Crooked cucumbers, tomatoes with a nose and two-legged carrots generally aren’t found in supermarkets, but lately there have been more and more stores that carry these imperfect products. According to Gerard Breed of JH Wagenaar, industrial specialist within The Greenery, too often the impression is created that crooked cucumbers are wasted or thrown away. “This is a misunderstanding. We don’t have any food waste in cucumbers. Everything is used in the industry, and all cucumbers are processed.”
Millions of crooked cucumbers to industry
In several of the factories Wagenaar supply to, a large number of cucumbers are processed into pickles. Many of these cucumbers are also processed into salads, sauces and spreads. The crooked cucumbers are excellently suited for that purpose, Gerard says. “The suggestion that cucumbers are thrown in the trash is complete nonsense. We sell millions to the industry. If anyone does want to throw away the cucumbers due to the shape or something, they can always give me a call.”
Second chance for tomatoes
At Prominent, the reject produce also gets a second chance. The Pure Tomato vine tomatoes, which don’t meet the cosmetic demands of the client, are processed into new fresh products. “Loose tomatoes or tomatoes with a small crack or dent aren’t allowed into the store, but the taste is perfect,” says grower Richard Hartensveld, who runs Kwekerij De Kabel in Westland with Joost Barendse. This nursery is a member of producer organization Prominent, where the waste streams have been processed into oven dried tomatoes and tomato soup for La Place since November of last year.
Awareness
Every year, around 12,000 tonnes of tomatoes are thrown away in the Netherlands because they’re too small, too thick or too thin. “Sometimes a vine is just too big for a box, and a few are cut off, or a vine is missing too many tomatoes to be sold as a vine. A waste of course, because there’s nothing wrong with these tomatoes,” he explains. Kwekerij De Kabel welcomes the ‘no waste’ initiative. “Mainly for raising awareness, because it doesn’t make you rich.” He says it’s mainly a matter of principle. “We believe it’s important not to create an unnecessary amount of waste. If we can provide a good destination for that waste in some way, then that’s a very good thing.”