Kipster, Zwamburg and Gulpener finalists Limburg Entrepreneur of the Year

The votes of the public have indicated who the eight finalists are for the title Limburg Entrepreneur of the Year. The agri-food sector is well represented, with well-known names such as Gulpener, Kipster and Zwamburg among the contenders.

10,000 votes

The public could recently cast an online vote in the election organized by De Limburger and WijLimburg. Thanks to about 10,000 votes, the 21 nominees were reduced to eight finalists. They will now be judged by a five-member professional jury. They will look at various criteria, including the theme of sustainability, which counts extra heavily in the assessment this year. How have the companies distinguished themselves in this field this year? But also what impact do the companies have on Limburg?

Final

The eight finalists will be presented in the coming weeks both online and in the newspaper by the editors of De Limburger. The entrepreneurs will tell about the steps they have taken in the past year with their business. The professional jury will then select the final winner. In the first week of December, editor in chief Roy op het Veld will hand over the trophy, which is made by artist Tom Smetsers from Reuver, to the new Limburg Entrepreneur of the Year.

The complete list of finalists can be found on the website of Dagblad de Limburger. Below are three well-known names from the Limburg agrofood sector that are still in contention for the title:

Blue Chickens and Eggs

Ruud Zanders of Kipster has already won many an award for his sustainable and environmentally friendly operations. Kipster launched the world's first climate-neutral egg in 2017. The chickens only get residual streams from the food industry on their plates and the juffers are kept as animal-, environment- and human-friendly as possible. The first farm to be located in Oirlo will have two "fellow Kipsters," barns that are currently being built elsewhere in the country. The Venlo-based company is about to break through internationally with agreements in Belgium and the US, while various talks are being finalized in other countries.

Sustainable oyster mushrooms

Rob Hermans of Zwamburg grows oyster mushrooms on coffee grounds. a waste stream from the local catering industry. Because of the local sales, many CO2 kilometers are saved as well. For CO2-neutral cultivation, use is made of heat pump technology, solar panels and LED lighting. The stalks of the oyster mushrooms and the cutting waste, through cooperation with local partners, are used as (partial) meat replacement for grilled sausages, burgers, croquettes and dried spelt pasta. The processed substrate is made into compost.

Beer from local raw materials

Jan-Paul Rutten is the nominee of Gulpener, the independent family brewery from Gulpen. This company is the only brewery in the Netherlands that uses almost all raw materials from its own region; water from its own wells, hops from its own hop garden and barley from about 25 farmers in the region. That's why the beer has the label Erkend Streekproduct. Gulpener is currently building the most sustainable brewhouse in Europe, with the energy being derived from an innovative heat pump.

Source: Dagblad de Limburger