Our mission
Organic, affordable,
accessible and available
Our passion for organic food
No use of colourings, flavour enhancers, preservatives and other additives. Cows, sheep and goats walking comfortably outside. In 1983, Frans Andringa sought contact with local, dedicated farmers and became a distributor of organic cheese. A wide range of organic cheeses from Friesland was created under the Fryslaner brand. From Blue de Wolvega (blue mould cheese) to young and mature (goat) cheese.
Meanwhile, we - Folmer and Bjorn Andringa - may continue the business. As brothers, we share the same passion and ideals . We combine this with innovativeness, modern and cost-effective processes and a customer-oriented approach. Over the past 30 years, our family business has grown into a multifunctional production company with exclusively organic food products. From organic chips and snacks, fruit and vegetable preserves to vegetarian, oriental and Asian specialities!
Our mission
make organic food affordable
accessible and available
In 1983, Frans Andringa started selling cheese to local shopkeepers with regional products and delicacies. Under the Fryslaner brand, we sold our specialities Blue Wolvega and Rode Fries, among others. Since then, our family business (based in Wolvega, Friesland) has expanded to include a wide range of fresh products, from organic crisps and delicacies to tasty products for oriental cuisine. Based on the same conviction, namely making organic food affordable, accessible and available and thus contributing to a better world.
We do this by nature. We source our products from close by. We produce as sustainably as possible. Enjoy contributing to circular agriculture and restoring biodiversity.
Quality guarantee
Targeted research, our experience and expertise enable us to pursue the highest levels of quality. With our team, we are working daily to ensure the quality of our products and, if necessary, to improve products or processes. Our internal quality system and our intensive screening of suppliers are a guarantee of quality.
Food safety
Our production site is certified to a GFSI (Global Food Safety Initiative) recognised standard namely FSSC22000. This enables FZ Organic Food to meet the highest quality and food safety requirements.
100% Organic
In addition to food safety, we are SKAL certified which guarantees that all products are 100% organic. We only make organic products. All our products are therefore SKAL certified.
Local ingredients
We prefer to source our raw materials close by. And will therefore buy locally wherever possible. In this way, we want to make a possitive contribution to a climate-neutral perspective (low foodprint), local economy, labour market and society.
Innovation and development
Following the latest trends and developing (product)
concepts to new insights into nutrition and health or optimising the production
process; we pay attention to innovation. This way of working is one of the
pillars of the company's success and we are proud of it. This makes us an ideal
strategic partner for putting together a strong product range or developing
innovative product concepts.
Collaboration
We strongly believe in the power of collaboration. In our vision, innovation is the result of a creative process in which the knowledge and experience of various disciplines lead to the best result. We translate this vision into tailor-made Private Label development processes with our (potential) customers, strategic R&D cooperation with preferred suppliers and various partnerships with research and educational institutions. Everything is aimed at developing a product (range) or concept that is distinctive in the markets and meets a need among consumers
Research and development
We have extensive knowledge of and years of experience in product development. With our own R&D department, we are able to follow market developments, remain trendsetters in the market and continuously introduce innovative concepts. The result: regularly successful product launches!
Flexibility
Our flexibility has become one of our key qualities. A scalable and multifunctional production system, reliable suppliers and our experienced staff enable us to anticipate changes in the market. Our organisation is characterised by a hands-on mentality, thinking in solutions and a flat structure, allowing us to switch quickly. This allows us to offer existing and potential customers a high degree of flexibility and effectiveness, a short time-to-market and excellent delivery performance.
Start of our family business
The Andringa family will start selling cheese from the Unia neighbourhood in Leeuwarden. Around 1965, we move to the Westerkade in Leeuwarden.
3rd generation in the family business
Frans Andringa, together with his brother take over daily operations and sell cheese in northern Netherlands (Groningen /Friesland).
From conventional to Organic cheese
Frans is passionate about organic produce and increasingly inspired by macrobiotic cuisine. He researches the range and conducts interviews with farmers working organically.
Assortment of organic cheese in Germany, it could be better!
He also investigates the German market. Here, the range of beautiful organic products appears to be very limited. Frans decided to let a shopowner in Germany taste a genuine organic cheese from Groningen.
A wholesaler in Germany within 3 months
The shopkeeper was immediately convinced. From then on, Frans crosses the border with his organic cheese every week in a trailer. And later with a truck.
Soon Frans has built a distribution network. Sales of cheese expanded to include tasty matching organic products such as; jam, honey and peanut butter.
First range of processed organic products
At German food fairs, we are catching attention. We are the first to offer processed organic products, such as jams and spreads. And it is an instant success!
Yakso, everything you need for your organic Asian (vegetarian) dishes
Already inspired by macrobiotic cuisine, we were introduced to Asian cuisine in 1985. Beautiful products, made from pure ingredients that allow you to create the most delicious dishes. And that is the beginning of our Yakso brand.
Relocating to Wolvega, Friesland
Our products are loved and the business grows. We need
more space.
In 1989, we move to Friesland. From the new location, we can expand our production.
Bionova and Biofan
Sales of our sweet breakfast products (jam, marmalade) and flavourings (mustard, ketchup) are going very well. Our own brand Bionova is joining them. We make Bionova products especially for the health food channel. We developed the Biofan brand, with an organic offering for retail.
Trafo crisps
Soon we discover a responsible way to produce chips. We are immediately excited and get to work. We started looking for organic potatoes, oil for frying and foil to wrap the crisps in. That is the beginning of our A-brand Trafo crisps. By now a very established brand I the health food channel.
Fourth generation Andringa
We (Folmer and Bjorn Andringa) continue the pioneering work of father Frans Andringa. By now, 40 of us make about 300 products, for about 40 countries.
Innovation prize ‘light chips’ drives production expansion
Our production is expanding with a vacuum oven. We are making hand-cooked crisps and expanding our range to include vegetable- and legume-based crisps!
New extension and solar panels on the roof
In 2017, we are improving logistics. The storage area will be bigger, as will the shipping area. And we have extra space for solar panels!
Locally
We like the idea that we do not influence the produce the farmer brings us from nature. We get to work with what we are given. Our challenge is to make a tasty end product. The cooperative of organic farmers we work with can supply us with good potatoes all year round. Without the use of preservatives!
Everything is and will remain organic!
You can use E-numbers to create an effect that is attractive to consumers. We don't do that. We are looking for it in the way we produce. Deep-frying in a vacuum, for example. That ensures less fat and is also tastier, because natural ingredients are preserved.
Innovation at FZ Organic Food: Reducing Acrylamide in Organic Chips
At FZ Organic Food, a family-owned company with 40 years of experience in organic food, we continually strive for improvement and innovation. Based in the heart of Friesland, we pride ourselves on our sustainable and healthy products. Yet we face a major challenge: reducing acrylamide, a potentially carcinogenic substance created by frying and deep-frying potato products at high temperatures.
Together with Agrico, we have taken an important first step by developing a potato variety with less free sugars, which is essential for reducing acrylamide formation. But we have gone further. With innovations such as the use of a drying wall, vacuum baking of chips and the optimization of our processes, we are working toward a future where acrylamide in our products is minimized.
Our latest innovation is the development of an advanced Pulsed Electric Field (PEF) production process, which allows us to significantly reduce the formation of acrylamide in potato products. This technology not only reduces acrylamide levels, but also improves the product quality, efficiency and sustainability of our operations.
Made possible by co-funding from the European Union, this project offers both FZ Organic Food and our partners Agrico and Elea Technology new opportunities for product development and market positioning. Together, we are setting the standard for healthier, top-quality organic chips.
Our products to complement
of your assortment?
Get in touch and we will be happy to discuss the possibilities!