The days when Christmas was the peak period for the fresh produce catering wholesale business are long gone. Joost van Altena of Amsterdam-based Miedema-AGF notes that demand has started unusually late this year. "This year, suppliers need to take the initiative more often. They know that if customers wait too long, products can become too expensive or even unavailable."
"The dynamics of the industry have changed in recent years. In addition to restaurateurs, we now also serve many meal producers. They are extremely busy until Christmas, but the rush ends immediately afterward. Among restaurateurs, we see a continuing trend of making clear decisions. Christmas is an expensive time—not just for decorations but also in terms of staffing, as many restaurants want to accommodate their existing staff. Increasingly, restaurants operate at full capacity before Christmas and then close until early January."
May and September now peak months
What are the new peak periods for fresh produce catering wholesalers? "Broadly speaking, I think May and September are much busier months," Joost says. "During Christmas, there's a rush leading up to the holiday followed by a lull, but in May and September, there are more events like conferences and weddings. During those months, even beach venues can generate significant turnover as people embrace or extend the summer season, though this is partly weather-dependent." 
Dragon fly
Despite these shifts, Amsterdam's fresh produce catering wholesale sector is currently operating at full capacity. When asked about popular products, Joost highlights the citrus range. "During the COVID lockdowns, customers relied more on Dutch products, which were abundant and competitively priced. Now that supply chains have normalized, demand has shifted back to luxury items from further afield. This is particularly evident in the citrus range."
Etrog
Luxury citrus varieties 
"There are some exceptional citrus varieties available," Joost continues. "For example, the Meyer lemon (a cross between a lemon and a pomelo-mandarin hybrid), the Tangor (a cross between an orange and a mandarin), the Dragonfly (unsuitable for direct consumption but valuable for its essential oils), the Shikwasam, the Yuzu, the Bergamot lemon, and the Etrog—a massive lemon that can be up to five times the size of a normal lemon."
"At the ROC in Amsterdam, students are now taking a plant-based cooking course. Cooking with plant-based ingredients requires a much greater variety of fruits and vegetables. Recently, we supplied these students with a wide selection of European citrus fruits. It's incredible what they can create using citrus in all its forms—oil, juice, and pulp—for dishes ranging from pastries to marinades for main courses."
"We're not saying that the entire catering industry is shifting entirely to plant-based menus, but there is a noticeable increase in the percentage of fresh produce on plates. Vegetarian and vegan menu options are expanding, though fish and meat remain popular. Geographically, preferences differ; for example, in the eastern Netherlands, where I'm from, game season is a significant event. However, people are making more conscious choices, often opting for smaller portions. A well-prepared 150-gram steak paired with beautifully prepared vegetables can be just as satisfying as a 250-gram steak."
Shikwasa
The Greenhouse Restaurant
"One of our clients is Restaurant De Kas in Amsterdam. They have both a Michelin star and a Green Michelin star. They grow around 300 varieties of vegetables, herbs, and fruits on-site and at their larger field in the Beemsterpolder. Anything they cannot grow themselves, they purchase from us, and together we design the menu. While their base menu is primarily fresh produce, guests can add sustainably sourced meat or game as a supplement."
Tangor
The origin of produce is becoming increasingly important. "One of our corporate catering clients is already making the CO₂ emissions of their dishes transparent. Customers can still order flown-in haricot verts but are informed of the environmental impact. Personally, I believe it's important to present the full picture. For example, while you can choose organic mangoes from Peru, a conventional mango from Spain might be a more sustainable alternative. Providing this information allows customers to make informed choices."
"Because staffing is an ongoing challenge, we've seen an increase in demand for our pre-sliced range. At our slicing facility, we prepare fresh, custom-cut products daily for our clients. This is a lifeline for many businesses. It's often a cost-benefit trade-off—whether to prepare in-house or purchase pre-cut. Many businesses overlook the costs of waste and depreciation for slicers, but these expenses add up. More and more companies are realizing that ordering ready-to-use julienned carrots or batonnet cut hard vegetables can save them significant time and money."
"Because staffing is an ongoing challenge, we've seen an increase in demand for our pre-sliced range. At our slicing facility, we prepare fresh, custom-cut products daily for our clients. This is a lifeline for many businesses. It's often a cost-benefit trade-off—whether to prepare in-house or purchase pre-cut. Many businesses overlook the costs of waste and depreciation for slicers, but these expenses add up. More and more companies are realizing that ordering ready-to-use julienned carrots or batonnet-cut hard vegetables can save them significant time and money."
For more information:
Joost van Altena
Miedema-AGF
Tel: +31 (0)20 6220048
[email protected]
www.miedema-agf.nl