Organic food has been easily available in Amsterdam, Netherlands over recent times. With the ever increasing popularity for healthy, clean food the demand for organic products has been growing.
This is a long-standing guide to buying organic food and products in Amsterdam. We will overview organic veg boxes, natural health-food stores and farmer’s markets in Amsterdam.
Organic Logos/Certification
When buying organic food products you should look for either the green EU farming organic logo or the Dutch EKO symbol.
The EU organic label is granted by inspection-certification body Skal Biocontrole which is roughly equivalent to the Soil Association in the UK.
The EKO certification requires higher standards than the European mark and guarantees organic products of Dutch origin. EKO products are GMO-free and the use of pesticides and fertilisers are prohibited.
For bio-dynamic products there is the orange demeter symbol which has even higher standards than organic marks and has a particular emphasis on maintaining soil fertility, biodiversity and animal welfare.
Natural food stores in the Netherlands stock a wide range of organic food and non-food products.
You can find fruits and vegetables, fish, meat and dairy, fair trade coffee and teas, breads, pastas and grains, gluten-free products, sweet items and drinks. They also sell household and personal care products as well.
Firstly, let’s take a look at organic fruit and veggie boxes which can be ordered on a weekly basis.
Organic Veggie Boxes in Amsterdam and Netherlands
Odin
There is a national scheme for regular organic (fruit and veg) packages run by an organisation called Odin. You have the choice of the following weekly bag (tas) packages:
Kleine groentetas – small vegetable pack (€9.00)
Grote groentetas – large vegetable pack (€12.25)
Kleine fruittas – small fruit pack (€9.00)
Kleine groente- en fruittas – small combi fruit and veg pack (€9.00)
Grote groente- en fruittas – large combi fruit and veg pack (€16.25)
The fruit and veg is sourced either locally or for more variety from the Mediterranean – mainly Italy and Spain – which is transported by road and not by air. A newsletter sheet is provided every week which includes information on the source of the produce plus some recipe ideas.
The package can be ordered from any participating health food shop. You pick up the package weekly on a specific day and you always have to pay a week in advance. It is possible to skip week(s) if you are away on holiday.
Pop into your local health store to order an Odin package or check Odin’s website (Dutch) – click “afhaalpunten” to find participating stores.
Odin also has a number of its own branded health stores (see further below).
Vitatas (Ekoplaza)
Vitatas is a more recent bio fruit and veg scheme which is run by Udea BV, the organic wholesaler and franchise company behind the organic supermarket chain Ekoplaza (see further below).
Vitatas offers the following fruit/veggie bag options:
Groentetas 2-persoons – Veg bag for 2 people (€9.00)
Fruittas 2-persoons – Fruit bag for 2 people (€9.00)
Groente- en fruittas 1-persoons – Fruit and veg bag for 1 person (€9.00)
Groente- en fruittas 2-persoons – Fruit and veg bag for 2 people (€13.95)
Groentetas 4-persoons – Veg bag for 4 people (€11.95)
Likewise, the produce is either locally-sourced or comes from the Mediterranean region. You can see bag contents for the coming week online at the Vitatas website (Dutch) along with recipe ideas.
The bag can be picked up from one of 300 collection points around the country including all Ekoplaza stores plus other organic outlets. You always pay for a week in advance.
If you live in the Netherlands then either of these schemes should be considered – you will be supporting sustainable producers and smaller local shops – as well as eating healthy, quality organic produce on a seasonal basis.
We have tried both schemes and our current preference is for the Vitatas, which seems to give slightly better value.
Farmer’s Markets in Amsterdam
There are a few weekly organic farmer’s markets (boerenmarkt) held in Amsterdam which have a pleasant, friendly atmosphere.
Biologische Noordermarkt Amsterdam – This was the first farmer’s market in Amsterdam (established in 1987) and has around 30 stalls of independent traders. You can find a good range of products including fruit and veg, bread, cheese, meat and seafood, herbs, honey, flowers and other products. Located in the Jordaan area, it runs every Saturday from 0900 to 1600.
Boerenmarkt Haarlemmerplein – This is an organic market running on Haarlemmerplein square every Wednesday from 1000 to 1700.
Zuidermrkt – This is a weekly co-operative market on Saturdays (0930-1700) in the small square on Jacob Obrechtstraat and Johannes Verhulststraat close to the Concertgebouw on Museumplein. You can find a good variety of products, much of which is sustainable and/or organic. Established in 2011, it hosts up to 26 market stalls.
There is also a monthly market event in the Amsterdam area which specialises in organic, local, seasonal and artisanal food and drink. De Pure Markt takes place on a Sunday at 2 locations every month (except Jan/Feb) in the south of Amsterdam – at Frankendael Park and Amstel Park. Opening hours are 1100 to 1800. Some stalls sell organic produce.
See our What’s On in Amsterdam monthly section for specific dates.
Natural Health Food Stores (natuur winkels) in Amsterdam
Odin
Odin has around 30 organic food stores throughout Netherlands. The staff are friendly and they usually have good offers running on a weekly basis.
There are 5 Odin stores in the Amsterdam area – all offer the Odin packages:
Odin in Amsterdam Ceintuurbaan 218-220 (De Pijp/Zuid) 2e Hugo de Grootstraat 9-11 (Westerpark) Oostelijke Handelskade 1051 (Zeeburg) Bos en Lommerweg 261-265 (Bos en Lommer) Czaar Peterstraat 2C (East Amsterdam)
Ekoplaza
This is a chain of organic supermarkets which has 11 locations in Amsterdam. These large stores have a comprehensive assortment of organic products including fruit/veg, meats, bread, grains, drinks and also supplements and cosmetics. You can find good value items on sale weekly with offers running Wednesday to Tuesday.
Ekoplaza offers the weekly Vitatas organic bag, available for pick-up.
Ekoplaza in Amsterdam Waterlooplein 131 (Rembrandt House/Waterlooplein) Haarlemmerdijk 164 (near Westerpark) Elandsgracht 118 (Jordaan) Weteringschans 133-137 (Weteringsplein/Museumplein) 1e Van Swindenstraat 30-32 (Oost) J.P. Heijestraat 105-111 (off Kinkerstraat) Scheldestraat 53 (Rivierenbuurt) Marathonweg 18-24 (near Olympic Stadium) Zeilstraat 16-18 (off Amstelveenseweg) A.J. Ernststraat 665 (Buitenveldert) Osdorpplein 743-744 (Osdorp)
Marqt
Marqt is a high-end supermarket which sells some organic goods. They are now managed by Ekoplaza parent company Udea. There are 8 locations in Amsterdam:
Marqt in Amsterdam Beethovenstraat 75 Bilderdijkstraat 108 Ceintuurbaan 402 Haarlemmerstraat 165 Hoofddorpweg 2 Linnaeusstraat 70-72 Olympiaplein 160 Oostelijke Handelskade 1055
The stores are generally open daily with good opening hours. Please note – Marqt only accepts debit/credit card payments. Regrettably, they never have accepted cash – part of the ever-creeping movement towards a cashless society, accelerating in the current climate.
Other Organic Stores in Amsterdam
Delicious Food is a small family-owned bio store at Westerstraat 24 in the Jordaan district. It offers a variety of organic food plus gluten-free items and homemade spreads and cakes. It also reduces plastic waste by selling many items loosely. Open 0900-1830 Mon-Fri, 0800-1800 Saturday, closed Sundays.
Little Plant Pantry is a plant-based wholefoods store with a focus on minimal waste. It offers sustainable products, organic where possible and has a plastic-free approach to packaging. It works with with local artisan food producers and also sells freshly-made meals and drinks at its food counter. Open 1100-1900 Tue-Sun, closed Mondays. Located at Bosboom Toussaintstraat 45-H (off Eerste Constantijn Huygensstraat).
Organic Food For You is an up-market health food store in Amsterdam located at Cornelis Schuytstraat 26-28 (off De Lairessestraat in Museum Quarter). Open 0700-2000 Mon-Fri, 0700-1900 Saturday, 0900-1900 Sunday.
Ecologische Slagerij Siem van der Gragt is an organic butcher’s shop in Amsterdam at Elandsgracht 116a selling good quality meat products. Open 0800-1800 Mon-Fri, 0800-1700 Saturday, closed Sundays.
Simon Lévelt is a specialist shop selling its own branded organic teas and coffee. It has 6 locations in Amsterdam:
Simon Lévelt stores in Amsterdam Ferdinand Bolstraat 154 (De Pijp) Prinsengracht 180 (centre) Stationsplein 39F (Amsterdam Central Station) Kinkerstraat 109 (Oud-West) Jodenbreestraat 20 (near Rembrandt house) Waldenlaan 4 (Oost)
Major supermarkets in Amsterdam (such as Albert Heijn and Jumbo) also sell a reasonable range of organic products.
This article was originally published in 2010. Last updated 1 March 2022.
