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According to new numbers from Statistic Denmark, private and public catering kitchens in Denmark bought organic products for 1.3 billion DKK in 2014. Hence, the numbers have approximately tripled since 2009.
In Denmark, organic ingredients make up a continuous larger part of the thousands of meals that is served every day to the elderly in care homes, children in daycare institutions and guests at restaurants and cafés. In 2014, Danish professional kitchens bought organic products for 1.3 billion DKK according to a new report published by Statistic Denmark. This is an increase of 33 percent compared to 2013 and it is about a threefold increase compared to 2009.
800.000 daily meals with organic potential
More than 30 municipalities in Denmark have chosen to convert their kitchens into organic, and Organic Denmark expects further growth in the coming years as more and more kitchen personnel attend a conversion course. In Denmark, the public kitchens serve 800.000 meals every day.
- We are now beginning to see the result of the political goal of 60% organic food in Denmark’s public kitchens, and this is an important motive force of the organic conversion of the agriculture. It is a very positive development, says Per Kølster, president of Organic Denmark.
Healthier, tastier and climate friendly meals
A report from Statistic Denmark shows that particularly organic dairy products including eggs (38%) and processed food (35%) like beverages, flour and grains took up the strongest presence in Denmark’s professional kitchens in 2013. Fruit and vegetables accounted for 18% of the sale.
- Organic conversion in professional kitchens includes that the meals to a larger extent is made from scratch from the season’s ingredients, that waste is reduced significantly and that the meals contain more vegetables and less meat. This makes conversion possible without turning up the budgets. Resultantly, you get tastier, healthier and more climate friendly meals, says Rikke Thorøe Grønning, chief consultant in Organic Denmark’s Foodservice team.
Denmark’s experience is useful abroad
Organic Denmark uses the Danish success story from the professional kitchens in its international work.
- We can use the knowledge about what kind of organic products that the restaurants, cafés, hotels and canteens demand, when we for example are in dialog with international wholesalers. Furthermore, especially the nearby export markets are very interested in hearing about Denmark’s experience with increasing the organic share in the foodservice sector and in particular they want to hear about the organic cuisine label, says Helene Birk, Export Manager in Organic Denmark.
1250 professional kitchens with the Organic Cuisine Label
The increasing number of restaurants, cafés and canteens with the organic cuisine label reflect the growing interest for organics in the Danish professional kitchens. Today, 1250 public and private kitchens have the organic cuisine label in either gold, silver or bronze, which documents a kitchen’s organic share.
For more information on this topic, please contact:
- Helene Birk, Export Manager, Organic Denmark, phone +45 2330 0010, hbi@okologi.dk
- Line Skouboe, Press Officer, Organic Denmark, phone +45 8732 2714 / +45 2442 6952, lsk@okologi.dk