EU Gets New Logo for Organic Foods

by Nicki Gostin, Posted Feb 9th 2010 @ 1:00PM

The European Commission

If you happen to be in Brussels or Stockholm in July and decide to pick up some organic crackers, you'll probably see a new symbol printed on the package (along with serving suggestions in Flemish and Swedish).

The European Union, which is made up of 27 European countries, has ruled that a new 'Euro-leaf' symbol will be compulsory for all pre-packaged food starting July 1. The green logo is optional for imported foods and national logos for organic food will be allowed to be displayed next to the new one.

According to a press release the commission wanted the new logo, "to represent the EU both inside and outside its borders. That it would be easy to remember and associate with the EU and organic farming without using any words or letters."

The commission wisely turned the selection into a competition. Proposals from nearly 3,500 art and design students from all over Europe poured in and a jury eventually whittled that number down to three final contestants.

The jury was comprised of well known European graphic designers and organic experts and oddly enough, Miguel Indurain, a cycling legend. (And yes we also think it's a bit peculiar that a bike rider, albeit one who has won the Tour de France five times, helped pick a food logo. But according to a press release, Indurain is the son of a farmer and, "has had a lifetime to polish his nutritional knowledge, and has personal experience of how this should be applied in practice." So glad they explained that one.

The lucky three finalists designs were uploaded to the Commission's website and people were invited to vote online for their favorite symbol.

It was just announced that Dusan Milenkovic, a German student won with his 'Euro-leaf' design and also received a prize of 6,000 euros.

Mariann Fischer Boel, the commissioner for agriculture and rural development who first suggested the competition said, "This exercise has raised the profile of organic food and now we have a logo which everyone will be able to identify with. It's a nice elegant design."

Filed Under: Food News, New Products
Tags: dusan milenkovic, eu organic food logo, euro leaf, organic food, organic food logo