“We harvest our lettuce and cress products with the roots attached,” says Pete Overgaag with Hollandia Produce. “This means the plant is still alive, which keeps the leaves greener and fresher longer than lettuce harvested conventionally. It enables us to deliver the freshest product possible.” Products with the roots attached have a substantially longer shelf-life which reduces waste for retailers and consumers.
The latest product introductions from Hollandia Produce include certified organic Grower Pete’s brand of Living Butter Lettuce and Organic Watercress. “Both products are finding their way to the consumer quite well,” says Overgaag.
Hydroponic environment
Hollandia’s products are all grown in a hydroponic greenhouse environment that allows for consistent produce quality and year-round availability. “The controlled atmosphere results in a water reduction of 84 percent compared to field-grown crops,” mentions Overgaag.
Most nutrient-dense
The trend towards healthier eating and eating more nutrient-dense produce is driving demand for Hollandia’s products. A recent study conducted by Patterson University and published by the CDC last spring rated watercress as the number 1 most nutrient-dense produce variety. “This study was a turning point for us in raising consumer awareness,” says Overgaag. He anticipates this trend to gain momentum and it will continue to help sell the company’s watercress and Upland Cress. To this, Overgaag says “Move over kale!”
Food safety
The fact that the roots of the lettuce products are still attached, has not raised concerns from a food safety perspective. “Consumers who purchase full heads of lettuce are used to washing and preparing it themselves already,” mentions Overgaag. “In addition, they understand the value proposition of longer lasting freshness that comes with buying root-attached produce. In fact, our clamshell packaging provides a mini-greenhouse that not only protects the product from damage and adulteration, but also ensures food safety standards are maintained throughout the supply chain.”
Hollandia’s living products are distributed throughout the US and regionally into Canada. They can be found at a broad selection of retail stores, ranging from independent stores, to natural food markets as well as major chains and club stores.
Move towards local
Hollandia’s main challenge is the move towards local food. ”Retailers are challenged by competitive pricing, while consumers grapple with less consistent availability, quality and uniformity,” says Overgaag.” In our hydroponic environment, we are able to consistently deliver on these requirements. “Building consumer awareness for our three main products continues to be a strategic focus for us. We are in an expanding specialty market space, which can be challenging but offers us a lot of room for growth as well,” finished Overgaag.
For more information:
Pete Overgaag
Hollandia Produce