Country Reports - Benelux

Belgium, Beef Specialist In Europe

June 2020

Country Reports - Benelux

Belgium, Beef Specialist In Europe

June 2020

Quality Meat from the heart of Europe − bringing together Craftsmanship, Food Safety and Tailor-Made Service. That is what the Belgian meat suppliers proudly present. As one of Europe’s leading meat producers and exporters, they have turned their expertise into… an art in itself.

Belgian beef owes its unique position to the people who produce it. Producers, processors and suppliers: worldwide, all professionals are considered true specialists. They are all experts who know their customers and who vouch for a tailor-made service—although those customers live thousands of kilometers away, in every corner of the world.

Why choose European beef by the Belgian meat suppliers?

Belgium is the ideal location to produce beef, thanks to its temperate climate (favourable to meat production) and its strategic location (straight in the heart of Europe). Based on these pillars, the Belgian meat suppliers have built up an extensive tradition in the export of beef.

The great strength of the Belgian companies lies in the tailor-made work they offer. They fully adjust their operation to your requirements, leading to a virtually unlimited number of possibilities. The mostly family-owned businesses combine professionalism and expertise to offer a high degree of specialisation. This typical focus and dedication is what truly characterises the Belgian beef suppliers… and what brings the maximum in added value for you.

Small businesses, great dedication

Belgium has a robust network of small to medium-sized enterprises, often genuine family businesses. Over generations, they have specialized in the production and export of beef. Since the businesses have been in the family for decades, the entrepreneur’s spirit literally runs through the veins of today’s beef suppliers. They have an eye for quality and food safety—according to all local governmental rules and regulations.

Belgian white blue

85 percent of the Belgian beef is of the Belgian white blue breed. This breed has a remarkably developed muscle mass; a clearly recognizable rump, containing a huge amount of meat. The meat is super tender, with lots of character and taste, and only little fat. This makes that the slaughter yield is up to +70 percent; the carcass yield: +80 percent, with a high proportion of tender, quality cuts.

Food safety

From animal feed to point of sale, Belgium applies the strictest standards for control and traceability. The production and sale of food is supervised by a single organisation: the Federal Agency for the Safety of the Food Chain (FASFC).

The FASFC has far-reaching authority across the entire Belgian food chain. This unique structure, from feed to food, guarantees traceability across all levels and an exceptionally high level of food safety for the end user.