Responsible soy cultivation in Belgium and abroad
Colruyt Group aims at the most sustainable soy cultivation. For soy in animal feed, we have been purchasing credits through the Round Table on Responsible Soy platform since 2015. For the food products of our private labels we buy certified soy as much as possible. We are also participating in research projects for Belgian soy cultivation.
Food products with sustainable soy
For our private label food products such as Boni or Everyday we never use genetically modified soy. We make a distinction between two types of food products whereby we follow the international TIER-classification.
TIER 1 groups products with more than 5% soy content or products with 'soy' in the name (soy burgers, soy milk, etc.).
TIER 5 groups products which contain less than 5% soy. We aim to buy as much sustainably certified soy as possible for our products (RTRS, ProTerra or BIO certification). And by purchasing RTRS-credits compensate for the small volumes of soy that come from Asia and South America, where soy cultivation is associated with a risk of deforestation.
Soy in feed for private label products
In Belgium, it is not yet possible to physically separate the flows of sustainable soy from the 'conventional' soy in animal feed. That is why we compensate 100% of the soy needed in animal feed for the production of private label products by purchasing certificates through the Round Table on Responsible Soy. We buy the majority of these RTRS certificates from a cooperative of Brazilian family farms in the state of Goiás. This way we support their responsible way of doing business.
soy in animal feed for private label products (meat, dairy, eggs) compensated by RTRS credits in 2023
Research into Belgian soy cultivation
We also support major research into the cultivation of Belgian soy, led by the Flanders Research Institute for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (ILVO). The results are promising, but the cultivation is not yet profitable for farmers. The existing varieties are not ideal for our temperate climate, for example because specific bacteria are not present in our soil. A key role is therefore reserved for upgrading the crops and further research. Together with farmer Simon Colembie from West Flanders and organic supplier La Vie Est Belle, we are also pioneering in local organic soy. The harvest is processed into soy burgers and soy spreads, which we offer in our stores. A good example is the Boni Bio veggie burger with Belgian soy that can be found in the Colruyt Lowest Prices range.
