"Sweet pointed peppers still not a commodity"

The Dutch sweet pointed peppers did not do as well this season as the regular bell peppers, says Marja Vijverberg from Sweetpoint. 

Marja looks back on re-positioning the brand and talks about more about the position of sweet pointed peppers on the market. 

The Spanish season is in full swing for the growers association, Sweetpoint. For years the company has been growing sweet pointed peppers in Spain in the winter, "We believe supplying this product year round adds value to our brand. Customers don't have to switch, packaging and selling continue as usual," says Marja Vijverberg from Sweetpoint.

The last Dutch season was not easy, "The season did not start well and the summer was no good. With a production peak and low prices it seemed as though it was not going to be a good year. But the autumn helped us end the season well," says Vijverberg. "However, the segment is smaller and the market is smaller." Because of this, Sweetpoint does not want to consistently overload the market, "We want to expand the market, not destroy it. We have been on the market for years so that is an advantage for us, and we have quite a share as well. That makes it difficult for newcomers to enter the market. The only way to enter the market is through lowering your price, which is what kills your product."

Last year Sweetpoint was busy re-positioning their brand. At the end of last year, at the same time as when they joined DOOR cooperative, Sweetpoint launched a new corporate identity, with a stronger focus on the end customer, "It went well, but such a change does take time," says Vijverberg. "It is not just a new logo, but lots more as well. Internally we want all our employees to know where we want to go, so that everyone is working towards the same goals. It is beginning to bear fruit."

Of course Sweetpoint has noticed that the competition is increasing. The growing area for the sweet pointed pepper has been increasing in the Netherlands and in Spain, "It is a logical result of a changing market," says Vijverberg. "The market is growing, as is consumption." Vijverberg refers to the life cycle of products, "The sweet pointed peppers are not a commodity - and we also don't deal with them as such. We focus on the selection of the variety and we are innovative with the developments in packaging and the concepts for the supermarket shelves." For example, two years ago the yellow pepper was added to the assortment, and last summer special packages for barbecuing were introduced. There are also new concepts on the agenda for next year, "With a temporary selection and other changes, we want to continue to surprise people. With these kinds of changes we continue to remain in the spotlight."

As of today, Monday, December 14th they will be available at their new address: