What have been the notable recent developments at Olympic fruit?
André Nieuwenhuis: Olympic Fruit is, more and more, playing the role of a supply chain specialist, instead of simply being seen as a leading importer. Thanks to our years of experience, we provide the growers and customers with all necessary services. Simply put, from the farm to the fork, Olympic Fruit is involved at each stage.
How has the grape segment in particular played out for Olympic Fruit in recent times? What changes have you noticed in the sector as a result?
AN: We have a particular focus on seedless grapes, which is a constantly growing segment for Olympic Fruit, while seeded grapes are also becoming more and more popular. This particularly occurs in winter months, when we have several nice varieties.
Eating quality is rapidly becoming the most important specification, shortly followed by the shelf life of table grapes. We see that the development of new varieties will ensure that we need fewer countries to fulfil our year-round programmes in the near future.
Are consumers still reacting in a positive fashion to table grapes generally, and what can be done to increase consumption of the fruit?
AN: The focus must be more on the eating quality of grapes – consumers must not be disappointed with things like unripe fruit. We actually think that good marketing can help with this, because there is so much to tell when it comes to grapes. Too many people currently do not buy grapes, but I believe it can become a permanent part of the shopping list for those consumers.
See the upcoming September issue of Eurofruit for the full interview
