“Almost no one eats regular potatoes at Christmas”

In that location are very few people who eat regular potatoes during the festive season,” begins Gerrit van Gelder, Van Gelder Groente en Fruit’south Managing Managing director. This Dutch visitor supplies fresh fruits and vegetables daily to the hospitality channel. Gerrit says people far more ofttimes choose special, processed, or ready-to-swallow potatoes. His company’s assortment includes 50 different types of potatoes and potato products.

At this fourth dimension of year, especially truffle potatoes, Roseval, Charlotte potatoes, sweetness potatoes, gratins, baby potatoes, and wedges are favorites, says Gerrit. “Those are all pretty big items, simply as the range keeps growing, the volume spreads over more and more products.”

He adds that although there is increasing need for potato specialties throughout the year, sales of these skyrocket at Christmas. “Our potato range has grown tremendously over the past decade. Christmas menus always include some kind of spud production, and eateries nowadays lovely dishes that include these,” Gerrit says. Then, flavor is a vital aspect of adding value. “There’s also a choice when it comes to flavor, like a Charlotte or truffle potato.” Van Gelder, for case, processes their ain Roseval potatoes to melt sous vide with rosemary. “It’southward not just a potato; we add together value to that spud. The food market’s ever looking for new, more flavorful products, which consumers demand also,” he explains.

Finnish Frex

I of the recently introduced specialties is Frex potatoes from Finland. “These accept a unique pure flavor. That’due south thank you to their natural growing method and special growing conditions in rich Finnish soil, with pure groundwater and high low-cal intensity.” Here, over again, the importance of flavor comes into play. “Potatoes that grow also fast have niggling flavour, while deadening, balanced cultivation ensures improved flavor,” explains the Dr..

Gerrit also finds that convenience is becoming increasingly of import. Though the hospitality sector even so buys ware potatoes for everyday apply, these are almost never unwashed and unpeeled – what he calls ‘dirty’ potatoes – anymore. Gerrit points out that huge volumes of those used to be sold. “Eateries and nutrient markets no longer order dirty potatoes. It’due south all shelf-ready; everything’s washed, peeled, processed, pre-cooked, or sous-vide cooked.”

Attractive, healthy dishes

Neither the fruit and vegetable sector nor Van Gelder Groenten en Fruit can escape the effects of inflation and rising prices, yet Gerrit considers this sector the right one in which to be. Meat and fish prices are facing increasingly college cost increases than fruit and vegetables. That means restaurateurs opt for slightly smaller cuts of meat and slighter more other components such as vegetables and potatoes. “It’s more profitable to serve more varied potatoes and vegetables. The netherlands has also get more sustainable; a tale that suits fruit and vegetables well. Nosotros’re in the right manufacture to offering attractive, healthy dishes to the food market which costs less than meat or fish,” he continues.

The tendency of moving abroad from brute-based to more plant-based diets is axiomatic in the hospitality manufacture, fifty-fifty apart from the increasing costs, states Gerrit. “Nosotros expected that change and take responded by investing and ensuring we take a complete range. We’re fully committed to offer the Dutch market attractive, healthy dishes that include more varied fruit and vegetable products.” That is something diners observe when they visit restaurants, says Gerrit. “Guests are no longer satisfied with simply a cauliflower floret or ii; they desire something special that adds value to the meal,” he concludes.

Gerrit van Gelder

Van Gelder Groente en Fruit

T: +31 (0)6 17 94 65 50
[email protected]
www.vangeldernederland.nl