Talking about TerraSana is to talk about one of the great pioneers in Europe of production and distribution of organic food products. Its founder and owner Kees Barnhard started a successful business 35 years ago.

We have talked to Peter Jacobs, Director General of Terrasana since 2012, responsible and committed to feed better ourselves every day to be happier. Quality, Sense and Commitment. Under the slogan “Positive Eating” TerraSana has entered a new phase that we ask him to explain to us.

Bio Eco Actual
Tell us what means your new slogan “Positive Eating”

Peter Jacobs
With positive eating we want to express the positive feeling people will get if they find organic food wich does al least three things at the same time:

It is very good food, with a good taste. Food you can really enjoy, alone, with your family, with your friends. You see, feel and taste that it is good.

It is really healthy and nourishing: organic, no large sugar contents (or non at all), law fat and only healthy fat, no additives, understandable and clear ingrediënts, straight foreward and fair declaration, information.

It serves the world and has the potential to help providing a positive development while it’s organic and healthy and fair. And thus helps farmers, doesn’t polute the earth, soil and water. Is made with green energy, it is truly sustainable.

You offer more than 500 products! What would you highlight among your Mediterranean specialties?

terrasanalogoFor our Mediterranean we are now in the middle of changing packaging designs to a more modern, friendly and open inviting packaging, where enjoyment of Mediterranean food is key. As that is what makes Mediterranean food so important. Of course our several pesto’s as well as out crackers are very important. As with the new packaging we will introduce our crackers without palm oil, but with olive oil!! At the same time we will bring some very nice Spanish soups, most beautiful handcrafted pasta’s including glutenfree type and types made of 100% oat or 100% chick peas for example. We also will bring, next to our hummus, a nice tzatziki.

You see, it will be a line from several area’s in the Mediterranean! Pure food enjoyment.

Oriental cuisine is marking gastronomic trend. Why and with what products?

There are several explanations for that: the oriental kitchen is mostly low fat, not to much calories, small enjoyable meals, a lot of fresh products, fermented product wich are easy to digest, easy to prepare, perfect taste, and the ability to enjoy real good foods with friends and family.  In the oriental kitchen we talk about 5 tasts. We know sweet, sour, bitter and salt. But the oriental kitchen provides also the famous umami taste!! A full flavour almost everybody loves. In the West producers tried to make it but than used chemicals for it, which are not good for your health. You can find this umami taste f.e. in shii-take, several seaweeds like nori and kombu, and fermented products like tamari, shoyu, miso’s. You can also find it in certain fish and some meat. Not in the least also in real japanese Sencha tea.

Big chef-cooks have made a fusion between east and west. There is also a lot of interest for sushi.

Is this the great moment of superfoods?

Yes it is. Why? There is more and more interest in special, pure and fair ingredients. We change our way of eating. We want food that is nourishing with special interest for vitamins, minerals, low fat, high vegetable protein, high fibers. A lot of these very interesting raw superfoods provide this. And the beauty is: we didn’t know them till some years ago. But they were always there. Nourishing people in a healthy way in there country for ages.

What I don’t like is the fact that some make them half medicins. It is food, very good food, ingredients helping us making new breakfast, lunch, making our diners and  desserts or backeries more exciting and nourishing. Isn’t that beautifull?

After the tenth European Organic Congress last April, do you think organic food companies can help change EU policies towards more sustainable food systems?

Wow that is not an easy question. The whole market of organic food tried to bring in there beste knowledge, there ideals and there strength in the discussion in order to keep real organic agriculture. An agriculture which can only be connected to real soil, real earth and the way the soil, plant, animals are treated. Thus providing a healthy enviroment in which planet, people, profit can develope toward a real sustainable future. But there is the non organic industry as well, who sees organic growing and try to stop that a little by influencing some regulations.

I do really hope, and also do believe, that the organic industry made their points and those points have been understood and recognized by most politics. There is more and more recognision and understanding that we do have to change our common agriculture. But it is a long road. Let’s start ourselves. That is always the best place to start. Positive eating!!

Published on Bio Eco Actual Spanish & Catalan Printed Editions