In the Belgian town of Linkhout, there is a unique family business that has been rooted in horticulture for three decades. The Linkhout Strawberry Vending Machine, led by 23-year-old Robbe Reijnders and his parents, has been fully dedicated to growing flavorful strawberries since 2013. Their secret? A smart combination of technology, attention to the crop, and a direct connection with the consumer, grower Robbe tells Svensson.
© De Linkertse Aardbeienautomaat
Flavour over quantity
"We consciously choose varieties that excel in flavor, not productivity," says the grower. In the 1.25-hectare glass greenhouse and 5,000 m² plastic tunnel, 350,000 plants are planted annually, yielding 150 tons of strawberries. The varieties Elsanta, Sonsation, Karima, and Parlando are each selected for their firmness, long shelf life, and above all, taste. "Our customers know what they are coming back for. We hear that daily through our strawberry vending machines."
Directly from grower to customer
These vending machines, now at three locations, have been a regional staple for twelve years. What began as a new idea to deliver directly to consumers has grown into a full-fledged sales channel. "We now see that consumers have become much more critical. They taste the difference. Our vending machines guarantee that the strawberry goes from plant to customer within 24 hours."
About 10% of the harvest goes through the strawberry vending machines, the rest is marketed through the BelOrta cooperative. There, the strawberries are sold the next morning. But what happens after that is beyond their control: the strawberries go through distribution centers and intermediaries to the supermarket, where they often end up in the warehouse before reaching the shelves. "In this way, strawberries are sometimes on the road for a week – and you can taste that. It's a shame, in my opinion. I believe it can be faster and better."
Besides the fact that the strawberries from the vending machine are super fresh, Robbe also gets a lot of enjoyment from the direct contact with the consumer. "You hear what they like, what can be improved, and you really know who you're doing it for."
Challenges in the greenhouse climate
In addition to the 1.25-hectare glass greenhouse, the family business also cultivates 0.5 hectares under plastic. "Growing outdoors forces you to accept what nature gives you," says Robbe. "But it also teaches you a lot about what's happening in the greenhouse. Everything you see outside (wind, moisture, sun) helps to better manage inside."
In that greenhouse, ClimaFlow fans from Svensson have been installed for a year, which turned out to be a significant step forward. "They have more effect than expected. At the beginning of the season, we even had to dial them back a bit because young plants would otherwise evaporate too much, and the root needed a chance to develop quietly first. Now we control them via frequency, and that way we keep the microclimate well under control. We feel the plant is now much drier in the morning."
© Svensson
Among bumblebees and bees
Bumblebees are standard in strawberry cultivation, but Robbe wants to start using bees soon. He recently became an official beekeeper. "My father asked: why don't you do it yourself? And I liked that idea. Now I have five bee colonies and want to expand to seven so I can effectively use them in the greenhouse. Bees complement bumblebees well. They fly differently, work faster, and ensure that bumblebees can follow more easily at the peak of the flowers."
Local workforce
Good people are indispensable in a strawberry nursery where work fluctuates greatly between peaks and troughs. Especially during planting and harvesting periods, extra help is needed. At Linkhout Strawberry Vending Machine, they have found a sustainable and social solution for this. "We mainly work with Turkish women from the neighborhood, whose husbands used to work in the mines. They are incredibly loyal and form a close-knit team. For planting work, we also employ asylum seekers from the region. This way, we create local employment and can rely on a motivated team. We are very happy with that."
Source text: Svensson
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Ludvig Svensson
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