The Canary tomato season is currently in full swing at Fortuna Frutos Continental. "We are very satisfied with the quality we have received so far," says Gert-Jan Slobbe. "Normally, November is often a difficult month because supply from local cultivation and imports from Morocco, Spain, and the Canary Islands overlap, but this year local production did not continue as long as in other years, and the seasons blended well. November was therefore a reasonable to good month, and December has also started reasonably well."
"Last year, we had a fairly mediocre Canary tomato season. That was mainly because fewer kilos per hectare were harvested due to the switch to varieties with high tolerance to ToBRFV. This year, in consultation with our growers, we selected three varieties that performed well in the trial results. Admittedly, supply had a somewhat slow start. The forecast was to begin in week 44–45, but deliveries were delayed by 10 to 15 days. Fortunately, we were still able to serve our customers by covering this gap with tomatoes from other origins."
Own cultivation
Based in the Canary Islands, Fortuna Frutos Continental focuses entirely on its own cultivation of round tomatoes (125 hectares) and cucumbers (15 hectares). While many Dutch importers withdrew from Canary Islands imports between 2010 and 2020, Fortuna's position has always remained intact. "We expect to remain a player in this segment in the coming years as well. The cultivation of round tomatoes in Spain is continuing to decline, as many growers there have switched mainly to plum and vine tomatoes. Morocco does have large volumes of round tomatoes, but we foresee a solid base for Canary tomatoes in the years ahead."
"In general, the weather in our growing regions is much more stable. Moreover, through our cooperation with Grupo Paloma, we offer a wide range of vine, plum, cocktail, and round tomatoes from the Spanish regions of Mazarrón and Aguilas. With this assortment, we supply a broad range of customers, including supermarkets and food service operators at home and abroad, complemented by wholesalers. Our stable supply of 100% naked cucumbers also constitutes a reliable product, mainly for the food service sector."
45th anniversary in 2026
Next year, Fortuna Frutos Continental will celebrate its 45th anniversary. "A milestone we are proud of," says Gert-Jan. The company has been associated with Canary tomato growing throughout all these years. In 1981, Ger Slobbe started his own sales office for several Canary tomato suppliers. Together with the Canarian producers, Slobbe senior opted to establish its own branch in the Netherlands in order to gain better control over quality and the supply to customers across Europe. This proved to be a successful decision, as the company developed steadily throughout the 1980s.
In 1988, son Gert-Jan joined the company, followed by eldest son Marco in 1994. The year 2001 marked an important milestone when Fortuna Fruits Continental merged with Frutos Canarios to join forces, creating the current Fortuna Frutos Continental. In the meantime, Gert-Jan's son Kaj has also joined the business as a third-generation representative. "We are confident that we will remain a specialist in tomatoes and cucumbers in the years to come."
© Fortuna Frutos Continental
For more information:
Gert-Jan Slobbe
Fortuna Frutos
+31 (0) 180 751 410
[email protected]
www.fortuna-frutos.com
