The first blueberries from Peru have arrived at Aartsen in the Netherlands. They're of the company's Grandezza brand. "These blueberries are characterized by lovely, firm, large berries. They're always 16mm+ and are specially harvested. They're packed by hand, so they keep their beautiful glow."
"They're packaged under the Grandezza label. It has a fresh look and feel. So, it creates a fantastic whole. Clients prefer its high-level, consistent quality. We expect weekly arrivals until January. The season's prospects look good. We expect nice volumes, and, so far, the market is good too," says Arco van de Klundert.
"In Peru, more and more new plants are coming into production. But for now, that's not leading to market saturation. There's still a lot of blueberry acreage expansion. That's often with new varieties with improved firmness, flavor, and size. That's a good response to consumer demand. This development forces our Peruvian partners and us to ensure our trading is perfect," says the importer.
"We must keep up with new varieties. And, together, we must have the correct brand strategy. That's so we can achieve the best results," said the importer. "Grandezza's reputation in both the Benelux and Asia helps enormously. Clients have complete faith in this brand. It's often their first choice. That's important in a good market. In a lesser market, it adds real value too."
"In Europe, blueberry sales are increasing. But, in Asia, even more so. There everyone wants our orange box. Blueberries are one of the fastest-growing items there," says Arco. Aartsen started its Grandezza brand in 2016. Aartsten imports all its Grandezza products directly from South America and Australia. There, the company works with the best growers. "Grandezza products have been grown with love and passion. And you can taste it. It's a brand of which Aartsen's very proud. There's a continuous increase in demand for the brand. That's thanks to the correct strategy."
"We're continually seeking shipping agents that match our quality brand. In this way, we expand our product range every year. In recent years, other products have strongly represented the Grandezza brand. These include grapes and pomegranates. Currently, we also package ground cherries, passion fruit, limes, lemons, tangerines, and blueberries under the Grandezza label."
"The cherries, from Chile, will be the newest addition to the Grandezza family. The Asian markets will get the first arrivals in November. In Asia, Grandezza has built a solid reputation. Being in the market twelve months a year gives our clients a strong quality base. Along with our agents, we're able to operate in that market's top segment. That's our goal with the brand," says Van de Klundert.
Aartsen's also expecting its first Grandezza grapes at the end of October again. These white seedless Sweet Globe grapes come from Peru. "Peru has 15% more grapes this year, and expectations are high. Especially for the white seedless grapes. New varieties like this, as well as Autumn Crisp, have been very successful in recent years."
"We've been working on this for several years now. These varieties are becoming more widely known, including at the neighborhood greengrocer. With their bite and juiciness, they offer something extra. These premium products, combined with the brand, create a top-line among grapes," concludes Arco.
For more information:
Arco van de Klundert
Aartsen
Tel: +31 (0) 765 248 162
Email: arco.van.de.klundert@aartsen.com
Website: www.aartsen.com