Dutch fresh produce marketer Zon Fruit & Vegetables has officially unveiled a new, 8,000m2 handling centre to be used partly for berries in Venlo, near Rotterdam, a move which coincides with the establishment of a new trading model for blueberries designed to offer reliable returns to growers.
Producers taking part in the new scheme will reportedly receive an agreed payout price and dividend from a commercial entity called Vitazon Foods, which says it will pay market prices for blueberries supplied not only by Zon but also other key players like the Dutch Blueberry Collective.
'The establishment of Vitazon marks an important turning point in the relationship between Zon and (part of) its dependents,' the group said in a statement. 'It is a model that has also been studied in other product groups as a possible response to the structural challenges facing the sector as it stands as a whole.'
Zon has recently embarked on a major expansion programme for its berry business after purchasing the 50 per cent shareholding in joint venture Blueberry World owned by fellow Dutch fresh produce company Best Fresh Group at the end of 2010.
That deal also saw Zon acquire another Venlo-based berry supplier, Sun Berry International.
Vitazon Foods, which has been set up by both Zon and the blueberry growers it plans to work with, said it was 'aiming to create added value by making pure, high-quality products using fresh fruit straight from the land'.
The new centre will also turn out other value-add products including fruit juices, dried fruit and frozen items.
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