How a Dairy Giant Tackles Waste in Asia

What does a dairy producer have to do with waste collection in Asia? Plenty, as it turns out.

In this episode, Marieke Nispeling, Sustainability Lead, Asia, at FrieslandCampina, shares her circular journey, focusing on collecting and recycling packaging in Southeast Asia. From mapping where food packaging ends up to reimagining waste systems, she reveals how a global dairy leader is driving systemic change while delivering high-quality nutrition. This is one of those inspiring business stories that shows the global scale of building a sustainable business.

You’ll hear how packaging waste becomes a circular opportunity, even in complex markets, and what it truly takes to lead a system shift toward responsible waste management. It is a must-listen for sustainability leaders, supply chain innovators, and anyone interested in how green entrepreneurship can tackle global challenges.

🎧 Chapters & Key Topics:

• (00:00) Introduction: Driving systemic change in the value chain.

• (02:00) Meet Marieke Nispeling: Mindful consumption and FrieslandCampina's purpose in Asia.

• (02:54) Project "We Own Our Waste": Mapping the packaging footprint (beverage cartons, sachets, tin cans).

• (04:22) Collection Pilots & The Ground Reality: Landfills and the informal waste economies in the Philippines, Thailand, and Vietnam.

• (07:22) The "Aha" Moment: Why circular design fails without local collection infrastructure.

• (09:34) Overcoming Hurdles: Lacking waste systems, Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR), and mitigating future financial risks.

• (11:47) The Role of a Sustainability Lead: Bridging commercial drivers with sustainable business practices.

• (12:35) Next Steps: Circular design, supplier collaboration, and driving collection at scale.

• (13:40) Steep Learning Curves: Using data to make bold, choiceful decisions.

• (15:26) Vision for 2035: Scaling recycling for packaging while ensuring food safety and affordability.

• (16:55) Keten-samenwerking: The eagerness of suppliers and peers to join circular coalitions.

• (17:48) Marieke's Golden Tip: How to get started and identify where you can make a true difference.

A must-listen for sustainability leaders, supply chain innovators, and anyone interested in how green entrepreneurship can tackle global challenges. Tune in, rethink your supply chain, and learn how a circular business approach can solve the waste crisis!

Do you also want to make going circular work and worthwhile? This series explores real sustainable business stories from leaders who are making their organization a cleaner, greener business that is more just, and more future-proof. Discover how to implement actionable sustainable business practices that focus on reducing harm and actively restoring the world around us. And the best part? It works. At Innoboost, we see that a strong, circular business case drives real change across many sectors. Bringing you impactful and ecofriendly business stories.

Listen now on your favorite podcast platform!

Show notes

• ⁠Discover more⁠ about how FrieslandCampina is making a positive impact on farmers, society, and the planet.

• Follow ⁠Marieke Nispeling ⁠on her journey Going Circular.

• Visit ⁠Innoboost.com⁠ for more insights, research, and tools on going circular. Drop us a note if you want to share your story via ⁠sandra.horlings@innoboost.com⁠.

  
  

Credits

This is a podcast by Innoboost | Creating profit to be proud of

• Hosts: Sandra Horlings & Marjolein Oyen

• Production & Edit: Malou van der Starre

• Sound: Joris van Grunsven, Studio Takt