Access to affordable nutrition

The world population is expected to grow to 10 billion people in 2050. This will unmistakably lead to an increased need for high quality, nutritious and affordable food. Currently, access to sufficient and healthy food is not self-evident for millions of people worldwide.

As an international food producing company, our dairy products are consumed in over 100 countries around the world. Guided by our purpose nourishing by nature, we produce dairy products with valuable nutrients from milk, contributing to food security for millions of people worldwide.

Malnutrition, in all its forms and combinations (undernutrition, micronutrient deficiencies, and obesity), is a serious problem in both lower and higher income countries. Dairy products are nutrient-dense and contain valuable nutrients that can contribute to a healthy diet. Milk naturally contains proteins, calcium, and many important vitamins and minerals. In cases where certain populations experience deficiency of specific nutrients, dairy products can be fortified with additional vitamins and minerals.

Access to nutritious food is essential for health, growth and well-being. Yet millions of people around the world still lack access to the nutrients they need to live healthy lives. Guided by our purpose nourishing by nature, FrieslandCampina is committed to helping close this gap by making high-quality, nutritious dairy products more accessible and affordable.

Through our Broadening access to nutrition (BATN) programme, we focus on people with limited access to essential nutrients, particularly in low- and middle-income countries. We do this by making products with high nutritional value more affordable and more widely available. The programme is aligned with the WHO’s Global Action Plan and contributes to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, including reducing hunger and promoting health and wellbeing. In this way, more people can benefit from the goodness of dairy.

At FrieslandCampina, we develop and produce high-quality dairy products for every stage of life, addressing the dietary needs of different populations. Our range of products also includes options for consumers who are at a higher risk of malnutrition and nutritional deficiencies, such as children, pregnant women, and the elderly. We offer tailored nutrition products, specifically designed to meet their needs.

We also pay special attention to people at increased risk of malnutrition, particularly lower-income households and people with specific nutritional needs. Through our Broadening Access to Nutrition model, we develop affordable nutrition products that provide essential nutrients and are tailored to local nutritional needs. In this way, we improve the availability, accessibility and affordability of nutritious food, particularly for consumers in low- and middle-income countries. Where relevant, products are fortified with vitamins and minerals to help address common micronutrient deficiencies.

Accessibility is crucial for this target population, and FrieslandCampina, utilizing its insights and internal capabilities, has developed products that align with their local dietary habits and nutritional requirements, while ensuring affordability at touchpoints they can easily access.

To combat malnutrition, we optimize the nutritional value of our affordable nutrition products by adhering to our FrieslandCampina Nutrition Standards (FCNS). These Standards focus on the quantity and quality of proteins in our products, as well as the fortification with relevant vitamins and minerals, while also setting limits for nutrients that should be consumed in moderation.

Developing affordable nutrition products requires a continuous balance between nutritional value, local nutritional needs and affordability. To achieve this, we use smaller pack sizes, accessible price points and distribution channels that reach remote and underserved communities. We monitor our progress and impact annually, including the share of affordable nutrition products sold and the share of products that comply with our nutrition criteria for affordable nutrition.

Our ambition is to increase the share of affordable nutritional products for lower-income population groups in selected markets to at least 30 percent of total sales volume by 2030.

In addition to our commercial approach, food aid remains necessary. FrieslandCampina collaborates with the Red Cross, provides products to Food Banks, supports School Milk and School Feeding programmes, and is engaged in community projects.

To address malnutrition effectively, it is crucial to ensure the availability of high-quality milk. To increase the availability of high-quality milk in certain countries, FrieslandCampina has initiated Dairy Development activities.