Prof. Marjolein Buisman holds a master's degree in Sustainable Food Process Engineering and Management, Economics, and Consumer Studies from Wageningen University in the Netherlands. In 2019, she obtained her doctoral degree in Operations Research and Logistics at the same university. Shortly after, she joined the WHU – Otto Beisheim School of Management as a Junior professor of Retail Analytics, where she worked for five years. In 2025, she was appointed to the Management of Digital Food Businesses professorship, a joint appointment from the School of Management and Life Sciences. Her research focuses on quantitative modeling and analysis in sustainable food businesses. She aims to improve profitability, but stresses that environmental and social aspects are equally important. She examines decision problems in food supply chains using various Operations Research methods. Her research seeks practical solutions for reducing waste, increasing efficiency, and creating food businesses that are both successful and responsible.
Research projects
Food waste reduction: Food waste is not only a significant financial burden on food companies but also harmful for the environment and ethically unacceptable. In this project, various studies are conducted to minimize food waste along the supply chain, ranging from production to end customers.
Food bank supply chain optimization: Food banks play a vital role in reducing waste and supporting those in need. With limited resources, their operations are more challenging than those of for-profit companies. This project seeks to develop solutions that increase the quantity of redistributed food while ensuring fair distribution among beneficiaries.
Key publications
