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The demand for organics in Denmark is increasing significantly and this motivates more and more professional kitchens to show their level of organics. In just a year, the number of Danish eateries having the Organic Cuisine Label (gold, silver or bronze) has grown by 50 percent. Organic Denmark expects a triple of the Organic Cuisine Labels in 2020 and points out that the label is a driver for the green changeover of Danish agriculture.
Denmark has since 1999 had the Organic Cuisine Label in gold, silver and bronze as a label under state control. The label is for professional kitchens and indicates the organic share of the purchased food and beverage. At the moment, the prevalence of the label is accelerating. In just one year, the number of eateries having the label has doubled.
Denmark is the world-leading organic nation and the growing interest for organic food motivates Danish restaurant,cafes, canteens, public institutions and other professional large-scale kitchens to visualize their organic profile, says Torben Blok, Marketing director, foodservice, Organic Denmark.
He points out that the Organic Cuisine Label is a motivator for a lot of kitchens to increase their purchase of organic raw materials.
A lot of large-scale kitchens having the label in bronze is working hard to obtain the label in silver. And kitchens having silver strive to obtain gold. In this way, the Organic Cuisine Label is a driving force for the green changeover in Denmark, where an all-time high number of farmers at the moment are converting to organic production.
Today, we have more than 1800 eateries in Denmark having the Organic Cuisine Label and Organic Denmark’s aim is 6.000 labels in 2020.
The share of organic ingredients in the pots and on the plates in the private and public large-scale kitchens is increasing significantly. A lot of these kitchens already meet the demands for the Organic Cuisine Label, and our aim is that the number of Organic Cuisine Labels is tripled in 2020, says Torben Blok.
Organics gain ground at the suppliers
The sale of organics to large-scale kitchens has more the tripled in five years and the organic share of the sale of food accounts for 7,6 %.
This is significant at Hørkram Foodservice, one of the largest foodservice-suppliers in Denmark. At the moment, the sale of organics in percent is increasing more than the conventional goods, and organics represents 18% of the turnover in the company.
We have seen two-digit growth rates in the last seven years and this seems to continue. We experience a large demand for organic foods within all food categories. Also within categories which previously have been difficult to sell in the organic quality, for instance fresh meat, says Vivi Kjersgaard, product manager, Hørkram Foodservice.
She also experiences that more and more eateries have obtained the Organic Cuisine Label, which demands that the eateries are able to document the share of organic food.
Our customers demand to a greater extent that we provide a formula with the organic percentage of their purchase at us, she explains.
Public institutions accounts for more than 1.300 of the 1.800 Organic Cuisine Labels in Denmark. Private canteens accounts for a fifth, almost 350 pcs. Restaurants and cafes accounts for nearly 100 labels and hotels, catering centers, folk schools and food markets accounts for the rest.
Facts
- Approx. 1800 eateries in Denmark has the Organic Cuisine Label
- Every sixth label (approx. 300) is gold
- Every third label (approx. 600) is silver
- The last half (approx. 900) is bronze