A beautiful location was the setting for an announcement between Coöperatie Hoogstraten and the Koninklijk Museum voor Schone Kunsten Antwerpen (KMSKA) on Wednesday, 1 April. In the museum's library, the two parties unveiled their partnership, which centres on featuring artworks on the cooperative's packaging.
"A collaboration around craftsmanship and art. On the one hand, the art of the paintings, and on the other, the craftsmanship of our growers, which can reinforce each other in this way," said Hans Vanderhallen, director of Coöperatie Hoogstraten, and Luk Lemmens, president of KMSKA.
© Jannick Flach | HortiDaily.com
"The idea actually developed organically," the pair explains. "The first contacts between the two parties date back to spring 2025. At that time, KMSKA was facing the urgent restoration of Henri de Braekeleer's work 'Strawberries & Champagne'. Coöperatie Hoogstraten saw this as a perfect match with its strawberries and acted as a restoration sponsor. We liked that collaboration, and it formed the basis for further thinking, where the question soon arose: 'What else can we do with this?'"
© Cooperatie Hoogstraten CV
"Together, we started brainstorming the possibilities," Hans explains in more detail. "Gradually, this developed into a broader concept, in which we wanted not only to show art, but also to create an experience. From that, the idea of linking a competition to it eventually emerged. We did not rush it. First, we investigated what was technically feasible."
"We sat down with supplier Smurfit Westrock to explore what was possible in terms of production and packaging. That turned out not to be straightforward. There were quite a few challenges involved. Nevertheless, step by step, we arrived at a workable concept. At a certain point, we also felt that our growers supported the idea and became enthusiastic about it. From then on, we decided to move forward fully."
© Jannick Flach | HortiDaily.com
Nine works of art
As a result, the cooperative's strawberry punnets will receive an artistic makeover during the strawberry season, featuring nine selected artworks from KMSKA's collection. "The competition will run from 1 April to 31 December 2026, with one prize each month. People can participate via the website by entering codes found in the packaging. So you actually have to consume the strawberries. These unique packs will appear randomly on the market."
"Annually, we produce about 60 million punnets, and a significant proportion of them will now feature one of these nine artworks. These punnets are randomly distributed in our boxes. In practical terms, we sell boxes of 8 x 500 grams, meaning eight punnets per box, and each box contains four different artwork punnets."
KMSKA chairman Luk Lemmens expressed his pride. "We are particularly proud of this collaboration. We show how, together, we can share art in an accessible and contemporary way with a broad and international audience."
Hans shares this view. "It is also part of positioning our brand. We could have chosen a campaign around the World Cup, for example, with the Red Devils. There is nothing wrong with that. I also enjoy watching football, but considering everything we have built together with our people around craftsmanship, we felt this concept was more timeless and better suited to us as a cooperative. It aligns more closely with who we want to be and offers more longevity. Personally, as a director, I am also more proud of this than of a traditional football campaign."
© Cooperatie Hoogstraten CV
Collector aspect
At the same time, they want to maintain the collector element. "The idea is not to have them all available at once," Hans explains. "The chances of finding all nine in a shop immediately should remain small. It should really have a collector's character. At the same time, it is an open competition. We have not restricted where you have to buy. Even if someone purchases our product in Norway or the UK, they can participate. And if that person wins, they receive exactly the same prize as someone living in Belgium, for example."
© Cooperatie Hoogstraten CV
And what exactly is that prize? Jan explains: "Each month, participants have a chance to win an exceptional all-in weekend in Antwerp, where luxury, gastronomy, and art come together. It includes a unique experience in the heart of Antwerp with two nights at the prestigious Botanic Sanctuary Hotel, an exclusive high tea by Roger van Damme, a visit to KMSKA, a refined dinner at restaurant Madonna, and, as the ultimate indulgence, an abundance of Hoogstraten strawberries."
Tribute to growers
In addition to making art accessible and involving consumers in the story, Hans says the campaign is also a tribute to the cooperative's growers and the work that goes into the entire process behind the strawberries. "What we want to highlight is craftsmanship. Growing is much more than just production. It starts with a vision. What flavour do you want to achieve, what quality are you aiming for, how do you want to present your product? From there, a grower designs the entire operation, from cultivation techniques to picking methods and quality standards."
"You also see this same layering in art. An artist starts with an idea or a feeling and develops it step by step into a finished work. That process of creating, refining, and striving for perfection has clear parallels with our own work. The synergy felt right, and it is precisely this connection in content that makes the project so strong for me," Hans concludes.
View the selected paintings here
© Jannick Flach | HortiDaily.com
For more information:
Coöperatie Hoogstraten
Loenhoutseweg 59
2320 Hoogstraten, Belgium
Tel: +32 33 40 02 11
[email protected]
www.hoogstraten.eu
