"The Dutch strawberry season began in early May at Fresh2You. We're delighted with the quality so far," says Remko Oirbans. "This season, the strawberries were delayed considerably, and demand was high. AGF.NL has reported that several times. That's affected prices. Fortunately, we now have beautiful summer weather, and volumes are increasing rapidly. Prices are already friendlier than a week ago."
Pure Passion
“We've been working with two growers in [the Dutch region of] West Brabant for two years now. They use techniques like lit cultivation, heated greenhouses, tunnels, and stands. The strawberries are packed under the 'Pure Passion' brand. In a few weeks, we'll start with open field strawberries. That's actually how it used to be. Strawberries were planted outdoors, with straw in the aisles. That's where the grower's know-how comes into play. Full soil strawberries are flavorful. I think they're tastier than those grown in substrate."
"We have three main varieties. We sell Sonata strawberries from the end of May until the end of August. These are delicious and always beautifully shaped. This early variety is excellent for early outdoor cultivation. We sell Malling Centenary strawberries too. That's from the beginning of May until the end of October. This variety comes onto the market a week earlier than the Elsanta," says Remko.
"We're very satisfied with the Malling Centenary. They're nice, shiny, firm strawberries. They also have a good size and shelf life. They taste similar to the Elsanta. For the autumn, we have the open field Limalexia variety. That's for, say, from August until the end of October. These strawberries can stand the heat well. They have a great bite, flavor, and shape. The Limalexia also has a good shelf life."
Dutch cherries
"We should start with Dutch cherries in early July. These are grown in Zeeland clay. So, they're wonderfully sweet. We'll sell them under the Pure Passion brand too," Remko concludes.
For more information:
Remko Oirbans
Fresh2You
19 Transportweg
2991 LV, Barendrecht, NL
Tel: +31 (0) 854 858 323
Email: r.oirbans@fresh2you.nl
Website: www.fresh2you.nl