Belgian cookies made with Vietnamese rice? Yes, please! – and they are sustainable too. Thanks to a new partnership between BENEO-Remy and the Tan Binh cooperative, Belgian and Vietnamese partners are building a fair and sustainable rice supply chain – from the Mekong Delta all the way to the Port of Antwerp. No middlemen involved: we are talking about a direct delivery of 1,000 tonnes of certified rice under a fair contract guaranteeing a better income for farmers and a reduced climate impact.
30% emission reduction
In the Mekong Delta, 1,000 rice farmers are pioneering a new way of growing rice. Under the guidance of Rikolto, they are shifting to climate-smart agriculture practices, in line with the Sustainable Rice Platform (SRP). This implies using less water, composting instead of burning, and fertilising more efficiently.
The results speak for themselves: 30% lower emissions, 20% more income and a better rice quality, ideal for BENEO’s use in baby food, baked goods and plant-based alternatives. And a key bonus? The rice is both fully traceable and verifiable. CarbonFarm, a French start-up, monitors each plot via satellite and translates the climate benefits into measurable results.
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By the end of 2025, the first shipment of sustainable rice is expected to arrive in Antwerp. But not against a rock-bottom price, and that’s the point. A fair premium will reward sustainable farming and underline a long-term commitment. “This is more than just a trade contract,” says Roland Vanhoegaerden, Operations Managing Director at BENEO-Remy. “We are choosing to invest in a long-term partnership that helps augment the income of Vietnamese farmers, while they provide us with high-quality, sustainably grown rice.”
The power of a sustainable supply chain
What makes this partnership truly unique is the way it connects every link in the chain. Farmers receive support, a fair contract and direct access to the European market – without expensive intermediaries. BENEO-Remy is guaranteed a high-quality, climate-smart ingredient in collaboration with Rikolto.
Supported by the Flanders International Climate Action Programme (FICAP), this project shows that fair trade and climate action can go hand in hand. And that’s exactly the direction in which Belgium’s food industry is heading: a sustainable supply chain built on collaboration, transparency and long-term thinking.