Leading Dutch supermarket confirms plans to 'slowly' remove Irish beef from shelves
A leading Dutch supermarket group has confirmed that it intends to "slowly" remove Irish beef from its shelves as part of a new supply chain policy
Jumbo Supermarkets told Agriland that it is in the process of "establishing a fully Dutch beef supply chain".
A spokesperson for the supermarket group said as part of this process it will "slowly" remove Irish beef from its shelves.
"Our goal is that, over time, all beef, except minced beef, will come from the Netherlands.
"This means that Jumbo will eventually no longer purchase beef from outside the country.
"Until now, we have always proudly sold Irish beef because of its quality and the extensive way cattle are raised in Ireland," the spokesperson added.
According to the supermarket group it is aiming "for a concept in which animal welfare, transparency and local origin are central".
The Jumbo spokesperson added: "At the same time, it appears that the way cattle are kept in Ireland will remain unchanged.
"This is one of the reasons why we have started building a Dutch supply chain: the Dutch beef chain “Rund op z’n Best”.
"Within this concept, crossbred calves — a mix of dairy and beef breeds — stay close to the farm where they grow up, with strong attention to animal welfare. The animals grow up in the region, with care for their well‑being and natural behaviour".
Dutch model
According to Jumbo the model it aims to develop "is a short, transparent supply chain that delivers an honest, local product, where every link knows exactly where the meat comes from and shares responsibility for quality and sustainability".
"Today, 50% of the fresh beef at Jumbo already comes from this more sustainable Dutch concept," they added.
According to the supermarket group although some of the "trimmings" it uses for minced beef comes from the Netherlands it will also continue to source this in other European countries like Germany, Belgium and France.
