A group of nearly 50 fresh produce managers from German supermarket chain Globus visited the head office of Koppert Biological Systems on 29 March, and was thus introduced to the combination of quality, food safety and a sustainable cultivation.
Globus might not be one the largest German supermarket chains, but it is a special one. German specialist journal Fruchthandel Magazin declared the company the best German supermarket chain in fruit and vegetables for the sixth time in 2017.
Quality in this product segment is a leading principle in Globus’s marketing and approach to the German consumer. Sustainable production systems are therefore paid much attention by the buyers from Globus. The delegation visiting Koppert were told everything about organic crop protection, natural pollination by bumblebees and sustainable growing.
Focus on quality
Initiator is Jochem Wolthuis from Duitsland Desk, a service and expertise organisation for the agricultural, food and flowers sectors. German supermarkets, according to him, are increasingly focused on quality, rather than on price. That is happening because German consumers are very sensitive to food safety and to healthy fruit and vegetables. That’s what makes it so important to tell German supermarkets, and indirectly their consumers, that Dutch growers can grow a safe and environmentally responsible product like no other in their greenhouses. “Most German consumers are still completely unaware of that.”
Sustainable
A visit such as that of Globus to Koppert is very meaningful, according to Jochem Wolthuis. “Koppert has a global position and therefore much impact on the cultivation of healthy and safe fruit and vegetables. Besides, Koppert has an enormous range of products that allow growers to make their production more sustainable. The German supermarkets will have found that out when they visited Koppert. That’s how they will get a better image of the manner in which the Dutch grow fruit and vegetables and how sustainable that is.”
Promotion Dutch greenhouse horticulture
Arne van Aalst, sales manager Northwestern Europe for Koppert, was involved with the visit. For Globus, the visit was a good opportunity to personally meet the sustainable Dutch food horticulture. “At the same time, the visit presented Koppert with a good opportunity to promote the sector. An additional push onto the most important sales market for Dutch greenhouse horticulture, on which more pressure from other export countries can also be felt.” For more information:
Koppert Biological Systems
Veilingweg 14
2651 BE Berkel en Rodenrijs, the Netherlands
Tel: +31 (0)10 514 04 44
Fax: +31 (0)10 511 52 03
www.koppert.com