Strategy in the AgriFood sector.

When we, Iris Boom and Lara Koopman, took our first steps as strategists in the world of consultancy, we thought strategy was mainly about models, figures and making the right choice. By now we know that strategy is not a spreadsheet but a conversation. It is an open conversation about where you come from, where you want to go and what may surprise or slow you down along the way. Certainly in a sector such as AgriFood, where past, present and future are inextricably linked, strategy is about meaningful dialogue and joint course-setting.

A sector with a rich history reaches a tipping point

The Dutch AgriFood sector has an impressive past. For generations, progress was central: from polders and fertiliser to precision agriculture and worldwide export. But what got us here will not automatically get us further. The world has fundamentally changed. Where optimisation was once the key, the future demands resilience, adaptability and, above all, joint strategic action.

The pressure on space, changing consumer trends, climate responsibility, geopolitical tensions and continuous policy changes mean that old strategies offer less and less hold. Organisations are confronted with consolidation challenges, transformation of processes and the development of new, future-proof business models. Even so, we also see opportunities in that turbulence. Because when the roadmap fades, the compass becomes all the more important. And that compass is strategy. Not as a document or a model but as a conversation.

From surviving to looking ahead

In many conversations we have with companies in the AgriFood sector, doubt comes through. The questions are familiar but fundamental: should we wait until there is clarity in The Hague, or take up position now? How much should we invest in technology and in which specifically? How do we keep market share in a market with a shrinking herd? And how do we stay relevant in a landscape that is consolidating further and further?

What we see is a sector full of thinking power and decisiveness. Yet we notice that many organisations remain stuck in survival mode. Business as usual, but with a headwind. Waiting for clarity, doubting about investments and holding on to what once worked. Understandable, but not sustainable. Now is exactly the time to actively determine course, with an eye for complexity and for the strength of collaboration.

Strategy with intellect, feeling and a view ahead

The future of the AgriFood sector cannot be captured in spreadsheets or blueprints. It calls for vision, courage and connection, and for leaders who dare to start the conversation before the mist lifts. Who do not see strategy as a plan but as a process. Not as certainty, but as direction. At Jester Strategy we do not see strategy as a top-down plan, but as a dynamic, social process.

We also do not see ourselves as external advisors who come up with the answer. We are process facilitators, sparring partners and mirrors. Real "Jesters". We support organisations to navigate strategically with intellect and feeling. Not to make predictions but to be prepared. Building together on language that connects, choices that are supported and a direction that holds, with sharp analysis and a feel for context. Because only when strategy resonates does support emerge. And only then does movement follow.

We, Iris and Lara, see that the future of the AgriFood sector is not only about innovation or scale, but about people who have the conversation together about what matters. That is where real strategy begins. And that conversation? We would be happy to have it with you.

Ready to set course together? Coffee is always a good start.