Who we are
Aviko was founded by 32 potato growers in 1962 and has since grown to become a global player. In 2002, Aviko became part of Royal Cosun (Cosun – The Plant Positive Way), a modern, future-oriented cooperative with approximately 8,400 growers. As Europe’s largest producer of potato products and one of the top five global market leaders, Aviko connects people, cultures and tastes by bringing joy to tables all over the world.
About Aviko
Aviko processes over 2 million tonnes of potatoes per year, distributed across 13 production locations in the Netherlands, Belgium, Germany, Sweden, Poland and China. With a portfolio of more than 100 distinctive potato products, Aviko operates in more than 110 countries. Aviko’s 2,500 colleagues are driven by the large potential of our products and the impact they have on quality, service, innovation and sustainability in our chain: ‘from farm to fork’.
About Aviko Rixona
Rixona was founded in 1926 by the brothers Willemsen and became part of Aviko in 1985. As one of the world’s largest producers of dried potato products (Aviko Granules & Flakes), Aviko Rixona is a leading and global supplier to the snack, retail and hospitality industries. Aviko Rixona’s products are essential ingredients in potato puree, readymade meals and snacks. The products are also used in potato croquettes, in the bakery sector and as a binding agent in soups and sauces. Aviko Rixona operates in more than 60 countries throughout the world.
With a portfolio of more than 100 distinctive potato products, Aviko operates in more than 110 countries. Aviko’s 2,500 colleagues are driven by the large potential of our products and the impact they have on quality, service, innovation and sustainability in our chain: ‘from farm to fork’.
Aviko's global structure
2479
average number of employees in 2022
75%
Chilled & Frozen
25%
Granules & Flakes
76%
male
24%
female
95
trainees
42%
the Netherlands
43%
Europe (excl. NL)
15%
rest of the world
Appendix
Stakeholder opinions provide key input for renewed sustainability approach
Aviko considers it important to know and understand the viewpoints, expectations, concerns, wishes, feedback and information needs of its stakeholders. This is because stakeholders influence Aviko and in reverse, Aviko also influences its stakeholders. We make a distinction between different groups of stakeholders: employees, growers and other suppliers, customers, consumers, Cosun and its members, sector organisations, experts and knowledge institutes, NGOs, regulators, governments, financial institutions and the media. We consider it important to maintain a constant dialogue with our stakeholders about the day-to-day state of affairs, as well as more strategic matters, such as our social responsibility.
Over the last two years we actively sought a dialogue with our stakeholders for the purpose of supplementing and enriching our renewed sustainability approach with their input. We did this through means of two formally organised, mutually complementary stakeholder dialogues. First, we carried out a stakeholder survey among 60 internal and external stakeholders, which resulted in a so-called materiality matrix. This matrix indicates the importance stakeholders attach to certain themes. We subsequently discussed and critically reviewed the materiality matrix during stakeholder meetings with 17 knowledge institutes and sector organisations, and relevant NGOs. This year, together with Cosun, we started working on another update of the materiality analysis in line with the requirements of the upcoming Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD). EU regulations will soon make the CSRD mandatory. The CSRD will enable us to even further improve our reporting on sustainability in the future.
The following are the most important conclusions to emerge from the stakeholder dialogues, and which have been integrated into our objectives and KPIs:
- Reducing CO2 emissions throughout the chain is considered very important. Stakeholders see Aviko fulfil a leading role in this respect;
- Themes such as biodiversity, soil, water, reducing CO2 emissions and crop protection agents are considered a priority for making potato growing sustainable;
- Growers’ earnings capacity is an essential topic. Together with its parent company, Cosun, as the largest arable farming cooperative in the Netherlands, Aviko can and wants to make a difference in this area;
- Circularity and in particular optimising the circular use of the potato, and further countering food waste are high priority agenda items for our stakeholders;
- The transition to more plant-based alternatives is a theme to which Aviko, with its potato products, can and wants to make a contribution;
- Sustainable procurement and safeguarding human rights throughout the chain are preconditions for conducting socially responsible business internationally;
- More active external communication about sustainability is appreciated.
The above-referenced materiality matrix provides insight into the key topics
relating to sustainable enterprise that are considered most important by stakeholders (y axis) and where Aviko has the most impact on people, society and the environment (x axis)