“We have the volume, quality and price to satisfy the French market”

Hoogsteder, a subsidiary of the Dutch group The Greenery specializing in the fruit and vegetable trade on the French market, entered the tomato campaign at the beginning of May, with its three flagship references: the Red Egg, the Mini Red Egg and the Chica.

Photo credit: Hoogsteder

The company intends to promote these three varieties on the shelves of French supermarkets and wholesalers. "The three references are complementary and each has its own strong points. The Red Egg stands out thanks to its elongated shape and intense red color, making it a distinctive tomato on the market. The Mini Red Egg is very popular in France, as it is very sweet. Its low water content makes it a very pleasant tomato in the mouth, with a longer shelf-life despite a high Brix level. It has a slightly thick, teardrop-shaped skin. As for the Chica, the 'top of the range' cherry tomato with a very high Brix level, it is very popular during the season," explains Rémi Drussé, account manager at Hoogsteder.

After a slow start due to poor weather conditions, the Red Egg and Mini Red Egg are now present in large quantities. "We now have the volumes needed to open lines in supermarkets, and the coloring required to satisfy French consumers. Another advantage that sets us apart from our competitors is that we have exclusivity on these varieties and we have developed visually differentiating packaging that makes our tomatoes stand out on the shelves."

Photo credit: Hoogsteder

Leek prices spike due to lack of supply
Alongside tomatoes, Hoogsteder also markets other vegetables such as leeks from the Netherlands, which are currently very popular. "France is facing major quality problems with leeks. There are worries about bolting and aesthetic irregularities, which means that they do not last very long on the shelves. The situation is not ideal in the Netherlands either, but we are lucky enough to have milder weather, which favors better quality. We can guarantee some supply. And of course, faced with this high demand and limited available volumes, prices have been soaring."