Last year, high energy prices meant there was little supply from those countries' greenhouses, so supermarkets had to switch to imports from Southern Europe. How are things looking this year? We approached Lidl Netherlands for more insight into their supplies and strategies for the upcoming winter season.
"Last winter, because of the energy prices, we - in consultation with our growers - brought tomatoes in from Spain," Albert Heijn spokesperson Pauline van den Brandhof says. "After much discussion with our growers, we had TOVs grown loose in Spain. This winter, those will again come from our regular Dutch growers. Energy prices are down from last winter. We still get variants such as round and plum tomatoes from Spain, just like in previous years."
"Also, like in previous years, the flavor segment varieties, like Tasty Tom, Romaatje, sweet cherry, tasty cherry, and Honing tomatoes will, this winter, keep coming from the Netherlands. In fact, we're increasingly sourcing local products. And as in all other years, we're proud of our seasonal products. Think of the whole range of pumpkins. And Sprank apples that were back in the stores from early November," Pauline explains.
In June, Albert Heijn stopped flying in unprocessed fruit and vegetables. So, since June 1, 2023, fruits and vegetables, such as sugar snaps, haricots verts, passion fruit, and herbs, have only been transported via sea or road. "To ensure quality, we've recently worked hard in cooperation with growers and suppliers to find alternative transport options or other growing areas. Our herbs' countries of origin now include the Netherlands, Morocco, Spain, and Italy. We've always brought in tomatoes via sea container or road transport."
To encourage cooking with seasonal products, shoppers can find recipes with seasonal vegetables in Albert Heijn's magazine, Allerhande. The supermarket chain also offers many fresh packs that include seasonal vegetables.