Netherlands: Three colours of lettuce in one head
Cultivation at Boer & den Hoedt is hydroponic, allowing for year-round production of constant quality. "My father, who started the company, grew all sorts of vegetables. In 1999 my brother Arjan joined the firm, as did Joop den Hoedt, and we specialized in the cultivation of lettuce, as the demand for different types of lettuce increased significantly," says Leonard Boer, who has been with the business for four years. "A few years later we were dispossessed, and a new location had to be sought. As of 2005, the company is situated in the Voorweg in Ridderkerk, The Netherlands, where a completely new cultivation system was initiated." The current greenhouse houses year-round production of oak leaf lettuce, Salanova, Lollo Bionda and Lollo Rossa. This is partly due to exposure in the winter months. "A part of the greenhouse is equipped with LED lights, which are environmentally friendly but also yield nicely-coloured lettuce."
The products are supplied to trade companies such as Van Gelder, Marni Fruit, Kraaijeveld, Olympic Food Group, Bakker Barendrecht and Paul Leegwater. They find their way to Albert Heijn supermarkets, but a large part is exported. "In Dutch supermarkets you find very few heads, apart from iceberg and regular lettuce (Lactuca sativa). Virtually everything is processed these days. In countries such as Scandinavia, though, they love lettuce heads!”
When retailer Albert Heijn asked if the company could supply a salad mix, an ideal combination of three types of lettuce was sought, along with breeding company Rijk Zwaan. Leonard: "Three seeds of different varieties of lettuce grow on one clod, eventually forming a head. So it is very important that these lettuces have the same growth. In addition, of course, taste and presentation play a role. Varieties of Bionda, Rossa and Oak are used, and these are rotated per season. Having three distinct colours in one head really is a novelty that brightens up every meal."
Cultivation on water
Cultivation on water, or hydroponics, provides a clean and safe product. Leonard explains that the climate in the greenhouse is much drier than with soil cultivation, leaving crops much less vulnerable to diseases. "Also, we don’t have to remove weeds and disinfect the soil or the substrate." New plants are delivered daily. After they are placed in the gutter, it takes four to seven weeks until harvest. During the growth, all the nutrients are added to the water in the gutter. “We harvest six days a week and for every crop that is picked we plant a new one, creating continuity in our output."
More information:
Boer & Den Hoedt
Leonard Boer
Voorweg 17a
2988 CG Ridderkerk
T: +31 651 115 080
E: leonard@boerdenhoedt.nl
W: www.boerdenhoedt.com