Podcast: Luc Vanoirbeek – Belgian Horticultural Co-operatives
[ E15 ]In this episode of Co-op Leader Conversations, Luc Vanoirbeek, General Secretary of Verbond van Belgische Tuinbouwcoöperaties (VBT), shares insights from more than three decades working with Belgium’s horticultural co-operatives.
Luc explains how three large co-operatives represent around 2,800 growers and the majority of Belgium’s fresh fruit and vegetable production. Operating in a highly export-oriented and regulated environment, these co-ops face volatility in markets, climate impacts, water constraints and growing sustainability demands from retailers.
The conversation explores structural pressures shaping European horticulture, including declining consumption of fruit and vegetables, societal attitudes to plant protection, rising costs and limited price recognition for sustainability efforts. Luc highlights how co-operative scale strengthens growers’ bargaining power and enables consistent quality, payment discipline and export access.
Luc also reflects on generational renewal, labour availability and immigration patterns, before outlining five conditions he believes co-operatives must meet to remain relevant over the next 50 years. These include caring for members, acting collectively, building strong organisations and providing certainty for both producers and buyers.
Conversation themes
Export-oriented horticultural co-operatives
Climate and regulatory pressure in Europe
Retail power and grower bargaining strength
Generational renewal and labour challenges
Long-term conditions for co-op success
Why this matters
This episode offers valuable comparative insight for New Zealand horticulture and food co-operatives. The challenges faced in Europe closely mirror those at home, making Luc’s perspective highly relevant for boards planning long-term resilience.
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