bridging science, innovation and practical application. Within Royal Agrifirm Group she has held several R&D and business development positions, and since 2025 she has served as Global R&D Director Feed & Specialties. In this role, she leads international innovation programmes aimed at improving sustainable and healthy livestock production and creating value for farmers worldwide.
Willems has a strong background in applied research, ranging from feed strategies and animal health to circular supply chains. She has also been affiliated with Wageningen University & Research as a guest researcher, where she acted as a bridge between academia and industry and supervised master’s students. Her expertise in chain innovation and her experience in implementing strategic concepts make her a valuable addition to the Core Partner Board of Next Food Collective.
Willems looks forward to contributing:
“The transition to a future-proof food system starts with sustainable livestock farming and innovative food systems. The strength of Next Food Collective lies in bringing farmers, researchers and companies together to make solutions truly applicable. I am motivated to accelerate impact through this collaboration.”
Fred Beekmans
Fred Beekmans is an experienced leader at the intersection of applied research, innovation and food and resource supply chains. As of 1 January 2026, he will take on the role of Strategy Director at Wageningen Food & Biobased Research (WFBR), part of Wageningen University & Research. In this position, he translates scientific knowledge into practical breakthroughs for companies, governments and societal stakeholders, focusing on biobased and circular systems, sustainable and healthy nutrition and societal transitions.
Beekmans has extensive experience in both academia and industry. He has held R&D and leadership roles at NIZO Food Research, Vion Ingredients and Darling Ingredients, gaining international experience in innovation portfolios, product development, global quality strategy and sustainability within the value chain. Within Wageningen University & Research, he has also been involved in strategic research programming in the fields of biobased and circular systems and sustainable nutrition. This combination of “science-to-business” expertise and strategic leadership makes him a valuable addition to the Core Partner Board of Next Food Collective.
Beekmans looks forward to collaborating within Next Food Collective:
“A sustainable food system requires both fundamental knowledge and practical breakthroughs. Next Food Collective brings together business, science and talent to accelerate the application of these innovations. I look forward to contributing to greater impact across the full food value chain.”