Company says Inspire has proven popular with retailers, with some greenhouse growers even convinced to switch from vegetables
Dutch company The Greenery says glasshouse vegetable growers should consider converting at least part of their production to Inspire, a strawberry variety which it describes as resilient and sustainable.
“I see a lot of potential for greenhouse vegetable growers to (partly) switch to growing Inspire strawberries,” says agronomist Klaas de Jaager. “With the experience and the right climate control options in a greenhouse, fruit vegetable growers or flower growers can switch to strawberry cultivation with relatively few adjustments.”
Inspire is also suitable for automated picking and less susceptible to disease than many other varieties, he adds, which he says contributes to more sustainable cultivation.
The Greenery holds an exclusive licence for Inspire and believes the variety has set new standards in taste, quality and efficiency in recent years. On 3 October, it will invite growers to see for themselves how it is grown in a greenhouse in the Netherlands.
“The Inspire strawberry is known for its consistent quality, good shelf life and winning taste,” De Jager continues. “The fact that this strawberry variety has already won prizes at the Floriade underlines its premium status.”
Inspired to change
The Greenery growers Paul and Rick van Koppen have successfully switched from just growing tomatoes to also producing Inspire.
In particular, they have been impressed by the strawberry’s lack of harvest peaks, which allows growers to offer customers more even, constant supply. This helps to secure more stable pricing.
“The consistent quality, large fruits and excellent taste of Inspire made this variety a real game changer,” says Rick van Koppen. “The flat harvest pattern ensures that we can divide our work and by choosing strawberries in addition to tomatoes, we ensure we spread the risk.”
As a result, the Koppens’ Kwekerij ’t Woudt farm near The Hague will add a second greenhouse in 2025 to meet growing demand.
“Inspire also offers added value for customers”, says Aad van Dijk, fruit general manager at The Greenery. “The fruits have a beautiful appearance and the premium quality ensures higher customer satisfaction. Retailers who choose Inspire have a unique product in their hands that distinguishes itself through taste, quality and shelf-life.”
Inspire is also in production earlier, which means the season starts in week 9-10 instead of week 16. “Retailers can therefore offer Dutch strawberries earlier, Van Dijk notes. “This responds to the growing trend of more demand for products of Dutch origin.”
