The start of the Hoogstraten strawberry season is coming and, as every year, Coöperatie Hoogstraten marks this moment by presenting the first early strawberries to the Royal Palace and the entire Antwerp deputation. The handover took place on 20 March at the Provinciehuis in Antwerp.
The Ducal Society of the Ghesellen van de Aardbei van Hoogstraten was founded in 1977 under the watchful eye of the then Antwerp governor Andries Kinsbergen. Since then, the Ghesellen have honored a special tradition every year: presenting the first, carefully grown, Hoogstraten Strawberries to the Royal Palace, the governor and the deputation. A tribute to Belgium's rich agricultural history.
© Coöperatie Hoogstraten
This year marked the 42nd time the Gheselles were received at the Provincial Palace. Extra special this year was the presence of Hilde Vanden Berghe, as deputy protocol chief of the House of His Majesty the King. She, together with Governor Cathy Berx, deputies Luk Lemmens, Mireille Colson, Jinnih Beels, Jan De Haes and provincial clerk Maarten Puls, sampled Hoogstraten's first, carefully cultivated summer strawberries.
This year, the honor of picking the very first strawberries of the season fell to Hoogstraten grower Luc Krijnen. "For more than 25 years, he and more than 120 other strawberry growers have been proud of Hoogstraten Strawberries, known for their flavor and quality. Together, the strawberry growers of Coöperatie Hoogstraten grow a total of more than 30 million kg of strawberries a year. The presence of Hilde Vanden Berghe, as a delegate of the Royal Palace, underlines the recognition for Hoogstraten Strawberries as a product of exceptional quality."
Coöperatie Hoogstraten traditionally heralds the official start of the season with the benefit sale of a crate of Hoogstraten Strawberries, this year on Wednesday 26 March. Besides the start of the season, this year the Strawberry Ghesellen also drew attention to the International Strawberry Congress, which will take place in Antwerp from 17 to 20 September 2025. This congress will establish a unique cross-fertilization between trade and scientific research.
"Thanks to the approval of the governor, the deputation and the Royal Palace, the new season already bodes well for Coöperatie Hoogstraten."
For more information:
Coöperatie Hoogstraten
Loenhoutseweg 59
2320 Hoogstraten, Belgium
+32 33 40 02 11
info@hoogstraten.eu
www.hoogstraten.eu