BELGIUM – Lidl is expanding its range of climate-neutral eggs from the Dutch company Kipster to Belgium, despite facing obstacles in setting up local farms. 

In a recent press release, the supermarket chain confirmed its plan to offer Belgian consumers a new sustainable egg option while expressing the challenges it encountered in establishing a Kipster farm in Belgium.

Lidl Belgium spokesperson Isabelle Colbrandt explained that the Kipster model aligns with government targets for more sustainable agriculture. 

Yet, she noted that finding farmers willing to adopt the concept and securing suitable land had proven difficult. 

“Our goal is to introduce these eggs to the Belgian market in hopes of sparking a shift in the egg production industry towards more sustainable practices,” Colbrandt said.

Kipster, which launched its first farm in the Netherlands in 2017, aims to balance animal welfare and environmental sustainability in egg production rather than focusing on maximizing output at minimal costs. 

At Kipster farms, chickens are free to roam both indoors and outdoors, producing eggs with a reduced environmental impact. 

The company’s operations use only solar energy, and the chickens consume food industry leftovers, such as bakery byproducts, in place of traditional feed.

Kipster co-founder Ruud Zanders acknowledged the challenges of animal-friendly commercial farming, describing the company’s approach as one that prioritizes the well-being of its animals. 

“We focus on the natural behaviors of chickens,” Zanders said. “Historically, chickens foraged outdoors, eating what they found. We try to recreate that. By feeding chickens with leftover food rather than growing feed crops, we contribute to reducing food waste.” 

According to Zanders, the farm’s white chickens, which produce white eggs, require less feed than brown-egg-laying breeds, making them more environmentally efficient.

Kipster’s partnership with Lidl Netherlands has grown over the past five years and is now extending to Lidl Belgium. 

Though efforts to establish a Belgian Kipster farm were ultimately unsuccessful, Lidl will still stock the company’s climate-neutral eggs in Belgian stores.

Beyond Belgium, Lidl GB recently announced a partnership to bring Kipster’s egg production model to the UK, aiming to offer British Kipster eggs by 2025, contingent on planning approval for a new farm in Shropshire. 

Kipster’s UK operations will involve raising chickens under high-welfare, low-carbon conditions, with remaining emissions offset through carbon credits.

Developed in collaboration with scientists and animal welfare advocates, Kipster farms provide a setting where chickens have the freedom to roam and access spaces filled with natural light and fresh air.

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