Turning sustainability challenges into opportunities for farmers and consumers

For Sanne, driving sustainability in dairy farming
isn’t just a professional responsibility; it’s also a personal mission. As director for farm sustainability at FrieslandCampina, she works with farmers, researchers, and partners across the chain with one clear goal: producing nutritious dairy within the limits of our planet. From reducing greenhouse gas emissions and improving animal welfare to scaling regenerative practices, everything is aimed at building a future-fit dairy sector that benefits farmers, consumers, and the environment as well.

What inspires FrieslandCampina to be part of Next Food Collective (NFC), and what does this collaboration mean for your organisation?
“At its core, FrieslandCampina is about producing good, healthy nutrition not only for today, but also for generations to come. That means producing within planetary boundaries, which is a huge challenge. We cannot solve this on our own. Collaboration is essential.

What we value in NFC is the mission to overcome fragmentation in the food system. Within NFC knowledge development, commercial players, policymakers, and science come together. For us, being part of NFC means joining forces with others who share the same ambition: accelerating the move towards healthy, sustainable food for all.”

What do you see as the most urgent challenge in today’s food system, and how can NFC contribute to a solution?
“The biggest challenge is creating a food system that is truly sustainable, operating within planetary boundaries while still feeding a growing population. For dairy, this means reducing emissions, using land responsibly, and building positive impact. But we also need to make sure that we keep dairy affordable and accessible for all.

NFC can help by bringing the right parties together those who understand the problems and those who can create the solutions. When we connect expertise across the chain, we can accelerate knowledge development and ensure that new models are scalable, realistic, and supported by society.”

Can you share a concrete example of a recent innovation or success story that aligns with NFC’s mission?
“One important example is ReGeNL, where FrieslandCampina collaborates with partners, farmers, and retailers to test and scale regenerative practices, in order to understand the costs and standardize reporting the results as a foundation to share the costs across the value chain. For example, our partnership with Lidl has been an important step in scaling: 30  farmers are now added to the group of farmers involved (currently 60 in total), and having a retailer commit to regenerative dairy sends a very powerful signal. It builds confidence among farmers and inspires other customers to follow. The first mover effect is crucial: once one retailer takes the step, others will find it easier to join.

Another example is the Future Fit Dairy Initiative (FFDI), where we work together with Arla, dsm-firmenich, Danone, and Rabobank to align international standards for sustainable dairy. If we only define frameworks at the national level, they may not be recognised by global players. FFDI ensures that what we build internationally also resonates in the Netherlands (and vice versa). That is key to making real impact.

These two examples both illustrate that, it’s not enough to work in isolation. To scale up and create viable market opportunities, collaboration with major retailers is essential. Their involvement not only strengthens financing possibilities but also ensures that innovative solutions can reach consumers on a much larger scale.”

Where do you see the greatest opportunities for NFC to make impact in the coming 12 months?
“I see three opportunities. Firstly, NFC can be a strong united voice to policymakers, both nationally and at EU level. We need to translate our knowledge into evidence-based proposals that can influence regulation and funding.

Secondly, we can scale what already works. There are countless pilot projects in food and farming, but their impact often remains limited. By working as a collective, we can take proven models to the next level.

And thirdly, we should highlight the enthusiasm and leadership among farmers and partners who are ready to change. Making these frontrunners more visible inspires others and helps keep momentum in the system.”

How can NFC better support FrieslandCampina in reaching its goals?
“For us, the most important support is helping to bridge the gap to politics and policy. Scaling up requires regulatory support and funding and that’s where NFC can play a connecting role.

We also appreciate NFC’s ability to create synergies between partners. By aligning our approaches and speaking with one voice, we can make sustainability frameworks stronger and more credible. That ultimately benefits farmers, companies, and society.”

Are there innovative ideas or collaboration opportunities you’d like to explore with other NFC members this year?
“Our main focus is to fully leverage what we’re already doing together in ReGeNL. There is still so much potential there: to broaden the partnership, to test more solutions, and to involve new players. For us, the priority is not to start new initiatives, but to ensure that the ones we have are scaled up and that we deliver maximum impact.”

Would you like to share your final thoughts?
“With initiatives like NFC, ReGeNL, and FFDI, we’re building the foundation for a food system that works within planetary boundaries and provides healthy nutrition for generations to come. The challenges are huge, but so are the opportunities if we dare to collaborate and scale together. I truly believe NFC can be the engine that drives this transformation.”