PHOTO: ROGIER BOS
INTERVIEW ▶▶▶ Erik Visser
‘Operating at the cutting edge of strategy and execution’
The last two years have been intense for Hamlet Protein’s CEO Erik Visser, tasked with realising the company’s serious international ambitions, while changing the corporate culture and optimising results at a time when the world was full of challenges. Together with Poultry World he reflects on this period and looks ahead to further revamping Hamlet’s operations.
BY FABIAN BROCKÖTTER “H
amlet Protein has undergone quite a metamor- phosis in the past two years,” says CEO Erik Viss- er. Since his appointment Visser has focused on changing the culture and promoting a truely
customer-centred approach. “Driving organisational culture all starts with behaviour. In our company we aim to be more than just colleagues working alongside each other, we want to be real ‘com- pañeros’ that invest in personal and professional relationships to achieve our goals together. Externally, we have gone from acquiring knowledge to sharing knowledge. We no longer focus on the tech- nical specifications of our product alone but have increasingly be- come the knowledge partners of our clients. And, last but not least, we want to operate in a clean and transparent manner which, in it- self, is very close to the Danish culture. To do what we promise and contribute to more sustainable agriculture.” Visser is entirely committed to the company and proud of his peo- ple and what they have accomplished. Yet he still sees plenty of op- portunities for the future development of Hamlet Protein as a glob- al leader in the production of specialty feed ingredients for young animals. The company’s patented technology which minimizes the anti-nutritional factors that impact feed digestion in young animals, is in high demand. “We are in the middle of a transition from being a protein expert to becoming a gut health knowledge partner. Part of that transition involves us transforming from a somewhat
internally focused Danish company with international clients, to a truly open and global company with Danish roots.” “I enjoy being close to our markets and involved in strategic plan- ning, as well as the implementation and execution of our growth initiatives. Operating in a hands-on environment, right where the action is, has always motivated me.”
I can imagine that this transition is quite ambitious, especially in this volatile market environment. “There are many challenges in our industry but, in my view, we have shown ourselves to be innovative and resilient under chang- ing conditions. Today we see an imbalance in global supply chains, in animal protein demand, labour availability and energy pricing. Of course, that has an affect on our business. However, there are al- ways short-term issues in our industry, if the problem is not Cov- id-related then it is related to animal diseases or even geopolitical issues. I tend to look at the underlying factors in our industry and they are as positive as ever. It is true that – in developed markets – the demand for alternative proteins is growing but this is offset by a growing global population, in general, and stronger growth in demand for animal protein in developing countries, specifically.”
How does that reflect on Hamlet Protein’s direct business? “The profitability of producing animal protein is under pressure due to high feed costs and inflationary pressure across the supply chain. We must produce more with less. And as everyone in the
▶ POULTRY WORLD | No. 10, 2021 39
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