New Survey Findings Reinforce the Need for Multi-sector Collaboration to Engage Consumers on Improving Diet and Lifestyle Choices

India - English

• USA - English

- Survey explores how Forum for the Future and FrieslandCampina's Food & Nutrition Report findings are contributing to accelerating progress on food and nutrition security in Southeast Asia

SINGAPORE, April 1, 2016 /PRNewswire/ --  A survey by FrieslandCampina, one of the world's leading dairy companies, has found that the need for businesses, governments and civil society to engage and collaborate to secure the future of food and nutrition and educate consumers continues to grow in importance for representatives across the entire food value chain in Southeast Asia. 

Photo - http://photos.prnasia.com/prnh/20160331/8521602104

The survey follows up on a report launched by Forum for the Future and FrieslandCampina, "Addressing food and nutrition security through partnerships and strong business leadership", in 2015. The Report was produced in consultation with representatives from the entire food value chain, including agri-food multinational companies, crop producers, financial institutions, retailers, academia, nutritionists, and international and non-governmental organisations. For the first time, non-traditional stakeholders such as logistics and packaging companies were also invited to participate in the conversation.  

The survey enlisted all participants of the Roundtable to explore how the findings and recommendations of the Report are shaping their CSR strategies and accelerating progress on food and nutrition security in Southeast Asia.  The survey found that:

• More than half of respondents consider collaboration between government bodies, NGOs and companies as the most important factor in engaging the consumer on better diet and lifestyle choices;
• The Report has instigated more than a third of respondents to consider scaling up activities around agricultural sustainability and efforts to promote healthier eating and lifestyle choices;
• 50% of respondents found the Report particularly insightful on new approaches to make sustainable changes to Supply Chain Infrastructure in order to benefit food and nutrition security in Southeast Asia; and
• 50% of respondents believe that the collaborative opportunities flagged in the Report can be implemented within 2 - 4 years.

Whilst the challenge of sustainably feeding nine billion people by 2050 is high on the agenda of all participants, the growing double burden of malnutrition -- undernutrition and overnutrition -- was also highlighted as an important focus point for the survey respondents. It is a growing problem in Asia, costing the region 11% of its gross domestic product each year[1].

The survey highlighted the recognition amongst all actors that market-based approaches are important tools to achieve change on all accounts. One of the key goals of the Report was to find a good practical place to start and pursue a wider systems approach and the survey confirms that the food and agriculture industry is being proactive in its approach to accelerate change.

Based on the findings from the Roundtable, Forum for the Future has launched the Food Loss Consortium (FLC), which is a multi-stakeholder initiative designed to facilitate the progress towards real collaborative investments to improve the region's grossly inefficient supply chains. The first step is to survey existing innovations in cold chain, ICT, packaging and supply chain structures that are commercially viable, scalable and have the potential to greatly reduce food losses; the Forum will then help business explore which innovations to pilot with their supply chain partners.

Since the publication of the Report, FrieslandCampina has sought to broaden the reach of its efforts to promote healthier eating and lifestyle choices amongst its consumers. The company has extended its agreement with the Jr NBA to encourage healthier lifestyle approaches amongst school-aged children across Southeast Asia as well as launching new product ranges specifically promoting good nutrition.

Piet Hilarides, Chief Operating Officer, FrieslandCampina Asia said: "The publication of our report addressing food and nutrition security in Southeast Asia has facilitated a number of interesting conversations throughout our value chain. We are focused on collaborating with our stakeholders to contribute to overcoming this pressing problem and are excited by the progress we are observing as a result of implementing a holistic approach. We did not expect change to happen immediately but are encouraged by the collective view of our survey respondents that the recommendations of our Report will instigate change in approaches to achieving food and nutrition security within the next two to four years."

Ariel Muller, Director, Asia Pacific, Forum for the Future, said: "Bringing together a diverse body of stakeholders motivates businesses to reflect on their role in improving regional food security, and see opportunities to strengthen supply chain relationships by partnering to prepare for success in a resource-scarce future. We're excited about the FLC because it allows us to use our expertise in cross-sector partnership to take this potential forward into real, collaborative action to build the food supply chains of the future."

For more information, please contact:

Notes to Editors

About the Report on Addressing food and nutrition security through partnerships and strong business leadership

In May 2015, FrieslandCampina and its partner, Forum for the Future, convened a roundtable comprising of 21 stakeholders from agri-food multinational companies, crop producers, retailers, financial institutions, logistics, packaging, academia, nutritionists, and international and non-governmental organisations in Singapore. Together, the group identified four key areas where businesses can and are already acting on food and nutrition security that can be scaled up:

• Agricultural sustainability -- Enabling sustainable production with improved land management, biodiversity conservation and strengthening the livelihoods of farmers.
• Supply chain infrastructure -- Identifying areas of waste, inefficiency, bottlenecks as well as opportunities to act through the entire food supply chain in the region.
• Product innovation for nutrition -- Ensuring the development of healthier products and improving access to more affordable staple and locally grown fresh produce.
• Promoting healthier eating and lifestyle choices -- Shifting consumer behaviour so that consumers can purchase healthier foods, live more active lifestyles and reduce food waste.

To further accelerate progress in these areas, the group offered three main recommendations for systems change on food and nutrition security:

1. For businesses and groups of businesses working on smallholder agricultural sustainability to coordinate their efforts. 
2. For businesses in logistics, packaging and information and communications technologies (ICT) to work with those in the food supply chain to optimise efficiency and reduce waste.
3. For companies, government bodies and NGOs to create a shared approach to engaging the consumer on better diet and lifestyle choices.

Roundtable participants

1. Ishteyaque Amjad, Director, Corporate Affairs, APAC, Cargill
2. Marjolijn Bragt-van Wijngaarden, Manager Nutrition & Clinical Trials Asia, FrieslandCampina
3. Chris Davis, Director Partnerships and External Engagement, One Goal -- Nutrition for Every Child
4. Gwyneth Fries, Specialist in International Trade & Logistics, previously World Bank
5. Dr. Stefan Germann, Executive Director, One Goal – Nutrition for Every Child
6. Nazmul Islam, SMU graduate student (former communication and engagement manager, Food Industry Asia)
7. Rebecca Lewis, Investment Analyst, Arisaig Partners
8. Lloyd Lowe, Regional Lead, Packaging Industry Asia Pacific, BASF
9. Grace Lin Kia, Manager, Corporate Communications, NTUC FairPrice Cooperative Ltd
10. Benjamin McCarron, Founder, Asia Research and Engagement
11. Dr. Chan Mei-Yen, Senior Lecturer, School of Agriculture, Food & Rural Development, Newcastle University
12. Simone Muders, Research Manager RBP and Shared Value, Deutsche Post DHL
13. Pitra Narendra, Manager, Government Relations and Policy, APAC, Cargill
14. Hendro Harijogi Poedjono, Corporate Affairs Director, FrieslandCampina Asia
15. Kavita Prakash-Mani, Executive Director, Grow Asia, World Economic Forum
16. Raghavan Sampathkumar, Director - Stewardship with CropLife Asia
17. Christopher Samuel, Director, Corporate Engagement, Monsanto Asia-Pacific
18. Stephan Schablinski, Director DHL-SMU Green Transformation Lab, CEO, Green Freight Asia Network Ltd.
19. Sasha Vasiljkovic, General Manager, Consumer & Strategic Accounts, Toll Global Logistics
20. Ada Wong, Head of Public Affairs and Communications, FrieslandCampina Asia
21. Thomas Zimmermann, Vice Director Regional Technical & Application Management, Human Nutrition Asia Pacific, BASF South East Asia Pte Ltd

About Royal FrieslandCampina

Every day Royal FrieslandCampina provides millions of consumers all over the world with food that is rich in valuable nutrients. With annual revenue of 11.3 billion euros, FrieslandCampina is one of the world's five largest dairy companies, supplying consumer and professional products, as well as ingredients and half-finished products to manufacturers of infant & toddler nutrition, the food industry and the pharmaceutical sector around the world. FrieslandCampina has offices in 32 countries and almost 22,000 employees, and its products are available in more than 100 countries. The Company is fully owned by Zuivelcooperatie FrieslandCampina U.A, with 19,487 member dairy farmers in the Netherlands, Germany and Belgium -- making it one of the world's largest dairy cooperatives.

For more information please visit: www.frieslandcampina.com.

About FrieslandCampina Consumer Products Asia

FrieslandCampina's Consumer Products Asia business group consists of operating companies that are active in the consumer products segment in Asia. FrieslandCampina has acquired excellent positions in many countries with strong brands and a wide range of products. These activities have a long and rich history. The export of dairy from Western Europe began back in the 1920s. The range of long shelf life products has expanded significantly: from milk powder, condensed milk, infant and children's nutrition to dairy drinks, yoghurts and desserts. FrieslandCampina has operating companies in mainland China, Indonesia, Thailand, Vietnam, Myanmar, Malaysia, Singapore, Hong Kong and the Philippines. In Asia we market brands that have acquired strong positions. Dutch Lady is legendary in Malaysia and Vietnam, Foremost is a leading brand in Thailand, Frisian Flag is widely known in Indonesia.

About Forum for the Future

Forum for the Future is a sustainability non-profit that works globally with business, government and others to solve complex challenges. We aim to transform the critical systems that we all depend on, such as food and energy, to make them fit for the challenges of the 21st century. We have 18 years' experience inspiring new thinking, building creative partnerships and developing practical innovations to change our world. We share what we learn from our work so that others can become more sustainable.

Our mission is to create to a sustainable food system that gives everyone access to healthy, nutritious food whilst protecting and restoring the natural environment. We believe that sustainable nutrition is a hugely powerful guiding principle for accelerating overall progress on our food system challenges. We work to create change in the food system in three ways: by rethinking how value is created across food networks, by reconnecting people with their food, and by restoring resilience within the system. Through our partnerships and multi-stakeholder alliances we develop practical solutions to deliver the scale of change we need. Forum for the Future is a non-profit company limited by guarantee and registered in England and Wales.

Related Links

http://www.frieslandcampina.com