Steam convenience and snack carrots at Hollandteelt

With their own cultivation of all colours of carrots, beetroot, parsnip, root parsley, Jerusalem artichokes and pumpkins, Hollandteelt from Biddinghuizen has been colouring plates for years. At the AGF Detail exhibition last week, the carrot grower presented an extensive range including steam packages of broccoli, cauliflower, leek and green beans. They work together with fellow growers to ensure a constant supply. "With this expansion into the bigger products, we hope to get the forgotten vegetables into that department as well," says Harold Zondag.

Hollandteelt introduces the new range under the names Stoomgemak (steam convenience) and Kookgemak (cooking convenience). Under Stoomgemak, the vegetables are prepared with butter, and they can be cooked in the microwave in five minutes. A variation on this theme is the 'Kookgemak' range, comprising precooked vegetables such as Rainbow carrot, yellow beetroot, yellow carrot and chioggia beets. "Vacuum packaging is ideal for our vegetables in light of shelf life."

Angelique Hermus and Harold Zondag

"Ultimately, it's still a small category working with these vegetables. We're aiming big with sales targeting retail, specialty stores, food service and industry. Germany, France and Scandinavia are our biggest markets, but the German market in particular is still in the early stages when it comes to convenience," Harold says.

Snack carrots
As a novelty during the trade show, Hollandteelt introduced the Rainbow Mix, including the deep purple carrot, the yellow carrot and a mixture of these two in a 100-gramme pack. "In light of the attention to obesity, we see snack carrots as a healthy and tasty alternative at events. We handed out this mixture to children during the Four Evening Marches, with an additional promotion at the local supermarket. That was a big success, and in terms of margin also interesting for the supermarket."

For more information:

Harold Zondag
Hollandteelt
Olsterweg 17
8256 RV Biddinghuizen
Mob: +31(0)6-51288649
harold@hollandteelt.nl
www.hollandteelt.nl