Last year, high energy prices meant there was little supply from those countries' greenhouses, so supermarkets had to switch to imports from Southern Europe. How are things looking this year? We approached Jumbo Netherlands for more insight into their supplies and strategies for the upcoming winter season.
Jumbo Netherlands' policy is to choose fresh Dutch products as much as possible. "We're pleased that, this winter, more Dutch vegetables are available from lit cultivation. Think cucumbers, TOV, mini rosa, sweet cherry, and beef tomatoes," says Jumbo spokesman Ronald van der Aart. "Like last year, we offer cocktail vine tomatoes and snack peppers and cucumbers grown under lights in the Netherlands. As for soft fruit, in the winter, most come from southern Spain, Portugal, and Morocco. We do have Dutch strawberries."
In the winter, Jumbo sources just about all its unprocessed vegetables, especially open-field and fruit vegetables from Spain and Portugal. "Except for chicory and Brussels sprouts; those come from the Netherlands. And fresh herbs, some of which are Dutch and some Spanish. We get our potted herbs from Belgium all year round," explains Ronald.
The chain store uses promotions to highlight (seasonal) products." We've recently had prominent bulk presentations for seasonal products and a weekly changing Dutch product under the 'van Dichtbij' (From close by) banner. We also use the 'van Dichtbij' logo to highlight the Dutch range and regularly feature our growers."