Belgium is boosting its speciality product offer in 2007 with the addition of some innovative new varieties to the Flandria quality label, according to Maarten de Moor, executive director of co-operative auction organisation LAVA.
The association’s speciality range is expanding every year and can help stimulate sales, he said, which is why LAVA auctions are aiming to offer all their speciality produce under the Flandria quality label in the very near future. “In the tomato sector, LAVA auctions launched a number of new varieties in 2005 and 2006, including various types of mini-tomatoes and the brown Kumato,” Moor said. “This year we will also be focusing on nutritionally-enriched products.”
Next month will see the launch of Lyco+ tomatoes, an on-the-vine variety in the Flandria Ministar segment with an enhanced lycopene content. “We have other surprises up our sleeve, such as new varieties of courgettes, sweet peppers, cauliflowers, potatoes, mushrooms and lettuce,” explained Moor. “Some 14 new varieties of shoots and sprouted shoots were added to our line-up at the start of the year, and we are also expecting a breakthrough in 2007 for mini cucumbers.”
For the first time this year, Flandria will be supplying limited volumes of white cucumbers, which will be marketed as a niche product for calorie-conscious foodies.
The label is also throwing its weight behind Start to Run in 2007, a consumer initiative encouraging active participation in sport.
LAVA auctions enjoyed a 9.5 per cent increase in turnover in 2006, due to erratic weather conditions affecting outdoor production and pushing up prices.
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