Flora Food Group B.V.

About Flora Food Group

Flora Food Group is a globally active company for culinary essentials (Culinary Essentials) headquartered in Amsterdam. The portfolio spans ten categories, including butter and fat spreads, cream and creamers, cheese and cream cheese as well as cooking liquids and sauces, complemented by Foodservice solutions from Flora Professional such as milkshakes and ice cream. The company draws on over 150 years of experience in oils and fats and manufactures more than 90% of the products sold at 14 of its own production sites. Around 4,600 employees supply over 100 countries in retail and foodservice. The product range includes brands such as Flora, Rama, Blue Band, Becel, Country Crock, Violife, ProActiv and I Can't Believe It's Not Butter. In addition to production, the company operates its own research and development centre in Wageningen.

Site

HK Amsterdam

Processes

Foodservice solutions (Flora Professional, milkshakes, ice cream), In-house R&D, Own manufacturing (>90% of products sold in 14 plants), Climate footprint information on product packaging

Materials

Butter and Fat Spreads, Cream and Creamers, Cheese and Cream Cheese, Cooking Liquids and Sauces

Certificates

BREEAM Outstanding, SMETA (Sedex Members Ethical Trade Audit), BREEAM Outstanding (Wageningen), SMETA audit programme

Founded

1871

Employees

~4600

Industries

Food industry, Foodservice, Retail, Food industry (Culinary Essentials: butter/spreadables, cream/creamer,

1. 01

   Ingredient sourcing according to defined standards

2. 02

   In-house research and development

3. 03

   Own manufacturing in 14 plants

4. 04

   Distribution in retail and foodservice in over 100 countries

Product Categories and Ingredients

Locations

Brands and Products

Inside the production

Quality and Sustainability

More than 90% of the products sold are manufactured in 14 company-owned plants to ensure consistent quality standards. At the Wageningen Food Science Centre, BREEAM Outstanding (score 88.49%) represents the highest level of sustainability certification for buildings; the production sites are audited under the SMETA audit programme.

History

1. 1871

   Origin: The butter merchants Jurgens and Van den Bergh purchase the margarine patent from Mège-Mouriès.

2. 1899

   Solo margarine introduced in Germany, followed by Sanella and Vitello.

3. 1920

   Brand launch Stork (UK).

4. 1923

   Brand launch Blue Band (Netherlands).

5. 1924

   Brand launch Rama (Germany).

6. 1930

   Blue Band expansion into Malaysia.

7. 1934

   Blue Band expansion into Indonesia.

8. 1954

   Country Crock introduced in the USA.

9. 1962

   Becel introduced in the Netherlands.

10. 1964

    Flora introduced in Great Britain.

11. 1999

    ProActiv introduced with cholesterol-lowering plant sterols; I Can't Believe It's Not Butter in the USA.

12. 2018

    Flora Food Group founded (previously Upfield).

13. 2020

    Violife joins the company family.

14. 2021

    Emissions avoidance ('The Upside', 6 million t CO2e) published as the first food company.

15. 2022

    R&D Centre Wageningen opened; first methane footprint disclosure in the food sector.

16. 2023

    Expansion of the multi-category platform (Spread, Creams, Dairy Alternatives).

17. 2024

    Acquisition of the Hugoton plant in Kansas, USA; Food Science Centre Wageningen receives BREEAM Outstanding.

18. 2025

    Roll-out of the further-developed purpose 'Culinary Essentials for Better Food'.