“Those who want to understand the future of food must return to its essence"
In conversation with co-CEOs Virginie and Pieter Delbaere
Ooigem, 18 Juni 2026 - With this first sustainability report, Crop’s opens a new chapter. Not only to share results, but to tell the story behind the company. A story that begins in 1947, in Ostend, and is more relevant today than ever. At the table are co-CEOs Virginie and Pieter Delbaere. Their message is clear: those who want to understand the future of food must return to its essence.
A silent revolution in 1947
“What seems obvious today was once revolutionary,” Virginie Delbaere begins.
In 1947, Frigorifères du Littoral was founded in Ostend by the Decrop and Delbaere families as Belgium’s first frozen fish factory, during a time of post-war reconstruction. Families lived with the rhythm of the seasons, growing their own fruits and vegetables and freezing surpluses to avoid waste.
“Our grandparents intuitively understood what is once again becoming central today,” Pieter adds. “Food requires effort. From nature, from the farmer, from everyone in the chain. You don’t throw that away.”
Building on these family foundations, Michel Delbaere became the driving force behind the company’s transformation in 1977. As founder of what would become Crop’s, he made a strategic shift towards frozen vegetables and fruits, and later ready meals, always with a strong focus on quality and respect for food. The name “Crop’s” itself refers to the Decrop family heritage and to the harvest, symbolising a lasting connection to agriculture and careful food stewardship.
From the first trucks delivering frozen products to people’s homes to the international player the company is today, one principle has remained unchanged: giving food a longer and more meaningful life.
From history to purpose
That heritage is not a nostalgic story, both CEOs emphasise. It is the foundation of their purpose.
“Our belief has always been: food should never be rushed, never be wasted, but should serve its full purpose,” says Pieter. “That idea runs as a common thread throughout our history.”
With Do Food Good, that belief was given a clear name. But according to Virginie, it is more than a slogan. “It is our compass. Our promise. We want to make healthy food tasty, easy and affordable for everyone. And that starts with respect for the product.”
According to the Delbaere family, today’s food system is under pressure due to an almost dogmatic focus on ‘fresh,’ as well as the expectation that all fresh products are available year-round. Fresh is associated with quality, but it also brings challenges: overproduction, food waste, time pressure, and harvesting before optimal ripeness.
“The obsession with fresh puts pressure on the entire chain,” says Pieter. “More is produced than consumed. Products need to be sold and eaten quickly. That leads to waste and compromises.”
Frozen offers an alternative. By harvesting at the right moment and freezing immediately, taste and nutritional value are preserved without the pressure of perishability.
“We don’t see frozen as an alternative to fresh,” says Virginie. “We see it as a smart way to anchor freshness in time.”
From field to fork: strategy as an integrated model
This vision translates directly into Crop’s strategy. “What sets us apart is our holistic approach,” Pieter explains. “We are active across the entire chain: from collaboration with growers in vegetables and fruit to product development and innovation.”
Crop’s works closely with agricultural partners and builds long-term relationships. This integration allows the company to better manage quality, efficiency, and sustainability.
“Sustainability, people and innovation are not separate pillars next to our business,” says Virginie. “They are at the core of how we grow.”
In practice, this means Crop’s deliberately invests in sustainable, long-term partnerships with agricultural partners and strongly focuses on local anchoring in the regions where it operates. At the same time, production and logistics processes are continuously optimised to minimise food loss and use raw materials and other resources efficiently.
Innovation plays a key role: the company develops products that respond to changing eating habits and the growing demand for healthy, convenient, and affordable solutions. This goes hand in hand with an international growth strategy, where scaling and global expansion are carefully balanced with the family values and longterm vision that have defined Crop’s for generations.
“We don’t just make frozen products,” says Pieter. “We want to make frozen a fresh, forward-looking choice.”
A heritage with a future
Nearly eighty years after its founding, Crop’s is active in many international markets. Yet the family character remains tangible.
“That family heritage gives us responsibility,” says Virginie. “But also confidence. We know where we come from. That helps us make clear choices.”
According to both CEOs, the future of food will revolve around efficiency, sustainability, and accessibility. Less waste. Less pressure on the chain. More respect for raw materials.
“If we succeed in allowing food to reach its full potential - in taste, in nutritional value, in availability - then we contribute to building a more robust food system,” Pieter concludes.
With this first sustainability report, Crop’s aims not only to look back, but also to look ahead. From a history that began with pioneering work in Ostend. Driven by a purpose that spans generations.
Do Food Good.
Not as a slogan.
But as a direction.
This conversation accompanies Crop’s first sustainability report.
Korneel Warlop