REO's board of directors has appointed Dirk Declercq (52) as the new president of the cooperative growers' organisation. As REO's seventh president, Dirk Declercq has taken over the gavel from Rita Demaré, who served as REO president for 20 years. The handover took place on Friday evening, 11 April 2025, following REO's statutory annual meeting.
© REOAfter twenty years of chairmanship, Rita Demaré passes the REO gavel to her successor, Dirk Declercq
Dirk Declercq from Gits is married to Isabelle Vanlerberghe, who is HR manager at voestalpine Sadef, a producer of steel profiles also based in Gits. Dirk has three sons. Together with his eldest son Deano, Dirk grows fine curled endive and other lettuces in both greenhouses and open fields. "The cultivation of fine curled endive, or frisée, is a niche product and labour-intensive. The number of Belgian growers is, therefore, very limited. I grew frisée with my father for many years. Every year, we were the regular suppliers at REO of the first Belgian frisée of the new growing season. I now work together with my eldest son. I truly believe there is significant added value in joining forces. Thanks to Deano's involvement in our horticultural business, I can now devote myself even more to REO, where I've been an active associate producer for 32 years and a board member for 18 years," explains the newly appointed chairman.
"It is a well-considered decision. After careful thought and consultation with my family, my belief in collaboration, my vision for the sector, and my experience at REO were the deciding factors. It is a meaningful challenge, and I can count on broad support. At the same time, I'm aware that there are clear expectations among REO producers. These were expressed during our practical consultation process 'Working together on REO 2.0', launched over two years ago with active REO producers, and which resulted in a strategic policy vision for the next five years, completed at the end of last year. When my predecessor Rita Demaré became president of REO 20 years ago, the cooperative was also reflecting deeply on its future. At the time, this was under the banner 'The New Cooperative'. I was one of the 28 member-producers in the working group of the same name. That valuable consultation was in full swing when my predecessor took over the reins from her own predecessor, our honorary chairman, Daniel Cloet. In some ways, the story is repeating itself with the current change of leadership."
Will the new policy strategy be a focal point during your presidency?
Dirk Declercq: "Indeed. Together, the board of directors and management have drawn up an updated mission and vision based on five core values and a clear strategy to follow. This will ensure that REO and its producers are well prepared for the future in these rapidly changing times. These plans were presented to our member-cooperators at a special event early last month. The large turnout showed the strong connection within our cooperative. In the room, you could also sense a real pride and drive to put into practice what was presented and explained, both inside and outside REO. The rollout and practical implementation of these strategic policy decisions will be one of the most important tasks in the years ahead. Very challenging, but also a major responsibility—one I intend to take on with full commitment."
© REOTogether with his eldest son Deano (right), Dirk Declercq grows fine curled endive and other lettuce in both greenhouses and open fields
What are your other priorities?
Dirk Declercq: "I became a board member of REO in 2008. At that time, the total supply volume was delivered by 1,650 active member producers. Today, the supply volume is nearly the same, but it now comes from around 750 active growers. REO is also vitally important in our sector because it offers a wide assortment of 80 different products—from conventional to organic, from traditional varieties to culinary specialties, and from forgotten vegetables to innovative varieties. All of these are cultivated with passion and expertise and to the highest standards of food safety and health. It's essential that all our producers continue to feel at home at REO and that succession within their businesses is secured. Alongside professionalisation, scaling-up, and specialisation, our producers are also explicitly committed to sustainability. That's a major challenge in our sector, especially with increasingly strict regulations and demands."
What is the role of the new chairman in this respect?
Dirk Declercq: "A chairman must be a good listener, a diplomat, and someone who works toward consensus. In doing so, it's important to represent interests as effectively as possible. That said, not everything can or should be allowed. As chairman, you also have to set boundaries and take responsibility. The chairman and the board must function as a unified team. If, in addition, there is strong collaboration with the management team, it will positively influence the entire organisation."
Will there still be time to help with curly endive farming?
Dirk Declercq: "The cultivation of fine curled endive is a niche market in which our company has grown into the largest Belgian player. My father and I built something special together, and since his retirement, my eldest son has been working in our horticultural business. His dedication allows me to fully commit to my exciting role as REO chairman. But I am—and will always remain—a horticulturist at heart. Putting in long hours is part of who I am. That's why I will continue to stay involved in our business as much as possible. Besides, I find it incredibly important to be a horticulturist among and alongside fellow growers."
For more information:
REO
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8800 Roeselare
T: +32 (0)51 231 211
info@reo.be
www.reo.be