EDEKA and farmers – partners in the value chain ith an annual turnover of about 50 billion Euro and more than number of farmers. This ensures planning security for both sides W 11.200 stores as well as 351.000 employees, EDEKA is the and thus signifi cantly contributes to the preservation of regional market leader in the German food retailing sector. We are traditi- agriculture. onally a reliable partner of the German and European agricultural For further information see http://www.unsereheimat.de/ sector, supporting a sustainable, fair and consumer-friendly food (available in German only) production. We attach particular importance to a regional orienta- tion of our full-range stores, which our company structure refl ects: EDEKA is organized as a cooperative. At the heart of this SME Expanding regional contract cultivation cooperative orientation there are 4.000 self-employed merchants EDEKA expands long-term contract cultivation with producers who are fi rmly rooted in their regions. The merchants are suppor- in many regions. While EDEKA guarantees producers to purchase ted by seven regional wholesale operations providing them with their goods, farmers commit themselves to produce exclusively for goods and advice on a daily basis. Co-ordination of the EDEKA EDEKA. According to the minister of agriculture of Baden-Würt- strategy takes place at Hamburg-based EDEKA Zentrale. It mana- temberg, Peter Hauk, this collaboration is “exemplary” and repre- ges the national merchandise business along with the successful sents a “role model for the production and marketing of regional We just food campaign. products”. To give an example, the targeted expansion of cultiva- Our self-employed merchants are aware of their customers’ ted areas ensures that the demand for regional tomatoes is met needs and increasingly offer regional and even local goods. From even in the winter months. This cooperation guarantees economic production, processing, control to distribution and sale, the added security and long-term preservation of agricultural holdings. value benefi ts the companies and the people in the region. Consu- mers, on the other hand, gain access to fresh, high-quality food. Regional meat brand Hofglück (farm joy) – in In the following we would like to illustrate with three examples how cooperation with the German Animal Welfare Association EDEKA closely cooperates with farmers and offers them planning security through long term contracts and guaranteed purchase Hofglück is a regional pork meat brand of EDEKA southwest quantities. which meets highest animal welfare standards. The producing farms are selected in cooperation with the German Animal Welfare Our regional brand Unsere Heimat – echt & gut Association and certifi ed by independent authorities. The animals are raised in accordance with the standards of the animal welfare (Our homeland - real & good) label Für mehr Tierschutz (for more animal welfare) of the German Animal Welfare Association. This ensures that the animals get suf- In the southwest region of Germany alone more than 1.500 pro- fi cient daylight, an outside moving space and fresh straw in the ducers and processors provide regional products such as fruits, laying area. In addition, the animals are solely fed with genetically vegetables, dairy, fresh and dry products to our regional brand non-modifi ed animal feed. With this partnership, EDEKA not only Unsere Heimat- echt & gut. All of these products are harvested, contributes to the preservation of regional agriculture, but also to processed, packed and sold regionally. Farmers benefi t from an the development of a more species-appropriate animal husbandry. increased consumer interest in regional products and the limited number of competitors. EDEKA has concluded long term ag- For further information see http://ebook.edeka-suedwestfl eisch. reements including guaranteed purchase quantities with a large de/ebook/suedwestfl eisch/hofglueck/ (available in German only) EDEKA ZENTRALE AG & Co. KG Dr. Julian Böcker 85, Avenue Des Nerviens Telefon: +32 2 737 0370 Head of Public Affairs Brussels 1040 Brussels E-Mail: [email protected] www.edeka-verbund.de.