Together, they aim to achieve a 70% reduction in CO₂e emissions by 2030, compared with 2018, for all vegetables and fruits grown in greenhouses for Albert Heijn. With this collaboration, the partners want to show that sustainability and food security can go hand in hand and support each other.
Sustainable energy for a future-proof horticulture sector
Dutch greenhouse horticulture plays a crucial role in the year-round availability of fresh fruit and vegetables. To keep this sector strong for the future, greenhouse businesses need to continue moving toward electrification and more sustainable energy use.
At Albert Heijn’s request, Bakker Barendrecht and AgroEnergy, a subsidiary of Eneco, carried out research to explore what is possible. The results show that many growers can already take meaningful and financially sound steps toward sustainability in the short term. This helps keep locally grown products fresh, high-quality and affordable.
For Albert Heijn, this is an important step in achieving its target of a 45% CO₂e reduction by 2030 (compared to 2018) across the entire supply chain.
Working together across the supply chain
Each partner brings valuable expertise to this shared effort. Bakker Barendrecht and Eneco have worked with nearly all participating growers to identify which sustainable solutions fit their greenhouse operations. Eneco offers the technical expertise and guidance to help growers optimize and improve their energy consumption, including in areas where grid congestion poses challenges.
Albert Heijn supports growers through long-term partnerships that strengthen the supply chain. Innovation, sustainability and transparency remain central to this approach, helping ensure that quality, affordability, availability and sustainability go hand in hand.
A clear roadmap for growers
The core of the approach is the AgroEnergy Green Plan, a step-by-step plan that provides growers how much energy they use and which sustainable solutions match their situation. By managing energy in smarter ways, sustainable horticulture becomes technically achievable.
Growers also receive support in making the best use of subsidy programs. This helps them modernize their operations without putting pressure on the affordability or availability of locally grown vegetables and fruits.
“Based on our mission, ‘together we make eating better the easy choice. For everyone’, Albert Heijn believes in the power of collaboration to make a positive impact, not only for our customers but also for our partners throughout the supply chain,” says Rob Heesen, Director of Partnerships & Business Development at Albert Heijn. “We can be truly proud that together we’re demonstrating that it’s possible to make things more sustainable and guarantee food security.”
“Eneco is deeply committed to greenhouse horticulture,” says Dick Velings, Director of Strategic Growth at Eneco. “Through our subsidiary AgroEnergy, we’ve been passionately working with growers to make the sector more sustainable for over 15 years. This partnership with Albert Heijn allows us to radically accelerate this process and, together with Bakker Barendrecht and the growers, also embark on a path to carbon neutrality.”
Sector-wide movement
The Dutch government also sees sustainable horticulture as an important opportunity. The cabinet is investing €200 million to help the sector become climate-neutral by 2040.
On Monday, November 24, Albert Heijn met with growers, industry organizations, NGOs, research institutes, businesses and government representatives during a stakeholder meeting hosted by cucumber and bell pepper grower Reijm & Zn. The discussion focused on both possibilities and challenges in the sector’s energy transition with a clear message: it can be done.
“Greenhouse horticulture is a vital sector, and one where there’s much to be gained through sustainability. It’s therefore wonderful to see Albert Heijn, Bakker Barendrecht, and Eneco committing to sustainable vegetable cultivation. Initiatives like this demonstrate that we’re building the sustainable, prosperous economy of the future together,” says Sophie Hermans, Minister of Climate and Green Growth.
