Safeguarding food chain authenticity: the consumer co ......Safeguarding food chain authenticity:...

Silvia SchmidtPolicy Officer for Food and RetailHealthy Nutrition Conference, Venlo, 29 June 2017

E u r o p e a n C o m m u n i t y o f C o n s u m e r C o - o p e r a t i v e s

Safeguarding food chain authenticity: the consumer co-operative twist

Overview

E u r o p e a n C o m m u n i t y o f C o n s u m e r C o - o p e r a t i v e s

1. Euro Coop and the co-operative difference

2. Co-op consumers’ expectations and trends

3. Consumer co-ops and food chain authenticity

Case study: where innovation meets countering food fraudand guaranteeing/displaying the origin of own brand products

4. Conclusions

Video – Introducing Co-ops

E u r o p e a n C o m m u n i t y o f C o n s u m e r C o - o p e r a t i v e s

Video – Introducing Co-ops

E u r o p e a n C o m m u n i t y o f C o n s u m e r C o - o p e r a t i v e s

The Co-operative Difference

E u r o p e a n C o m m u n i t y o f C o n s u m e r C o - o p e r a t i v e s

1. Voluntary and Open Membership

2. Democratic Member Control3. Member Economic

Participation4. Autonomy and

Independence5. Education, Training, and

Information6. Co-operation among Co-

operatives7. Concern for Community

Overview of Euro Coop

E u r o p e a n C o m m u n i t y o f C o n s u m e r C o - o p e r a t i v e s

Some facts• European Association of Consumer co-operatives• Members: National consumer co-operative organisations in 19 countries,

mainly retail, big and small.

Some numbers• 5,000 local consumer co-operatives• 500,000 employees in 36,000 stores• 32 million consumer-members• > 76 billion Euros annual turnover

Euro Coop has 3 main activities

Co-op consumers expectations and trends versus co-ops’ response – food chain authenticity

E u r o p e a n C o m m u n i t y o f C o n s u m e r C o - o p e r a t i v e s

Co-op consumers… Co-ops’ best practices:

Are increasingly interested in local foods Shorter supply chains, close relations with farmers

Want to know about the origin of foods Increased emphasis on origin, traceability,transparency

Want fairness in the supply chain, and integrity Counteract fraudulent practices to ensure the authenticity and integrity of foods

Find animal health and welfare increasinglyimportant when purchasing animal products

Communicate to consumers about the animal practices used via package labels – requirementsoften stricter than EU legislation

Are increasingly interested in organic products Increase the supply of organic products –requirements often stricter than EU legislation

Are concerned about the environment Engage in more and more environmentally-friendlypractices (labelling, transport..)

INFORM, COMMUNICATE LABEL

Coop Netherlands

E u r o p e a n C o m m u n i t y o f C o n s u m e r C o - o p e r a t i v e s

• Animal welfare high on the agenda for consumer coops animal health

• « Beter leven »

Coop Netherlands

E u r o p e a n C o m m u n i t y o f C o n s u m e r C o - o p e r a t i v e s

• Animal welfare high on the agenda for consumer coops animal health

• « Beter leven »

• Pluim garantie o Animal welfare, environment, social responsibility

• Pasture milko Dutch milk, outside min 6h per day for 120 days

• Blije Kip Garantieo Single egg traceable

More transparency, origin known Food chain authenticity

Coop UK

E u r o p e a n C o m m u n i t y o f C o n s u m e r C o - o p e r a t i v e s

Support for UK farming industry and local foods• 90% consumers feel supermarkets should sell more

food from British farms and almost 50% consumers want to know origin of a product

• Responsible sourcing• 1997: origin labelling

Coop UK

E u r o p e a n C o m m u n i t y o f C o n s u m e r C o - o p e r a t i v e s

2013: Farming groups• 2000+ farmers, close cooperation with 400 • Own brand chicken, pork, Hereford and Aberdeen Angus beef, Cambrian lamb, milk• Gold, Silver, Bronze farms 13 million pounds to farming groups in year 2• Improved quality of life of 94 million animals

• 65% of farms involved in community projects

• 95% have water pollution controls

• 23% involved in research projects

Eroski (Spain)

E u r o p e a n C o m m u n i t y o f C o n s u m e r C o - o p e r a t i v e s

EROSKI NATUR “origin and taste”• Controls from field to store Guarantee for consumers• Geographical indications and national quality labels• Collaboration with more than 5000 local Spanish suppliers

EUSKO label & Basque farm label• Produced, processed and/or prepared in the Basque Country• Proximity + highest level of taste and quality

1 billion Euros investment in products from Navarra region

10% increase sale “local” in 2016

Case study: Coop Italy

E u r o p e a n C o m m u n i t y o f C o n s u m e r C o - o p e r a t i v e s

A closer look into Coop Italy’s own brand products, where

innovation meets countering food fraud, and

guaranteeing/displaying the origin of own brand products

Coop Italy

E u r o p e a n C o m m u n i t y o f C o n s u m e r C o - o p e r a t i v e s

Quality and safety• Coop Italia has to guarantee safety, performance, authenticity of coop private label• 2016: 30,000+ analyses/controls to verify safety, traceability, etc, also non own-brand

Quality and safety control of Coop private label:• Departments: Development & marketing, quality

Journey of a Coop product:

ProductionProcess control

Distribution

Safety Performance Authenticity

Coop Italy

E u r o p e a n C o m m u n i t y o f C o n s u m e r C o - o p e r a t i v e s

Buoni e Giusti• Promote ethics in fruits and veggies supply chains• E.g. Strawberries, oranges, olive oil• 832 suppliers in 70,000+ farms

Traceability – Own brands• Close cooperation with every step of the chain full traceability possible• Actors sign specific contractual commitments + subject to stringent specifications• Website cooporigini.it since 2013 + app• Range “origine”, e.g. (pre-packed) cold cuts, cheese..

Coop Italy Lab

E u r o p e a n C o m m u n i t y o f C o n s u m e r C o - o p e r a t i v e s

Aim and roles• Provide scientific support on emerging risks, food safety and authenticity (fraud)• Provide analytical innovation• Monitor origin of raw materials

3 Areas

BIOLOGY SENSORYCHEMISTRY

Prove food authenticity by analysing DNA

e.g. fish species identification

Allergen detection

Detect chemical contaminants (natural, processing, packaging)

Carry out sensory tests

Coop Italy Olive oil chain

E u r o p e a n C o m m u n i t y o f C o n s u m e r C o - o p e r a t i v e s

Coop Italy Extra Virgin Olive Oils (EVOO)

E u r o p e a n C o m m u n i t y o f C o n s u m e r C o - o p e r a t i v e s

• 2 types of 100% Italian

• 100% Italian organic

• « Mediterranean » (EU origin)

Under «Fior fiore», premium brand:

• 4 regional (e.g. Tuscany)

• 3 particular EVOO (e.g. usingonly « oliva taggiasca »)

Back to the Coop Italy Lab

E u r o p e a n C o m m u n i t y o f C o n s u m e r C o - o p e r a t i v e s

• Chemistry applied to ensure authenticity by fingerprinting of volatile compounds

A food product ischaracterized by its

aromatic profile

- Analytical approach to food authenticity;

- As unique as fingerprints;- Can be applied to

different food matrices

Heracles

E u r o p e a n C o m m u n i t y o f C o n s u m e r C o - o p e r a t i v e s

= fast gas chromatograph that works as an « advanced electronicnose » by defining a profile of the volatile compounds in products

• 5 mL sample

• Analytical time for one sample: 100s

• Total olive oil samples analysed in 2016: 1500

Heracles – 3 steps

E u r o p e a n C o m m u n i t y o f C o n s u m e r C o - o p e r a t i v e s

Step 1: Analyse samples (more than 100 per typology)

Step 2: Multivariate analysis to select sample and create predictive model

Step 3: Analyse unknown samples

Supermarket of the future

E u r o p e a n C o m m u n i t y o f C o n s u m e r C o - o p e r a t i v e s

• Milan EXPO store in Milan• Robots, interactive tables, vertical shelving with screens• Enhanced experience for consumers

o Origins, nutritional facts, presence of allergens, waste disposal instructions, correlated products and promotions

Conclusions

E u r o p e a n C o m m u n i t y o f C o n s u m e r C o - o p e r a t i v e s

Food chainauthenticity

Local

Traceability/ known

origin

Animal welfare

Commu-nication

Close cooperationwith whole

supplychain

Innovation

Food safety

Consumers

Thank you for your attention!

E u r o p e a n C o m m u n i t y o f C o n s u m e r C o - o p e r a t i v e s

Acknowledgement: Coop Italy Laboratory

For more information:- Euro Coop website: www.eurocoop.coop- E-mail at sschmidt@eurocoop.coop