The history

Dream, support, do!

Dreams
It is 2011 when the first ideas for the World Food Center see the light of day. Therus Gieling, an entrepreneur from Ede, had been wondering for a while why there was no place yet where knowledge institutions (such as Wageningen UR), government and business could meet each other structurally and intensively and collaborate in the field of agrifood. The golden triangle, in other words.

This Food Experience Center, as he called it, was also intended to provide the general public with insight into the state of knowledge about food and food production and how it could be applied to feed ten billion people worldwide by 2050.

It was to become a centre where lectures, presentations, conferences, tastings and cooking workshops could take place.

The presentation of his ideas was met with enthusiasm and he decided to further develop his ideas. To this end, he contacted Tijs Breukink, then member of the Board of Directors of Wageningen University & Research, and eventually founded the World Food Centers Foundation.

The WFC Foundation aims to improve the quality, quantity and availability of food in the world. And wants to achieve this by establishing a worldwide network of World Food Centers.

‘The Egg’
The first, preliminary design for the Food Experience Center, by architect Eline Fraters, is striking. Fraters took a cell as a starting point for this. With a core and plasma in it. The design thus bears a strong resemblance to an egg. But Gieling and Fraters think further than just a building. They also envision a virtual and digital meeting place.
In the current draft designs, the ‘egg’ has now been replaced by more modern and functional designs.

Location
The location is an important topic of discussion at that time. There are still 5 locations in the running as a location: Ede, Rotterdam, Schiphol, Amsterdam and Venlo (Floriade site).

Support
Early 2012, the municipality of Ede, together with the province of Gelderland, inventoried the possibilities for the arrival of the World Food Center, the various interpretations and all possible experiences around the theme of Food.
After this research, Ede, together with the Regio Foodvalley, the province of Gelderland and Wageningen University & Research, decided to seriously compete for the possibility of bringing the World Food Center to Ede.

World Food Center comes to Ede
After an extensive choice of location, the World Food Centers Foundation decided on 24 January 2013 to designate the FoodValley/Ede region as the location for the WFC. At that time, WFC Development also came into the picture as a developing investor. WFC Development was specifically established by the Zeeman/Green Real Estate group from Alphen aan den Rijn to get the WFC and the area development off the ground. In September 2015, the Van Wijnen Group became a co-shareholder of WFC Development and BPD also joined the development combination.

Companies put their shoulders to the wheel for the World Food Center
After a period of research and obtaining support and financing, nine companies and knowledge institutions started developing the World Food Center Experience in 2016. This leading group, including Albert Heijn, Friesland Campina, Rabobank, Scelta Mushrooms, Nestlé, DSM and Keygene, will continue working on the concept. At that time, WFCD is the driving force behind the project surrounding the Experience.

BRC Imagination Arts
For the development of the WFC Experience, WFCD will be working with the renowned American BRC Imagination Arts in early 2017. During 2017 and 2018, BRC will develop a Masterplan for the Experience in regular consultation with a growing group of stakeholders.

Mix of living and working
Parallel to the development of the plans for the Experience, WFCD and the municipality of Ede will also jointly present the WFC development framework at the end of 2017. The WFC area will be a ‘hybrid place’ where learning, working, living, experiencing, relaxing and meeting are central.

Masterplan
At the end of October 2018, BRC Imagination Arts presented the master plan for the WFC Experience. The business plan provides for sustainable and healthy operations with an average of 330,000 visitors per year. There is room to accommodate fluctuations in visitor numbers and reserves are made for innovation, so that the Experience remains permanently up to date and attractive. The feasibility of the number of visitors, the investments and the operations have been calculated and substantiated by the renowned, international and independent agency LDP.

Do it!
In 2020, the World Food Center is gaining momentum. The Experience is in full development under the leadership of its own independent foundation. The first food companies are located in the monumental Maurits and Friso barracks. The new Startup location Roots Innovation Hub is already home to more than 35 innovative young companies.

Nature-inclusive living
In 2021, construction of the first homes at the World Food Center will start. The new district will be called the ‘Gelderse Proeftuin’. In the design of the 150 homes, nature-inclusiveness and food are important themes.

Experience finally gets green light
After years of designing and making plans, the decision has finally been made: the main financiers, the municipality of Ede and the province of Gelderland, have given the green light to the realization. The design of the Experience, the building and the renewed business case provide ample confidence in a successful attraction.

Optimal accessibility
With the growth of Ede and the developments on the former barracks grounds including the World Food Center, the need for better accessibility is also growing. With the arrival of the new NS Station Ede-Wageningen and the construction of the Parklaan that connects the A12 and the N224, the WFC site will soon be optimally accessible.

Politics puts a line through Experience
In December 2023, the Provincial Council of Gelderland, led by the BBB, decides that the Experience will not go ahead. The plans were at an advanced stage, but unfortunately that was to no avail. An alternative use for the Mauritskazerne is now being sought.