Earlier this year, our Belgian Vandemoortele® brand engaged in an exciting sustainability project, by collaboration with Flemish artist & cartoonist Kamagurka. Together with art organisation Kunstwerkt, the Ghent-based artist created a work of art, made 100% out of recycled plastic. He also drew a unique cartoon, bringing the theme sustainability under the attention in a witty way.
Late September, this sustainable artwork and cartoon was auctioned off on the website kunstveiling.be. All proceeds go directly to Plastic Bank, a Belgian-based environmental organisation. Their mission? To stop plastic before it reaches the ocean.
But who actually bought the artwork? Well... we did! The Vandemoortele Group decided to keep this eye-catching art piece, displayed at our Food Experience Center in Ghent, by doubling the final bid. A sustainable statement, as this 10.000 euro will be donated to Plastic Bank, bringing us a step closer towards a cleaner planet.
Matching our corporate values
The sustainable work of art had already been on display for some time in the atrium of our HQ, the Food Experience Center. The end of the auction landed on a final bid of 5000 euro. However, Vandemoortele wanted to make a sustainable statement, by doubling the amount to 10,000 euro.
"This really was a wonderful action by our commercial team in Ghent", says Yvon Guérin (CEO). "We believed strongly in the whole concept: an artwork, made 100% out of recycled material, telling a sustainable story. As this initiative really embodied our corporate values – respect, ambition and cooperation, we decided to double the highest bid. This way, we can keep the artwork in our HQ and donate 10.000 euro to Plastic Bank."
Protecting nature
This initiative is part of our sustainability strategy, as Protecting Nature is one of our three priorities. We actively want to support the initiative of stopping plastic before it enters our oceans, and improve the life quality of communities in vulnerable coastal areas.
Frédéric De Jaegere, Category & Brand Manager, further elaborates on this. "To date, our products can only be packaged in plastic bottles. For now, there are no alternative packaging for mayonnaise, frying oil,... that can offer the same protection. Out of the awareness that we are sending a lot of plastic into the world, we are always focusing on how we can become more sustainable."
"For example, a lot of our packaging is 100% recyclable and will soon consist of 30% recycled plastic (rPET). Working together with Plastic Bank is an extra step towards a plastic-free(er) world."
Collaborating with Plastic Bank
Did you know our Vandemoortele® brand is the first food company in Belgium to partner up with Plastic Bank? By this collab, we have already helped to stop +1 million bottles from polluting our oceans.
"We are delighted to partner up with Vandemoortele® on this powerful initiative that brings together impact and art", commented David Katz, founder of Plastic Bank, during the launch of the project. "Vandemoortele® is making history by empowering consumers to make informed decisions about the products they buy, as well as making strong sustainability efforts towards a cleaner ocean and a better world."
Pleasantly surprised
What about the sustainable cartoon, one might ask? Well, this will also be getting a special place in our company as our Procurement team in Ghent placed the highest bid! Some colleagues teamed up, and bid 910 euro for Kamagurka's one-of-a-kind cartoon. These proceeds will also go entirely to Plastic Bank.
"This is a beautiful gesture from our Vandemoortele colleagues, for which we would like to say a big thanks", concludes De Jaegere.