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Agriculture and rural development

EU Organic Awards

EU Organic Awards 2025

7 awards recognising excellence in the organic value chain

Categories and awards

Categories and awards

The EU organic awards comprise 7 awards across 6 different categories. They acknowledge different actors along the organic value chain that have developed an excellent, innovative, sustainable, and inspiring project producing real added value for organic production and consumption.

The inaugural EU organic awards took place in 2022. Be inspired by previous winners.

Category 1: Best organic farmer (female) and Best organic farmer (male)

The objective of this award is to reward a farmer (one female and one male). This award is organised by COPA-COGECA and IFOAM Organics Europe.

© European Union 2025
Winner (female)

Ms Albina Yasinskaya, Rozino organic farm, Rozino, Plovdiv region, Bulgaria

At Rozino Organic Farm, Albina leads Bulgaria’s first environment social governance certified farm with a fully closed production cycle. Producing organic dairy, meat, and ice cream, the farm follows permaculture and zero-waste principles while boosting local employment and education. As a national trendsetter, Albina shows how transparent, sustainable farming can be adapted and applied successfully worldwide.

© European Union 2025
Winner (male)

Mr Lieven Devreese, Het Polderveld, Knokke-Heist, Flanders, Belgium

Lieven runs Het Polderveld, a community-supported organic farm near the Belgian Dutch border. Supplying food to families and even a hospital, this farm shows how agriculture can nourish both people and communities. With fair wages, mental health initiatives, and direct links to consumers, Het Polderveld proves that farming is about relationships between soil, farmers and society.

Category 2: Best organic region/bio-district

The objective of this award is to reward a region or bio-district. This award is organised by the European Committee of the Regions.

© European Union 2025
Winner

Võru County, Estonia

Located in southeastern Estonia, Võru County is building a sustainable organic food supply chain. By 2024, they successfully integrated at least 20% organic food in all schools and kindergartens, and every educational institution now proudly displays an eco-label. The Võru County Organic Agreement boosts local economies, supports rural entrepreneurship, creates new jobs, and raises awareness about healthy, organic diets.

Category 3: Best organic city

The objective of this award is to reward a city. This award is organised byEuropean Committee of the Regions.

© European Union 2025
Winner

Valpaços, Alto Tâmega, Vila Real, Portugal

Valpaços is a rural municipality in northern Portugal with more than 14 500 inhabitants. It is a national leader in organic farming and integrated sustainability, with 516 certified organic producers, the highest number in Portugal. Education on sustainability, environmental measures, and innovation are at the forefront, supported by political leadership, inter-institutional cooperation, and inclusive strategies. Valpaços’ organic treasures include award-winning PDO and PGI products like wine, olive oil, almonds, chestnuts, and honey.

Category 4: Best organic food processing SME

The objective of this award is to reward a Small and Medium-sized Enterprise (SME) processing organic products. This award is organised by the European Economic and Social Committee.

© European Union 2025
Winner

Joseph Brotmanufaktur GmbH, Burgschleinitz, Lower Austria, Austria

Based in Lower Austria, Joseph Brot is the world’s largest artisan bakery, processing all its organic flour entirely by hand. Through partnerships with 24 smallholder farms, they cultivate 14 rare grain varieties while preserving biodiversity and regional ecosystems. The business has a 100% craftsmanship principle which means 100% commitment to sustainability. With a team of 84, more than half of them women, Joseph Brot champions craftsmanship, fair supply chains, and original grain culture in every loaf.

Category 5: Best organic food retailer

The objective of this award is to reward an SME food retailer selling organic products. This award is organised by the European Economic and Social Committee.

© European Union 2025
Winner

Radis&Bona eG, Regensburg, Bavaria, Germany

This cooperative farm shop in Regensburg makes local organic products accessible to everyone. Offering a full range of fruit, vegetables, fresh and canned goods from within an 80 km radius, Radis&Bona brings together local farmers and consumers under one roof. Suppliers help set prices and can become cooperative members themselves. Powered by green energy and packaged without waste, it’s a blueprint for fair, transparent, and hyper-local food systems.

Category 6: Best organic restaurant/food service

The objective of this award is to reward an SM restaurant/food service restaurant (standalone or part of a hotel) and/or food service (caterer or canteen) proposing organic certified references in their menu. This award is organised by the European Economic and Social Committee.

© European Union 2025
Winner

Peskesi restaurant, Heraklion, Crete, Greece

In Heraklion, Peskesi brings Crete’s culinary heritage back to life. From its own regenerative farm to the restaurant’s biodynamic menu, the restaurant embraces the philosophy of "Farm to Table" and "Table to Farm", with 98% of its inputs involving local partnerships. They also organise educational events and conform to fair trade practices. The whole enterprise is a shining example of how food can nourish both people and a community.

Applications for the 2025 edition closed on 27 April 2025 23:59:59 CEST. These awards are non-financial and were handed over on 23 September 2025, which is EU Organic Day. 

Applications

Reasons to apply

Do you want to contribute to the greater public awareness of organic production in the EU? Do you want to contribute to the greater affordability and/or accessibility of organic products in the EU? Have you developed and implemented, or are you still implementing, an excellent, innovative, sustainable, and replicable project for this purpose? Would you like to increase public awareness of the project?

If the answer to any of the above questions is 'yes', you should consider entering for the next edition of the EU organic awards. If you win, you will receive a non-financial recognition award and greater public visibility for your project. So, whether you are:

  • an organic farmer
  • a city or region serving organic meals to patients or pupils or otherwise promoting organic production
  • a business in the organic food chain with a unique approach

- you should think about entering the EU organic awards.

Application process

Applicants for the 2025 EU organic awards were asked to:

  • read the different sections of this website, in particular the eligibility criteria and the selection criteria;
  • choose the award category they wished to enter;
  • apply online from 11 February until 27 April 2025 23:59:59 CEST;
  • provide answers to closed guiding questions (some relating to the four principles of organic and the sustainability pillars), to help the jury to obtain more information about the applicants.

Timeline

  1. 11 February 2025

    Launch of the application period for the awards

  2. 27 April 2025

    Deadline for the submission of applications: 27 April 2025, 23:59:59 CEST.

  3. June 2025

    Awards evaluation decision

  4. 23 September 2025

    Awards ceremony

Be inspired by the winners

Meet the winners of the 2025 edition. Watch the full recording of the fourth EU organic awards ceremony that took place in Brussels

This event involved representatives of the European Commission, the European Parliament, the Council of the European Union, the European Economic and Social Committee, the Committee of the Regions, COPA-COGECA and IFOAM Organics Europe to discuss the future of the organic sector in Europe.

  • News article
Winners announced at fourth EU Organic Awards

This year’s EU Organic Awards winners is a list of innovative, sustainable projects across Europe’s organic value chain. Their work proves how organic farming can add value, create rural jobs, and build resilient food systems.

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Commissioner for Agriculture and Food Christophe Hansen opening the EU Organic Awards 2025

About the EU organic awards

Increases in organic production contribute significantly to reducing the use of chemical fertilisers, pesticides and antimicrobials and have positive effects on our climate, the environment, biodiversity and animal welfare.

The Commission has adopted the Action Plan for the Development of Organic Production in March 2021, including the launch of annual awards. They aim to reward the best and most innovative organic actors, contributing to the reduction of agriculture’s impact on the environment and climate.

Organisers

The EU organic awards are jointly organised by the European Commission, the European Economic and Social Committee, the European Committee of the Region, COPA-COGECA  and IFOAM Organics Europe.

The jury deciding on the final winners comprised representatives of:

  • The European Commission,
  • The European Economic and Social Committee,
  • The European Committee of the Regions,
  • COPA-COGECA,
  • IFOAM Organics Europe,
  • The European Parliament and
  • The Council of the European Union.

Organic farming, aquaculture and food in the EU

Regulation (EU) 2018/848 states in recital 1 that “Organic production is an overall system of farm management and food production that combines best environmental and climate action practices, a high level of biodiversity, the preservation of natural resources and the application of high animal welfare standards and high production standards in line with the demand of a growing number of consumers for products produced using natural substances and processes”.

Organic production is increasing in the EU. In 2019, 8.5% of EU agricultural land was under organic farming. This equalled 13.8 million hectares, up from 9.5 million hectares in 2012, a 45.8% increase. The countries accounting for most of the EU agricultural land under organic farming were Spain (2.4 billion hectares, 17.4% of the EU total), France (2.2 billion hectares, 16.2% of the EU total), Italy (2.0 billion hectares, 14.5% of the total) and Germany (1.3 billion hectares, 9.4% of the EU total) as per Eurostat organic farming statistics.

Across the entire value chain, almost 344,000 organic producers and over 78,000 organic processors were active in the EU. Organic farmers benefit from the price premiums that organic products fetch on the market and the rapidly growing final consumer demand for organic products. In 2019, the EU market accounted for 38.8 billion euro in a global market of 106.4 billion euro, second after the US market accounting for 48.2 billion. Large markets in the EU are Germany (12.0 billion) euro and France (11.3 billion euro), as per FIBL statistics.

Per capita consumer expenditure on organic products is highest in Denmark (344 euro, equivalent to 12% of grocery shopping) and Luxembourg (264 euro, equivalent to 8% of grocery shopping), as per FIBL statistics.

Consumer awareness of the EU organic logo is increasing. In 2020, 56% of Eurobarometer survey respondents recognised the logo, compared to 27% in 2017. 80% of survey respondents believe that organic products are more environmentally friendly and respect higher animal welfare standards.

Food for Europe podcast episodes

A selection of the Food for Europe podcast episodes are dedicated to organic farming in the EU, as well as the launch of the EU organic awards in 2022 and the 2023 awards ceremony. All the episodes of the "Food for Europe" podcast are released in English, French and German.

Documents

  • 20 JANUARY 2025
Leaflet: EU Organic Awards 2025
English
(529.92 KB - PDF)
Download
  • 14 JANUARY 2025
EU Organic Awards – practical guide
English
(203.56 KB - PDF)
Download
  • 10 FEBRUARY 2025
EU Organic Awards – privacy statement
English
(216 KB - PDF)
Download

Related links

Organics at a glance

At a glance information on EU organic policy, the organic logo and legislation relating to the organic sector, as well as frequently asked questions.

Organic action plan

This plan aims to drive investment and innovation in organic farming and boost demand for organic food. Check out what has been achieved so far.

The future of organics

Information on the new organic legislation in force since January 2022, the consultation that was held about the new law and the action plan for organics.

Organic farming

Policy, rules, organic certifications, support and criteria for organic farming.

News

See all news articles