Stoffels Tomaten is taking over the greenhouses of Baanheidehof from Beerse. This concerns an area of 10 hectares, where peppers will be grown for the time being. Meanwhile, the tomato grower in Rijkevorsel is having its oldest greenhouse demolished and new construction will follow. Commercial director Max Verheijen: "We are proud to be able to do this. We are growing due to more sales and more demand for our high-quality tomatoes."
Baanheidehof's greenhouses
Baanheidehof
Peppers are grown at Baanheidehof in Beerse. At May Lambrechts and Jos Oostvogels' company, the next generation is also active with daughter Tinne Oostvogels. Tinne joins the Stoffels Tomatoes team and May and Jos also remain involved.
"We had been looking to expand our greenhouses for some time," says Max, "This came our way. It's close by for us, and that makes it easy for production."
Stoffels Tomaten, like many growers in Belgium, finds that expanding with new construction is difficult. In Loenhout and Rijkevorsel, where the company also has greenhouses, expansion possibilities are limited. "That's why we started looking at alternatives."
Upgrade older greenhouse
The tomato grower now chooses to grow with existing businesses, and where necessary to bring older greenhouses "up to date with an upgrade". The latter is the case in Rijkevorsel. "Here, cultivation was still on the ground in an older, low greenhouse. In its place will be a new, ultramodern greenhouse next year, which we will also equip with LED lighting. In addition, the existing exposed areas will be upgraded to 300 micromol LED."
Due to the demolition of the greenhouse in Rijkevorsel, Stoffels Tomaten is temporarily giving up some acreage. Because of cooperation with contract growers, which now includes a grower in the Netherlands, and its own greenhouses in other locations, the tomato grower can absorb this.
Demolition of the oldest Stoffels Tomaten greenhouse in Rijkevorsel
Toma'Gusto back
The expansion realized by Stoffels Tomaten is possible due to growth in sales, explains the commercial director. "We see that demand for our beautiful product is increasing. There are new partnerships and new sales lines. In sales, we focus on the specialties and do not grow regular vine tomatoes, for example. Our specialties include Toma'Dor mini cherry vine tomatoes, Toma'Rito mini plum vine tomatoes, and Toma'Chef, a heirloom mix."
Toma'Gusto
The specialty specialist carries several of its own brands, including the well-known Toma'Muse. 2025 will be the year of building activity for the grower, but also the return of one of the tastiest branded tomatoes, the Toma'Gusto. For that, due to ToBRFV, no suitable variety with resistance was temporarily available, but that is about to change.
"The Toma'Gusto is a big tomato with the flavor of a small one. It is a real taste tomato, which is difficult to grow. When ToBRFV emerged it became extra difficult, but we now have another variety with resistance. As a result, Toma'Gusto will at least be back in the shops in Belgium from week 15."
Toma'Gusto
Stoffels Tomatoes grows a diverse range of specialty tomatoes. This is sometimes quite labor-intensive. To take a step forward in terms of labor, the company is investing in a new sorting machine at its packaging site in Rijkevorsel. Growth of the packing plant is not yet immediately necessary after the purchase of 10 hectares of greenhouse, says Max. "With our current capacity, we can still make good progress there."
For more information:
Stoffels Tomaten
[email protected]
www.stoffels-tomaten.be