T. Meissner Frucht-Handels-Gesellschaft mbH, based in Kassel, Germany, has entered into a new supply partnership with Dutch berry specialist Berrybrothers. Through this cooperation, the North Hessian company will now source its entire range of berries – including raspberries, blueberries, blackberries, and red currants – directly from this supplier. The partnership will help Meissner increase sales in the berry category and better meet the high-quality and sustainability standards for berries, as Managing Director Tom Meissner emphasizes.
"The Netherlands has been one of our most important procurement markets for fruit and vegetables for years," explains Meissner. "Every day, several trucks depart from the Netherlands to Kassel on a fixed schedule. A full semi-trailer from Venlo is loaded with goods by Meissner every day. Fresh Park Venlo serves as a central collection point for our goods flows. This logistical advantage allows us to test smaller loads and purchase them in groupage transport."
© Meißner Fruchthandel
Insight into protected raspberry cultivation
Uniform packaging and sustainable progress
T. Meissner Fruchthandel supplies a wide range of customers within a radius of around 200 km from its fresh produce center in Kassel, including customers in Hesse, Lower Saxony, Thuringia, and North Rhine-Westphalia. The decision to work with Berrybrothers was based, among other things, on the desire for uniform and sustainable packaging solutions. "We didn't use to have a regular supplier for berries and had to work with different types of packaging. With Berrybrothers, we now have a partner who supplies us with high-quality berries all year round and enables us to switch completely to open cardboard trays. This is an important step towards sustainability," explains Meissner.
© Meißner FruchthandelThe range initially includes blueberries, raspberries, blackberries, and currants. During the season, white currants will also be sourced from Berrybrothers.
In calendar week 23, the first berries were delivered to selected customers such as weekly markets, specialist retailers, catering businesses, and cash & carry markets. In addition to the new premium product line, Meissner will continue to offer domestic berries as soon as they are available. "We expect regional raspberries at the end of the month, followed by blueberries from the Lüneburg Heath," adds Meissner.
© Meißner Fruchthandel
Freshly harvested redcurrants
Market situation and future development
Despite inflationary trends and growing price sensitivity, demand for premium berries remains virtually unbroken. "Blueberries and raspberries are the strongest items in the category, but sales of blackberries and currants are also growing annually," explains Meissner. The aim is to move more volume through targeted campaigns and further expand the market for premium products.
Photo credit: Meissner Fruchthandel / Berrybrothers
For more information:
Tom Meissner
T. Meissner Frucht-Handels-Gesellschaft mbH
Falderbaumstraße 5
34123 Kassel
Tel: (0561) 78 176-0
Fax: (0561) 78 176-30
info@meissner-fruchthandel.de
www.meissner-fruchthandel.de