Group of Dutch and Belgian companies agree deal to promote the fruit to young adults in the Netherlands, Belgium and Germany
A new three-year marketing campaign to promote sales of fresh berries in Europe has been granted EU approval and funding.
The project is led by Dutch organisation GroentenFruit Huis with support from ZLTO, Glastuinbouw Nederland, NFO, Berry Briljant, and Simply the Bes.
It also has the backing of several leading soft fruit suppliers in the Benelux.
Due to start on 1 January 2025, the campaign will promote all berry types –strawberries, blueberries, raspberries and blackberries – in order to generate greater awareness of EU berry production, with the ultimate goal to increase consumption.
It will focus in particular on young adults in the Netherlands, Belgium and Germany – a target cohort where soft fruit consumption remains below average – and underline the products’ nutritional values, healthiness, freshness, and convenience.
“This unique collaboration in the sector between growers and trading companies is the result of collective thinking and doing,” said a spokesperson for GroentenFruit Huis.
The campaign will run from 2025 to 2027 with an annual budget of €400,000. The sector itself will contribute €120,000 per year, with Brussels adding the remainder via the European Commission’s promotional programme Enjoy, it’s from Europe!
The project’s partner companies are: abbGrowers, Berries Pride, Berry Brothers, BerryWorld, Fossa Eugenia, FruitMasters, Genson Group, Kompany, Royal Berry, The Greenery, Coöperatie Hoogstraten, Veiling Zaltbommel, and Zon.
