In mid-March, Lerouge Natuurlijk will attend the Tavola fair in Kortrijk for the second time. Among other things, the apple pressing company from Zevegem, Flanders, will present its new apple ciders. "The sparkling juice is a good way to get young people interested in healthy drinks," says Frédéric Lerouge of the eponymous company.
© Lerouge
The apple season continues to generate activity. Lerouge now has two mobile fruit presses, which they use to press fruit on site from 5 tons, and two fixed fruit presses, with which they press and pack (organic) fruit for growers as well as for their own brand, Lerouge Natuurlijk, in 3-liter or 5-liter boxes and 1-liter and 1.5-liter bottles. The busiest period is now behind them, as growers mainly visit Frédéric during and immediately after the harvest.
Nevertheless, this season has been particularly busy. "Someone stopped pressing professionally, so we are receiving extra requests. At the same time, many presses have also stopped operating because they do not have enough volume. Some growers then say they will not restart until after the pressing season, in April or May."
Soft apples
In terms of quality, this season has been challenging. "This year is not a top year for apples," Frédéric explains. "Because the harvest period was hot and the volumes were large, some apples ended up in storage slightly overripe. Many growers were under pressure to harvest everything quickly. You can now see that in the firmness of the apples. Consumers want a firm apple, not a soft or blemished one. That is why growers want their cold stores empty as soon as possible, because quality does not improve over time." One might think this benefits the press, but it is not that simple. "A certain firmness is also needed for pressing. Apples that are too soft produce too much pulp, which negatively affects the flavor. So there are clear limits."
© Lerouge
New fizzy ciders
Nevertheless, Frédéric is always looking for new products, which will also be highlighted at Tavola this year. "We are constantly trying to expand and diversify our range so that we can appeal to a broader audience, for example, with our new fizzy ciders. In this way, we want to offer healthier drinks to young people in smaller packages. A 3- or 5-liter bag-in-box is often too large for them."
"A can is easier to take with you, for example, on a bike ride or to a picnic. With a slight effervescence, it also becomes more appealing. The market today is dominated by industrial cans, but we believe cans are gaining ground compared to glass. It is practical. You drink it, crush it flat, and throw it away."
"There is already plenty of apple juice on the market, both in the Netherlands and Belgium," he continues. "At fairs such as Tavola, you notice how large the supply is. That is why we try to distinguish ourselves by offering different formats and applications. In countries such as Germany, Italy, and Austria, they are already further ahead in this area. There you can find drinks like Almdudler or Apfelschorle, a kind of soft drink that contains juice and is widely available, even in restaurants. We have fewer of these effervescent applications here, so there are still opportunities."
While the company's pure juices are available both under its own brand and as private label, they eventually want to grow in that direction with the ciders as well. "We initially market our products under our own brand, but we also offer private label. We can fill the cans so that customers can apply their own label, while we provide the full service."
© Lerouge
Walnut oil
It is a busy period for Lerouge Natuurlijk. The company, which originally focused on ornamental cultivation, also works with walnuts in addition to apples, and this is now the busiest time of the year for that activity. "We crack walnuts that individuals bring to us. Within a few weeks, we start pressing them. We do not have walnut trees ourselves. The initiative started with customers who came with their nuts and asked what they could do with them. About 12 years ago, we started collecting dried nuts from January onward. We then press them in batches. Everyone receives their own walnut oil back, based on what they brought in. For example, someone who brings in 15 kilograms of nuts will receive about three liters of walnut oil. We only produce cold-pressed walnut oil."
Staying at Lerouge
Another recent development at the company is that, since last year, it has begun offering accommodation in the orchard. "This is a project at our largest orchard in the Flemish Ardennes, in the heart of the Tour of Flanders route. In spring, it becomes very touristy there, mainly because of the many cycling races and hikers. The period around the Tour of Flanders, which is now approaching, is particularly busy. The whole region turns upside down, and tents are set up months in advance."
"We are located near the highest point in East Flanders. The old farmhouse there needed replacing, so we demolished it and built a new press hall with a fully underground space, a lodge, and a house above it. The idea is to develop an experience center around apples. It will include information about variety selection, pruning, and orchard maintenance, as well as workshops on apple vinegar, cider, and other applications. We want to organize tastings and courses. In countries such as Germany and England, the tourism aspect is much more developed than here. We want to develop that further."
© LerougeLerouge Natuurlijk can be found at stand 2A8 during Tavola 2026, from 15 to 17 March.
For more information:
Frédéric Lerouge
Lerouge Natuurlijk 
Boeregemstraat 4A
9840 Zevergem, Belgium
Tel: +32 475 26 24 80
[email protected]
www.appelperslerouge.be
