At a recent fruit and vegetable trade show in the Netherlands, Gebrs van Aarle's commercial manager Marc Ehlert said the company is starting to buy in more directly from the source, both locally and abroad. For citrus, the wholesaler has also found its way directly to the crop.
Buyer Bert Schottelndreier is very enthusiastic about Pink Lemons from Spanish supplier Belsan. "We've been working with this for two years. It's a wonderful product. This variety of pink lemons originally comes from California, and Belsan is the exclusive grower in Huelva. It remains a true niche item, but one we're confidently adding," he begins.
"These pink lemons have unprecedented possibilities. They’re great for drying, for example, in tea, but are also very suitable for cocktails. It's typically an item with a story, though, and thus particularly suited to greengrocers. We get weekly supplies. We certainly don't sell pallets full of them, but some customers do return for them. New items never sell themselves. You must pay attention to that, and it doesn't happen overnight."
"Last year, we carried these Pink Lemons until early April. Its quality then comes under somewhat more pressure then, but these lemons stay good for quite long. You obviously, though, remain dependent on the climate. For instance, we were supposed to start with Spanish finger limes this year, but a storm, unfortunately, wiped out our supplier's crop," Bert explains.
Belsan family
"I have faith in these products, just not on a large scale. Look carefully, and you'll find so many beautiful products. I sometimes call them Mother Nature's delights. We, naturally, need leeks, carrots, and onions, too, but you must develop your range."
Creta Star
It is also almost time for the new Creta Star orange season at Gebrs van Aarle. Bert calls this Navel orange's full orange color and great brix level a true taste sensation. "About seven years ago, we entered into an exclusive partnership with the Greek family business Synergatiki," he says. "Their farm is at the foot of the majestic Lefka-Ori mountains, where the sun shines abundantly and winter nights are icy cold, creating ideal conditions for these oranges."
Synergatiki's primary goal is to standardize and market citrus under the Creta Star name. In 2000, it was a pioneer in Greece. It invested in avocado trading and created an exclusive packaging line for those. In 2007, the company started growing organic fruit. Its facilities cover a total of 22,000 square meters.
"We take just about the entire Creta Star crop. Though these are 'standard' oranges on the outside, comparing them to any other orange is difficult. These are tree-ripened, and you can taste that. We have them available until mid-March. However, we'll have slightly more trouble getting the right sizes this season. Over the years, people have genuinely started discovering this orange and true enthusiasts happily pay for this flavor experience," Bert concludes.
Bert Schottelndreier
Gebrs van Aarle
Van Leeuwenhoekweg 39
5482 TK Schijndel
T: +31 73 5441919
www.gebrsvanaarle.eu
verkoop@aarlegebrs.nl
bert@aarlegebrs.nl