Slow Food Youth Network

What Slow Food Youth Network does

Slow Food Youth Network (SFYN NL) is a Dutch youth network organisation headquartered in Rotterdam, Netherlands, founded in 2009 (per firmographic data). It is dedicated to advancing healthy, sustainable, and fair food systems and serves young people approximately aged 18-35 across two principal persona segments: (i) young food professionals and entrepreneurs seeking a career kickstart in the food sector, and (ii) food enthusiasts and activists looking for a community aligned with their food values. The organisation explicitly characterises itself as a non-technology community / advocacy body rather than a software or platform business, and operates with a small staff of 11-50 employees.

The core product portfolio consists of six interconnected offerings. The SFYN Academie is a six-month intensive educational program that takes participants through a deep dive of the Dutch food system, including visits to partner facilities and a publicly displayed 'Wall of Fame' for alumni. The SFYN Netwerk comprises regional chapters (regio's) organising local events and connecting members with food professionals; the SFYN Agenda is an event calendar featuring major gatherings such as Terra Madre 2026 and allowing members to organise their own events. Kijkje in de Keten is a behind-the-scenes tour program into the Dutch food system, the paid Lidmaatschap (membership) provides network access and event discounts, and SFYN Vacatures is a job board for sustainable food sector careers. There are no app products, APIs, proprietary technology platforms, or AI/ML components; outreach and engagement are delivered through the website, a Substack newsletter, Instagram (@sfyn_nl), LinkedIn, and a WhatsApp community. Distribution is self-serve digital membership supplemented by regional chapters and in-person events, with the Academie requiring a separate application process.

SFYN's business model relies almost entirely on membership fees structured as annual subscriptions, with pricing tiers not publicly disclosed. The go-to-market motion is community-led and event-driven: members are acquired through word-of-mouth, regional chapters, and major events like Terra Madre 2026. Revenue streams beyond membership are not detailed in the available data. SFYN NL operates as the Dutch chapter of the broader international Slow Food movement (referenced via the 'SFYN internationaal' menu), with no disclosed parent company, funding rounds, grants, ownership structure, or material M&A activity. There are no disclosed patents, trademarks, regulatory actions, or formal awards.

Name

Slow Food Youth Network

Legal name

Slow Food Youth Network (SFYN NL)

Website

https://youthfoodmovement.nl

Company type

Private

Founded year

2009

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Slow Food Youth Network (SFYN NL) is a Dutch youth network organisation serving young people interested in sustainable food through its Academie educational program, regional chapters, events like Terra Madre 2026, and a paid annual membership program, headquartered in Rotterdam, Netherlands.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Community Network & Food System Education

akta.pro primary industry

Sustainable Agriculture & Food Systems (Fair Trade, Food Access, Regenerative) (BPAGALAD)

Keywords

• Sustainable food community
• Youth food network
• Food system education
• Community membership program
• Food advocacy events

Headquarters

HQ city

Rotterdam

HQ country

Netherlands

HQ region

Europe

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Membership fees: SFYN generates revenue through membership fees, offering members network access, event discounts, and community participation benefits.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Slow Food Youth Network (SFYN NL) is a Dutch community organization that runs a youth network for people committed to healthy, sustainable, and fair food. Its core offerings include the SFYN Academie (a six-month educational program on the food system), a regional network of chapters across the Netherlands, an event calendar featuring international events like Terra Madre, behind-the-scenes food chain tours (Kijkje in de Keten), and a paid membership program with event discounts and network access.

Product overview

Slow Food Youth Network (SFYN) is a network organization — not a single unified product but rather a portfolio of interconnected programs and services. The core offerings include the SFYN Academie (a half-year educational deep-dive into the food system), the SFYN Netwerk (regional chapters connecting young food professionals), the SFYN Agenda (event calendar including Terra Madre), and Kijkje in de Keten (behind-the-scenes food system tours). These are complemented by membership benefits and a job board. The programs are designed to interconnect: the Academie trains future leaders who join the regional network, which in turn organizes agenda events, all serving the mission of connecting young people to a sustainable food future.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• SFYN Academie A half-year intensive educational program in which participants deepen their knowledge of the Dutch food system, featuring structured curriculum, practical information, and alumni showcase.
• SFYN Netwerk (Regional Chapters) A regional network of young food enthusiasts who organize local events, connect with food professionals, and advocate for healthy, sustainable, and fair food across cities including Amsterdam.
• SFYN Agenda (Events including Terra Madre) Event calendar featuring SFYN-organized events such as Terra Madre 2026, with options for members to organize their own events and discounted member pricing.
• Kijkje in de Keten A program offering insights into the Dutch food system, allowing participants to take a look behind the scenes of food production and distribution.
• Lidmaatschap (Membership) Annual membership program offering network access, opportunities to meet other food enthusiasts, and discounts on SFYN events.
• SFYN Vacatures (Job Board) Job board connecting young professionals with career opportunities in the sustainable food sector.

Named customers3 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• Koppert CresscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerKoppert Cress hosts SFYN Academie participants at their facility, providing educational tours and demonstrating how their 'jungle' operation can generate societal impact. This partnership supports the educational mission of SFYN's half-year program focused on the food system.

Scale indicators1 record

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Fairfood: Netherlands-based social enterprise working on sustainable and fair food systems. Highly comparable as a Dutch mission-driven organization in the same food-system advocacy space, with a similar target audience of engaged citizens and a mix of community, campaign, and partner-driven programs.
• Youth Food Movement Australia: A peer national youth-food network with near-identical mission, name structure, and program mix (community events, education, advocacy). Directly comparable as a sister-style organization in another geography addressing young people passionate about sustainable food.

Regional players

• Food Inspiration: Dutch food media and event platform covering trends in the food industry. Comparable as a Netherlands-based organization engaging food professionals and enthusiasts through content, events, and community — overlapping SFYN's professional-development audience but more commercially oriented.

Broad incumbents

• Slow Food International: The global umbrella of the Slow Food movement of which SFYN is the Dutch youth chapter. Directly comparable as both advocate for sustainable, fair food, but Slow Food International operates across many countries and segments while SFYN is youth-specific and NL-based.

Peers

• Food Tank: Global food-focused think tank producing research, events, and educational content around sustainable food systems. Comparable as a mission-driven organization using education, events, and community-building to advance the same themes as SFYN, but with broader geographic scope and policy/research orientation.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/slow-food-youth-network-nederland
• Instagraminstagram.com/sfyn_nl
• Xx.com/sfyn_nl
• Facebookfacebook.com/SFYNNederland

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Slow Food Youth Network