Volkert Engelsman is a pioneer of sustainable and regenerative food systems and the founder and former CEO of Eosta and Nature & More, Europe’s market leader in organic fruit. He is currently Chair of the Robin Food Coalition, a network of SME frontrunners accelerating the food transition through health, social inclusion and regenerative agriculture. After studying Business Administration at the University of Groningen, Volkert began his career at Cargill (USA) before choosing a different path—building a business model that puts transparency, ecology and fairness at the heart of global food supply chains. At Eosta, he has been a driving force behind the development of organic and regenerative agriculture, particularly in the Global South and tropical regions.

A defining element of his work is radical transparency. Every Eosta product carries a Nature & More QR code, giving consumers direct insight into the grower’s story and the product’s ecological and social impact. The underlying 5M sustainability model—Materiality, Measuring, Managing, Marketing and Monetising—has since become a guiding framework for the wider sector. Volkert is also a leading voice in redefining food economics. He initiated the True Cost of Food movement, translating the principles of full cost accounting into everyday business practice, and founded the Business Alliance for Regenerative Agriculture to accelerate financial incentives for ecosystem services. His international Save Our Soils campaign, launched with the FAO during the UN Year of Soils, mobilised hundreds of partners and global cultural leaders.

Recognised for his impact and leadership, Volkert has co-founded multiple purpose-driven food and agriculture enterprises and received numerous awards, including #1 in the Trouw Sustainability Top 100 and the King Willem I Award for Sustainable Entrepreneurship. His work continues to shape a food system that is regenerative by design, transparent by default, and economically viable at scale.

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