CAREER EN | DE | NL Home > Our company Our company What we do Zandbergen World’s Finest Meat is a leading company in the international protein supply chain with our head office in Zoeterwoude, the Netherlands. We source chilled and frozen meat from the USA, Argentina, Brazil, Uruguay, Paraguay, Chile, Thailand, Australia and New Zealand. We import beef, lamb, pork and poultry from these countries and supply it to customers in all the EU Member States, Switzerland, Norway and the United Arab Emirates. We have also been offering alternative protein solutions since 2018. Zandbergen provides a diverse selection within each product group in order to meet the needs of a wide variety of customers. In addition to the products we import, Zandbergen produces portioned steaks and hamburgers and an extensive range of sliced and cubed products. Serving the market with well over 1000 products We can proudly say that all of the products involve cooperative efforts with some of the most highly respected, internationally active companies: over the years Zandbergen has established solid, reliable relationships with its suppliers. At Zandbergen we work closely not only with our suppliers but also with our customers, allowing the company to continue expanding new lines of products and to anticipate customer needs. Zandbergen has developed solid and reliable relationships with its suppliers and all our products are the result of collaborative efforts with some of the world’s highly respected international companies. We also work in close collaboration with our customers, which enables us to realise ongoing new product development and to anticipate customer needs. We source from countries that have ideal climates for growing grass and raising cattle. We believe cattle are most comfortable when they can roam freely on thousand hectares of pastures, when there is no need to go into barns and they feed on the natural grasses found on their farmlands. Market We work with strategic partners and distributors in every country in the European Union. Our clientele includes multinationals, Cash & Carry companies, supermarket chains, catering suppliers, meat processing companies and the ready-made meal market. Purpose We work with the world’s finest meat at Zandbergen and the drive to continuously improve our market performance is in our DNA. We take a sustainable approach that focuses on respecting animal welfare, conserving natural resources and battling climate change. We believe in helping improve the world through a more balanced food supply. Our mission is to provide honest, high-quality products that combine animal protein with plant protein and to demonstrate sound leadership in the food industry. From its foundation, our company has been built on conviction, family, hard work and sustainable lifelong partnerships. This family tradition and commitment to fairness and honesty are deeply embedded in our company’s culture. While it now has more than 150 employees working in different countries, the Zandbergen companies continue to exude the spirit of a Dutch family business. With a focus on respecting animal welfare, conserving natural resources and battling climate change, we’ve taken a sustainable approach. Quality The key to delivering the highest quality 365 days a year is not determined by one specific factor. It is the synergy between each link within the entire logistics chain that is at the heart of Zandbergen’s approach to quality and service. This cooperation requires clear-cut agreements on what is and is not allowed, transparent business processes and performance reviews. A company must fulfil these criteria in order to have a reliable quality system. In order to reinforce this philosophy, Zandbergen has a quality department that encompasses a number of different disciplines, including professional butchers and food technologists. How we ensure the safety and quality of your food Zandbergen employs food safety and quality testing to ensure food products meet the main international standards. These testing programmes help food processing to mitigate risks, safeguard reputation and gain access to international markets. Specific services include supplier audits and analysis of raw materials, process quality assurance, quality control checks and final product analysis. The quality of each product is checked, whether it is imported or comes from our own factory. This sets Zandbergen World’s Finest Meat apart from other importing/trading companies. Certifications Zandbergen World’s Finest Meat is committed to continuous improvement and innovation of its facilities and processes. As a result, Zandbergen is Skal/Organic, IFS Food and IFS Broker certified and the Dutch Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority (Voedsel & Waren Autoriteit – VWA) has recognised and approved Zandbergen to conduct a wide range of activities. This consequently allows us to offer a vast selection of products and services. Our highly trained team of quality employees supervise, document and safeguard additional factors such as environmental impact and working conditions. This means all facets of quality are covered so that we can unreservedly guarantee the quality of our products to our customers. Meat Import Zandbergen Brothers BV and Frigomundo Customs Services BV have been AEO (Authorized Economic Operator) certified since September 2011. The customs authorities view an AEO-certified company as a trustworthy partner in the logistic chain. The unfaltering focus on quality has helped Zandbergen grow from a small local business into an internationally respected partner in meat. Download our IFS Food certificate Download our AEO certificate The unfaltering focus on quality has enabled Zandbergen to grow from a small local business into an internationally respected partner in meat High-quality service Service and reliability are the driving forces behind Zandbergen World’s Finest Meat. That is why we have taken full control over the supply chain. This enables us to provide our customers with the highest level of service from the moment the product is bought on the world market until we deliver the goods to our customers. It all starts with our product specialists ensuring we receive high-quality products according to our specifications. We are able to ensure smooth import into the EU thanks to our shipping and customs division’s far-reaching knowledge of the related legislation and documentation requirements. This means we can provide our customers with a stable product flow according to clear and mutually agreed terms. There are short and direct lines of communication. All the required information can be provided within minutes, giving you access to everything you need to know in order to be able to act quickly in an ever-changing market. Transparency The quality team takes a total quality approach. This means they both properly control and manage the products and how they are produced in the country of origin and all other aspects of the organisation. Guided by our quality philosophy, the quality department has the responsibility to assess and improve all our departments. Zandbergen has enjoyed a reputation as a supplier of quality meat since it was founded in 1973. We maintain this quality through our “farm to fork” policy that involves tracking each animal from birth onward, including its growing and living conditions, storage conditions and finally transportation to our customers, according to their specific wishes. Family company Family businesses are of great importance to the Netherlands. It is a known fact that family businesses form the core of the Dutch economy, with nearly 70% of Dutch companies being family businesses. Research reveals that these family businesses play a crucial role in a number of areas: CREATING EMPLOYMENT: 29 percent of all employees in the Netherlands work at a family business**. It is striking that employment at family businesses is increasing faster than the national average: the growth in the number of jobs in family businesses has risen by 8% compared to -0.4% nationwide*. INVESTING IN RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT: 12.8% of the total revenue is spent on R&D*. Research shows that R&D investments by family businesses have a higher profitability than those of non-family businesses. This is because family businesses focus on profitable innovation. ATTENTION TO SUSTAINABILITY: Sustainability is of great importance to family businesses. More than 60% of family businesses are committed to sustainable business operations and investing in sustainable initiatives such as sustainable mobility and sustainable energy projects. This is due to the long-term vision taken by family businesses. 'Generations of excellence as a family business' INVESTING IN EMPLOYEES THROUGH TRAINING: Research shows that 95% of family businesses are registered as a recognised training company and often have strong ties with intermediate vocational education institutions. HELPING FIGHT POVERTY AND SOCIAL EXCLUSION: Family businesses are dedicated to helping fight poverty in a number of ways. They have created more employment than non-family businesses since 2010 and provide internships and workplaces for young people with a disability and refugees. They also often invest in local healthcare or provide Christmas parcels and meals to foundations that distribute food to the less fortunate. Zandbergen World’s Finest Meat identifies with the above characteristics of Dutch family businesses and embraces its responsibility to help improve the world. Zandbergen consequently contributes to achieving the objectives set out by the European Commission for 2020 by creating employment, investing in R&D, committing to sustainable business operations, striving to prevent early school leaving and tackling poverty and social exclusion. Sources: *PWC/familiebedrijven/2016 PwC| Het familiebedrijf: veelzijdig belang voor de Nederlandse samenleving (The family business: multifaceted importance to Dutch Society) ** CSB 2017 Family business in The Netherlands Discover more about Zandbergen World’s Finest Meat Facilities Food safety Our history Our company Sustainability Product innovation Food inspiration Partnerships Facilities Food safety Career Contact Our offices © Zandbergen 2018 Terms and conditions of sale Casestudy MAN 9 News archive