Almost 50 years ago, Stroosnijder began as an onion-peeling business in the Netherlands. That was done solely by hand for the first 15 years; later modern onion peeling machines were used. This company has been part of the TOP Group since 2017. That name changed to TOP Fresh Service on April 1, 2022, and the company moved to TOP's expanded production location.
"TOP Fresh Service's activities fit seamlessly with the group," begins Lennart Ras. "Our product range includes all types of fresh onions, onion sets, pearl onions, and shallots. We've also had processed fried onions for many years. We've taken a further step in our convenience range with the peeled, freshly diced, and onion rings."
"We grow onions ourselves, so we can select high-quality raw material from our total volume. We know the product inside out and control the cultivation well. We specialize in second-year onion sets, which have a higher dry matter content and better color than seed onions. That makes them excellent for processing. It's unusual that we manage the entire chain from seed to end customer. We literally deliver 'farm to fork'," says Lennart.
Johnny Stroosnijder switched to TOP Fresh Service on behalf of Stroosnijder, bringing along years of peeled onions experience. To cope with the extra volume, the company has increased its production capacity. It has also invested in new processing machines, including the Finis, with its unusual, automatic onion orientation.
The company's peeled onion clients comprise mainly European supermarkets and vegetable processors. "The Benelux, Scandinavian countries, the United Kingdom, and Ireland are important customers. These onions have a ten to 12-day shelf life, so we're geographically limited to Europe. However, we're testing to see how we can extend that shelf life."
Sustainability is important to TOP too. "TOP Fresh Service piggybacks nicely on TOP Onions' sustainability policy. For example, we're currently deploying two windmills that will reduce our CO2 emissions by 40%. These will provide some 7,000 households with energy," Ras explains.
Using residual heat is also high on their agenda. "Clients are, noticeably, very concerned about sustainability. We guarantee this with certifications such as BRC, QS, PlanetProof, and the 'Beter Voor' quality mark. Thanks to our own and contract cultivation, we can provide good traceability. That also ensures stability at every link in the chain."
"The peeled, diced, and ringed onions supplement our assortment nicely. We're a one-stop shop in the onion market, and there are opportunities to add freshly processed shallots to this range. We supply both yellow and red onion products in bulk, crates, or virtually any packaging required. Thanks to short communication lines, we know what's going on and can switch quickly to deliver the right product at the right time," Lennart concludes.
TOP Fresh Service BV
Baarlandsezandweg 5
4431 NJ ’s-Gravenpolder
Tel +31 113 381 830
info@topfreshservice.com
www.toponions.com