Succesfull marketing of compost and digestate products
About this good practice
Separate collection and biological treatment of biowaste into compost and digestate are not sufficient to succesfully close the cycle. These products were (and sometimes still are) relatively unknown and had to face off manure as the predominant organic soil improver/fertiliser. It is crucial for a circular economy in general and specifically for the use of composts and digestates that these end products are of a good quality. Furthermore thoughtful and deliberate marketing actions (4 P’s) need to go into differentiating compost and digestate markets towards various outlet markets. Vlaco started from the 90's, according to carefully plotted strategic plans, to (help) market compost and digestate in order to raise knowledge on and appreciation for its members' end products. Vlaco's marketing efforts specifically consist in:
- setting high/increasing quality thresholds,
- expliciting compost and digestate's benefits (soil improvement, nutrient cycling, carbon footprint, etc..)
- research & helping to develop differentiated composts and digestates - in different packaging at different locations - for different type of end and intermediary users.
- publishing or providing members with newsletters, social media posts, folders, campaign material, tools and tables on product qualities, intrinsic monteary values and point of sales of the end products
- organising marketing working groups for our members in line with the marketing/strategic plan
- organising end product use demo's
Resources needed
Marketing plans
Product differentiation
Sharing of good practices
Budget for research, marketing but also quality assurance was/is needed.
Communication campaigns
Evidence of success
Today - supported by quality assurance, production differentiation, and awareness-raising Vlaco observes:
- Steadily increasing sales of compost and digestate
- Increasing # of end products
- Increasing demand (compost) from substrate markets and use in carbon farming,…)
- Increasing # of recycling parks (2024: 180) offer compost
- Increasing prices (compost): from average €3/T to €6/T
Potential for learning or transfer
Positive:
- When starting separate biowaste collection attention to the value & use of the end products is important.
- Only advertisements are not enough. Marketing nowadays is also done via tools, events, soclal media and reels/videos (TV, etc..)
- Using the 4P-aproach and particulary differentiation of product and market outlets works!
Challenges:
- This is a long process – a new market is not build in a few years
- All producers must work together and a good support from a sector organisation is needed
- Increasing quality requirements versus (new forms of) contamination (e.g. different types of plastics, PFAS,..) and shortfalls of woody green waste
