The De Zuivelarij cheese dairy, from Berlare in East Flanders, has won the BioVLAM 2026 award, which honours a Flemish entrepreneur in the organic sector for innovation, passion for organic products and sustainability. The prize was presented at the BioXpo fair in Groot-Bijgaarden.
The jury singled out its paneer, an Indian cheese, and its labneh, a Middle Eastern cheese, both in organic versions. The company was founded in 2014 by David De Coster, a former chef and teacher at a hotel school, who created Berloumi, a Belgian grilling cheese inspired by Cypriot halloumi.
Organic production began in 2017, and today four of the company’s five products have an organic version, which accounts for around 20% of turnover. One in every five production days is devoted exclusively to organic manufacturing.
The company is also committed to the circular economy: the whey left over from cheesemaking is used as pig feed, and the heat released during production is recovered to warm the milk for the next batch. For one year, De Zuivelarij will serve as an ambassador for the organic sector.
