One of them, Aloys Meinema of Dutch retailer Hessing Supervers, denies everything: “When it comes to the Holiday season, our options are kind of limited. You don’t put cinnamon in a salad. Our fresh products distinguish themselves because of the lack of additives. Apart from adding some kale or sprouts to the assortment, that is pretty much it.”
Meinema admits, however, that he is trying to look at winter food in a different way. “When the season is over we do evaluate the course of things. We are aware of the changing seasons, and that awareness includes the supply of fresh produce. We are always looking for new and surprising mixtures, and for salads that people find interesting. But these mixtures don’t really depend on Holiday seasons, but on the sustained popularity of certain vegetables.”
“Fruit,” agrees Meinema, “is slightly more adaptable when it comes to winter dishes. But they still largely depend on availability.”
AloysMeinema@hessingsupervers.nl