Den Derk Délice expands to 51 hectares of Belgian tomatoes

Thanks to its enormous growth in size in recent years and investments in the field of innovations, Den Derk Délice can call itself a market leader in the field of cherry and snack tomatoes in Belgium. Last week, Den Derk Délice started building their latest greenhouse. Because of this, their acreage will expand from 44 to 51 hectares. The new company will be named ‘Den Horst,’ after its location, Horst near Merksplas. This expansion requires an enormous investment of 14.7 million euro. Besides Den Horst, Den Derk Délice has four other branches in Kempen, 19 hectares of which are illuminated. Flavour comes first for Den Derk Délice, which is why they choose to have their own production year-round, so they can guarantee the same delicious and constant flavour throughout the year.

The growth in areas and striving for renewal has resulted in a good rise in turnover for Den Derk Délice. For example, in 2017 they achieved 40 million euro, and due to the expansion they’ll now realise an annual turnover of 46 million euro. Last year, they were crowned Trend Gazelle of the county of Antwerp and Flanders for mid-sized companies.

The five companies behind Den Derk Délice have a communal vision for the future, focused on innovation, sustainability and producing high-quality and flavourful tomatoes. They approach the market as one brand, because they’re convinced they’re a stronger partner by working together, with each other and with the customer. The mission behind this brand is to grow qualitative and flavourful tomatoes, and to develop pleasant concepts so consumers can enjoy these throughout the year. The goal is to offer consumers unique flavour experiences.

Flavour is the thread and the pioneer throughout the story. The varieties were carefully selected. Every year, Den Derk Délice conducts about 100 variety tests, and the most flavourful ones are selected for further testing, for shelf life for instance. A good variety is a good start, but much of the flavour can be decided and created through the production.

Den Derk Délice decided to keep its assortment fairly limited, in order to become a specialist in growing their main varieties. The sweet cherry tomato Miss Perfect is their showpiece. This won ‘Best Tomato in Norway’ in an independent study in 2016. Sweet snack tomato Bellino has a great bite and a good sweet and sour balance. The party mix is a cheerful mix of various colours and shapes, from yellow to pink, from green to brown. Kumato doesn’t just look exotic, it also has a very intense flavour. Gold Délice is a newcomer, with a crunchy bite and sweet, but mostly unique, flavour.

Den Derk Délice now produces about 12 million kilograms of flavour tomatoes per year, about 40 per cent of which is sold to Belgian retailers. The remaining 60 per cent is meant for export, mostly to Germany, Norway, Sweden, Romania, Switzerland and the UK. The companies behind Den Derk Délice are all members of Coöperatie Hoogstraten, which has a broad assortment of quality fruit and vegetables. They are devoted, like Den Derk Délice, to innovation and quality. Thanks to this cooperation, our customer can buy a complete assortment of quality products in one go.

For more information:
Den Berk Délice
Berkelaar 10
BE 2330 MERKSPLAS
T +32(0)14 40 72 40
F + 32(0)14 40 72 49
info@denberk.be
www.denberk-delice.com