28 October 2024

3 minute read

By: Global Ag Media

Europe

After the success in the Netherlands, Lidl will now distribute the climate-neutral eggs of Kipster, in Belgium. The supermarket chain wants to introduce the Belgian consumer to the climate-neutral eggs, despite futile attempts to open such a chicken farm in Belgium, according to a recent press release from the retail chain. 

“Although the Kipster concept responds to the government's demand for increasingly sustainable agriculture, it is not possible to convince farmers or find suitable locations. We hope to use this offer to get the egg production market in Belgium moving and to re-draw it sustainably," Isabelle Colbrandt, spokeswoman for Lidl Belgium, explained.

Kipster's first farm was established in The Netherlands in 2017. The concept is not just about producing as many eggs as possible at the lowest possible price. The aim is to produce eggs with respect for animals, nature and people.

At Kipster, the chickens are free to roam inside and outside, and to lay a climate-neutral egg. After all, they not only supply eggs and meat, they also clean up leftovers from the food industry, such as large bakeries. Additionally, the poultry farm runs entirely on its own solar energy.

“Commercial animal-friendly livestock farming is almost impossible," said Ruud Zanders, co-founder of Kipster. "We are also aware of that. But we can give our animals the best possible life."

"The instinct of the chicken is central to the design of our farms. In the past, chickens scrambled around the yard and ate what they encountered," he added. "We are striving for that again. We use almost no fields for feed. The chickens turn our leftovers from bakeries, for example, into eggs and cooperate to reduce food waste. By the way, all the chickens on our farm are white and lay white eggs. They are better for the environment than chickens that lay brown eggs, because they need much less feed."

Kipster supplies exclusively to the supermarket chain Lidl in the Netherlands and from now on also in Belgium. Kipster and Lidl Belgium have worked closely together over the past five years to plant the concept of the environmentally conscious farm in our country as well. After a long search for farmers and a suitable location, they had to stop that attempt in vain. But the supermarket chain still includes the climate-neutral eggs in its range.

“We were so charmed by this innovative project five years ago that we quickly started the talks about a farm in Belgium," Colbrandt said. "Despite the fact that the Kipster concept responds to the government's demand for agriculture to be increasingly sustainable, it is not possible to gain a foothold in our country."

"We strive to have as many Belgian products as possible in our offer," she added. "If we can't produce them here, we'll look for alternatives. Because we want to introduce Belgian consumers to Kipster's climate-neutral eggs, we are now offering them from the Netherlands from now on. In this way, we hope to set the egg production market in Belgium in motion and to redraw them sustainably."

Kipster claims to be 'the most animal and environmentally friendly chicken farm in the world'. Still, the eggs are not more expensive than the organic eggs you buy at Lidl. Six Kipster eggs cost 2.29 euros and the packaging is completely biodegradable.