Organic or not?

We are often asked whether our products are organic. This question cannot be answered in a single sentence. Below, you can read more about the term ‘organic’, how it applies to our products, what the SKAL quality mark is, and what this means for us and our farmers.

Are your products organic?
We source our products from various farmers, market gardeners and producers. Our major suppliers, such as Hoeve Biesland, Kievit and Landzicht, are certified organic. They therefore comply with the SKAL guidelines for organic products. We also source products from smaller producers. They do not always have an organic certification. Some of them are in the process of obtaining the certification. However, this is not affordable for all producers, as certification costs a great deal of money. That said, they too work according to the following principles: sustainable cultivation, without pesticides and mostly in open fields.

Why don’t you label your products as organic?
‘Organic’ is a protected term. SKAL is an organisation that supervises organic production. To sell unpackaged organic products, you need a SKAL certification. Lekkernassûh does not have this certification. That is why we are not allowed to call our unpackaged products ‘organic’, even though we source a large proportion of our products from certified organic producers.

Why doesn’t Lekkernassûh have SKAL certification?
To obtain and retain certification, an annual fee must be paid to SKAL. As we are a non-profit organisation with no profit motive, we are unable and unwilling to bear these costs. We hope that by providing our participants with clear information about the origin of our products and producers, they will have a good understanding of what our range comprises.

Exception: The fruit package and the eggs.
We can describe the fruit package as organic, as it is packed separately in a bag that specifies its origin and supplier, namely Kievit. The eggs are also organic. They bear a stamp, and their origin can be traced back to the Zwaanheuvelhoeve.

What about the cheese?
For the Gymzaal, the cheese is purchased from Biokaas Kinderdijk. The other locations receive cheese from Hoeve Biesland. Both sell exclusively organic cheeses.

What about the package-free shop?
The VVW sources its products from three wholesalers: Odin, BD-Totaal and IDorganics. All three wholesalers supply exclusively organic products.

Want to find out more about SKAL?
Visit the SKAL website.