Recently, the plans for realizing a research center in ‘Soft fruits’ were signed by Delphy. With this, a big step is being taken towards realizing Berry Briljant, an upgrade of the current theme park ‘Strawberry land’ in the North of Limburg in the Netherlands.
At the start of 2019, the Berry Promotions Foundation presented the document ‘From Strawberry land to Berry Briljant’.
Chairman Marcel Dings: “Our region is a hotbed of knowledge and skills in the field of soft fruits and health. We believe in letting ‘Strawberry land’ grow into a Berry-Briljant for both the region and the industry.” The core reason for the transition is to enrich the tourist attraction that is Strawberry land with research, education, region promotion, and social involvement and to then expand on this with promotions for the entire soft fruit industry.
An ambition that is in line with the ambition initiated by the Dutch municipality of Horst on the Maas named “The Healthiest Region 2025”. Project manager Jan Janssen: “Berry Briljant is like a calling card that stands for healthy nutrition. This, in combination with the ambition of Afslag 10 in the field of Sports, Recreation, and Culture, allows us to realize the Healthiest Region and in doing so, strengthen the tourist value for the region.”
4 hectares
Councilor Bob Vostermans is over the moon: “Soft fruit is an important pillar in our community, and with Delphy, we now have a global player to spread the knowledge gained here across the world.”
The Soft Fruit Research Center will work with both the known and unknown cultivations from both the strawberry, blueberry, razzberry, blackberry, and other soft fruits. With a surface of over 4 hectares, this will require an investment that will be somewhere in near the seven digits for things like a greenhouse, cultivation support facilities, and infrastructure.
Managing Director at Delphy, Jacco van der Wekken: “The combination of research, promotion, and education that is offered to us by Berry Briljant provides us with the perfect environment and soil. We are close to the soft fruit industry to ensure practice-oriented research is closely linked to what our clients, but also the consumers, want.”
Education
The theme park with terrace and shop is strengthened by Delphy. Maykel Claassen of Strawberry land: “Through guided excursions, consumers get to know the most modern cultivations methods for soft fruit, and in doing so, we can provide content for the education.”
Together with the Citaverde College and Kerngezond, the program will be further developed. Councilor Eric Beurskens: “In the tourism industry, it’s all about surprising people, letting them explore and inspiring them. Adding an educational element is a perfect way to achieve this, especially for children. And who wouldn’t want to know how those berries and strawberries grow and bloom?”
During an information night on the 16th of December, the plans will be presented to people in the surrounding area.
For more information:
Delphy
www.delphy.nl
Berry Promotions 
www.berrybriljant.nl communicatie@berrybriljant.nl