In the last week of March, the greenhouse strawberry season started. "That is somewhat earlier than usual, although the season has generally been starting earlier in recent years," reports Jeroen Hendrix of Hendrix-Seelen from Venlo. "Additionally, we see good demand and pricing and – thanks to the beautiful spring weather – excellent volumes and qualities. In that respect, we certainly cannot complain about the start of this season."
Hendrix has been primarily involved in supplying German wholesalers and wholesale markets for many years. The Dutch greenhouse strawberry remains one of the main seasonal products. "The German wholesale market switches to Dutch products as soon as possible, with the attractive prices we currently see being a major factor. Due to the high labor and energy costs that our growers also face, it is important that we maintain solid mid-range prices. Currently, however, this is nicely balanced."
The Dutch greenhouse strawberry traditionally competes with imports from Southern Europe. However, in recent years, the German glasshouse area has also grown considerably, Hendrix agrees. "The overall demand in Germany is so high that the two products do not significantly interfere with each other. German greenhouse strawberries mainly go to retail, while we primarily rely on wholesale. A wide range also means there are choices: Southern European strawberries are generally larger and great as flavor enhancers in ice cream and such, while the Dutch greenhouse strawberry is more suitable for direct consumption. Dutch greenhouse strawberries are available in various packaging, including wood pulp and plastic punnets. In the day trade, the units are typically 10x500 grams in EPS crates."
© Hugo Huijbers | HortiDaily.com
Seller Steve Hagens and manager Jeroen Hendrix, who became the general director of the new merged company Hendrix-Seelen last year. On May 15, P.Seelen celebrates its 100th anniversary.
Ample and Balanced Supply
Even within the greenhouse strawberry category, there is a wide choice, according to Hendrix, who mainly collaborates with a dedicated group of growers in North and Central Limburg. "In the early segment, it is mainly Sonsation and Fandango, shortly followed by Elsanta, that dominate. Although Elsanta is somewhat older, the variety still represents a good price-quality ratio. Fandango, on the other hand, is a slightly more expensive flavor strawberry. This way, we can serve both segments. Our suppliers can be roughly divided into two groups: there are companies that exclusively grow greenhouse strawberries and later in the season switch to everbearers, such as Favori. On the other hand, there are growers who switch to tunnel or open-field strawberries around mid-May to June. This latter group generally continues with the autumn harvest in the greenhouse from mid-September, which can be extended until November or even December, depending on the weather."
The merger with P.Seelen last year was accompanied by a significant expansion of the grower network for Hendrix. "This has also led to more volume and more clout regarding greenhouse strawberries. Although the regional greenhouse strawberry area remains stable overall, the wider range of varieties means we are less dependent on sales peaks and can offer a balanced supply throughout the season. In that respect, I am convinced that we can continue to grow from this foundation."
For more information:
Jeroen Hendrix
Hendrix-Seelen
T: +31 (0)77 3968964
M: +31 (0)6 55801433
www.pseelen.nl/
www.hendrixfruit.nl/