"It usually isn't too busy on the wholesale market on Tuesday. The busiest day is always Thursday," says Linda Verhage, Vandepoel. Linda has been on the market for 45 years and still loves her job. "At the moment we are waiting for the stone fruit season to start again in full swing. We already received that first stone fruit from Spain, but not yet large amounts. The peaches and nectarines are of excellent quality and flavour." Besides the stone fruit, the wholesaler also has a large assortment of fruit and vegetables. As well as most regular products, Vandepoel also has some 'special' products such as white strawberries, strawberry raspberries and other special types of fruit and vegetables.
Various types of mushrooms; organic lemons are used in cocktails; black carrot is a favourite of catering businesses; the Vandepoel store in Mabru.
White strawberries (pineapple strawberry); strawberry raspberry is a strawberry with deep seeds, which give the strawberry the appearance of a raspberry; one of the first shipments of stone fruit
Vandepoel offers a box with various types of tomatoes in different colours; garlic in different colours; different types of 'mini' vegetables such as beets and carrots; the first peaches from Spain
Strawberries
"The quality of the strawberries is good and controlled," says Franck Valckenier of the eponymous company. "With the warm weather last week the prices rose considerably, particularly last Friday. The prices have dropped again slightly this week. Soon export strawberries will arrive and this will mean more supply causing the prices to drop." Around the Belgian holiday Labour Day on May 1, a lot of communion parties will be held, which means the demand for strawberries will increase again in the week before May 1.
Franck Valckenier met aardbeien van BelOrta
Top fruit
"The top fruit market is calm at the moment," says a Nollet Fruit employee. "We had a calm winter with high prices and little supply. At the moment the price is still high, as there is a lot of demand." At the start of May the first apples from New Zealand are expected again, including the Pink Lady. Due to the supply of the top fruit from New Zealand there will be more supply which will stabilise the prices again.
There are around 140 traders on the early market with their products. They are primarily buyers for catering businesses. "On Thursday many catering businesses buy their products for the weekend," says a seller. "There are wholesalers who are already selling stone fruit, but the large amounts will arrive soon. The Spanish cherries are also coming, they are expected in three or so weeks. "The expectations for the Spanish cherry season are good, yet frost or storms could still disrupt things, but we're not betting on it," says the seller.
Francois de Witte of de Roock Fruit en Groente