Maasoever, in the Netherlands, could not have wished for better weather, and the enthusiasm for this vegetable processor's open day was overwhelming. "We welcomed between 1,100 and 1,200 visitors, giving them an interactive tour. They got a clear picture of how our (organic) vegetables are grown, harvested, and processed into customized specialties," begins Paul Kemner.
Production activities used to fall under Maasoever, and commercial activities under Food Team Processing. "The open day marked the start of bringing all that under the 'Maasoever' name. We combined that with the launch of a new corporate identity and website."
From seed to final product
Various target groups attended the open day. There were local customers and residents, as well as staff's family and friends. Also present were the growers from the company's supply chain partners Laarakker Groenteverwerking, Green Organics, Govers Mechanisatie, and Werktalent. "We're a major regional employer, but many people still don't know what we do, exactly. We provided a fantastic answer to this during the open day by taking guests on an interactive journey from seed to product on the plate," says Paul.
The harvesters were explained to visitors, and they got to look at the production lines where the frozen products are produced. That includes the IQF freezing lines, where products are individually quick-frozen, and the packaging lines for both bulk and small packaging for overseas retail. At every stage in the process, people could taste the processed vegetable products, like corn puffs, carrot muffins, and poké bowls.
60% Organic volume
No less than 60% of the company's volume is organic. "We truly focus on organic crops. There's a huge demand for organic frozen vegetables, especially from North American retailers. We don't look so much for commodities but rather for specialized custom work. Examples of these are specifically cut carrots, unusual sizes, beans, or IQF-frozen leafy vegetables. Those are individually frozen. We're very strong in specialties," Paul explains.
When asked about the company's biggest challenge, Paul mentioned ensuring the continuity of regional raw materials. "We want to keep the number of food miles as low as possible and grow our vegetables together with our supply chain partners within a maximum 100-150km radius. That's mainly the Netherlands and a small part of Germany. Then we can speak of truly regional products."
At the end of the journey, visitors had a good chance to chat while enjoying snacks and drinks. "That was widely used. It was busy from 10:00 to 17:00. We look back on a wonderful open day and thank everyone who contributed," Paul concludes.
For more information:
Paul Kemner
Maasoever
3 Industrieweg
5165 NH, Waspik, The Netherlands
p.kemner@maasoever.com
www.maasoever.com