Team Up for Sustaining Tomorrow: Together with Nestlé for a Future-Proof Agriculture

Building the bridge between future-oriented cultivation and consumption — that’s our mission when we invite customers out to the fields. In June, we therefore held our Sustainable Farming Days in collaboration with the Agriculture Division and Soil Health Service at our Experimental Farm in Kirschgartshausen near Mannheim, Germany. At the event, Kevin Schopp, Head of B2B Marketing at Südzucker, had the pleasure of speaking with Philip Werkmann, Sustainability Manager at Nestlé Deutschland, about the company’s commitment to sustainable farming and the role of regenerative agriculture.

Südzucker: How do you see the importance of sustainable farming and regenerative agriculture for the future of food and farming?

Philip Werkmann: As a large food company, we depend on the agricultural ingredients we source to produce the products we offer to our consumers. With the growing challenges that we see from climate change and other global developments, the need for more sustainable and resilient farming practices is becoming increasingly important to secure the ingredient supply in the future.

Südzucker: How important are aspects of sustainable and regenerative agriculture when selecting ingredient suppliers and partners, such as Südzucker?

Philip Werkmann: We carefully select our partners that we want to work with in the future to make the transition to more sustainable farming possible. We closely evaluate the sustainability strategies of our suppliers, and these considerations play a key role in the selection process.

Südzucker: Do you see an overlap between Südzucker and Nestlé in terms of sustainable farming practices?

Philip Werkmann: From what I have learned today and what I already know about Südzucker, I think our strategies are well aligned – particularly when it comes to emissions reduction, but also towards more future-oriented regenerative farming practices.
The measures and interventions that we have seen today are closely aligned with those we support, which reinforces our shared commitment to future-proof agricultural practices.

Philip Werkmann
Sustainability Manager
Nestlé Deutschland

“I believe that if we tell the story of sustainable or regenerative farming in a more appealing way – authentically from a farmer’s perspective – consumers will find it easier to identify with it.
This could make them more willing to recognize and value those efforts.”

Südzucker: And what is your opinion on Südzucker’s initiative to host an event like the Sustainable Farming Day for customers like you?

Philip Werkmann: I very much appreciate Südzucker’s initiative. From time to time, it’s important not only to meet virtually via Teams, but also in person. Events like these provide valuable opportunities to engage directly with other companies across the supply chain and to discuss key topics face-to-face. Standing on a farm offers a completely different perspective compared to participating in a virtual meeting.

Südzucker: Do you believe that being closer to the farms and having a joint sustainability initiative makes it easier to market your products?

Philip Werkmann: I believe that if we tell the story of sustainable or regenerative farming in a more appealing way – authentically from a farmer’s perspective – will find it easier to identify with it. This could make them more willing to recognize and value those efforts.

Südzucker: Do you see Südzucker as a partner for Nestlé to support efforts to communicate the value of regionally sourced and sustainably produced sugar to consumers?

Philip Werkmann: Communicating the value of sugar beet as an ingredient can be challenging. However, there are ways to highlight the benefits of regionally sourced and more sustainably produced sugar to consumers. And I believe there’s still opportunities which we have not yet looked into to make that happen, and further efforts could help bring these messages to life more effectively.

Südzucker: Thanks for answering all the questions. Thanks for your time and I hope you enjoyed the Sustainable Farming Day here in Kirschgartshausen.