EDA elects new president in “challenging times”
EDA president Albert de Groot. Credit: EDA
The European Dairy Association, the organisation for the European milk and dairy processing industry in Brussels, has elected Albert de Groot, CEO of Vreugdenhil, as its new president, it was announced at its European Dairy Policy Conference in Brussels on 26 March.
“With Albert de Groot as the new president of the European Dairy Association (EDA), the European lactosphère has elected an inspiring dairy executive, known for his leadership and his dedication to the industry. Next to his strong company experience, Albert has an impressive record of success in steering an industry association as president of our Dutch member federation NZO,” said outgoing EDA president Giuseppe Ambrosi.
Albert de Groot has served as CEO of Vreugdenhil Dairy Foods in the Netherlands since 2016. Under his leadership, the company has strengthened its position in the global market and now exports dairy excellence to more than 130 countries. In July 2023, de Groot was appointed chairman of the Dutch Dairy Association (NZO).
“It is an honour to become the president of EDA during these challenging times, and I look forward to working with the members to continue building a future-proof dairy sector,” de Groot said. “I am more than grateful to my predecessor, president Giuseppe Ambrosi, for his tireless energy and enthusiasm for European dairy and our industry federation over the last four years. In more than challenging times, his outstanding leadership has lifted our European trade association to a new level of visibility and impact in Europe and worldwide. Thank you so much.
“The European dairy industry has a global leadership role in terms of quality, innovation and sustainability and we are essential in delivering food security.
“We are facing a myriad of challenges that require our urgent attention and collaborative efforts within the industry, within the dairy chain, and together with the authorities. The success of our industry is intrinsically linked to the European project. Especially now, in times of increasing global tensions, we need European policies that strengthen the competitiveness and autonomy of our sector and support our transformation to an even more sustainable industry.”
