In the Netherlands, the Brussels sprout harvesting season is drawing to a close. So, Van Oers United is preparing to start harvesting these vegetables in Morocco. As the only supplier in the EU, this fresh produce wholesaler is the only supplier in the EU. It thus manages to ensure these sprouts are available in supermarkets year-round.
Last year, the company again invested millions of euros in new technology. It purchased robotic planting machines, so-called ‘sproutcams’, and adjusted its sorting machine. These and a 100% refrigerated, as-short-as-possible chain ensure that Van Oers consistently delivers the best available Brussels sprouts to stores.
240 million plates
“Every year, Van Oers United grows enough Brussels sprouts to fill 240 million plates. These find their way to kitchens in 30 different countries via over 200 customers worldwide, including, of course, the Netherlands. Half of Dutch households regularly buy sprouts. This group eats an average of 1.4kg of these vegetables per person per year,” says Sjaak van der Waaij, the company’s Commercial Manager.
“One of the reasons is that these no longer taste as bitter as before.” He thinks people will find increasingly different ways to cook with Brussels sprouts. The snack segment, for example, must prepare for the arrival of these sprouts. Good news, because these vegetables contain more vitamin C per kilo than, say, oranges.
Million-euro projects
This wholesaler recently spent €15 million on a 100% refrigerated space in the Netherlands. It bought a sorter that scans each sprout and sorts them into 12 sizes, And eight packaging lines where the Brussels sprouts can be packaged in all kinds of ways, from bulk, flow, net bales, to microwave and paper packaging.
They also invested in four ready-to-serve lines on which all sizes can be processed and in a pilot project with a so-called sproutcam. These cameras check each sprout’s quality before it is packaged. “This pilot was successful, and we’ll be using the sproutcam more widely next year,” explains Sjaak.
All these investments mean Van Oers United can process many different Brussel sprout varieties, both unprocessed and ready to cook. “These investments let us reduce waste even more and further increase cost efficiency in the chain. We control the entire chain so that we can offer quality guarantees too.”
“We only use the Brussels spouts our cultivation partners, or we grow. These partnerships have existed for 15 years,” continues Van der Waaij. “By processing the crop at our own locations, with the shortest possible, fully refrigerated chain, we ensure the least amount of loss on the store floor.”
Ready to cook
The company also keeps a close eye on consumer wishes. They and their partners cultivate more than 30 varieties to meet the different preferences for ready-to-eat ingredients. “The larger sprouts are especially popular in German kitchens. The smaller varieties are grown specifically for the Dutch market. And new – sliced sprouts, meant for stir-frying or steaming,” Sjaak concludes.
Clout
Van Oers United has a large area (more than 1,000 ha) under cultivation and a sorting machine that can process 8,000kg/hour. It, thus, has sufficient commercial clout for large-scale promotions. The company is not standing still in the field of packaging either. Their range will soon include new packagings such as cellulose nets, biodegradable foils, and 100% paper packaging.
For more information:
Yvonne Vanlier
Van Oers United
Tel: +31 (0) 880 644 199
Email: [email protected]
Website: www.vanoersunited.com
