Pioneers of F1 Hybrid Strawberries: Harrie Jonker (FruitMasters)

In the sixth installment of our series Pioneers of F1 Hybrid Strawberries, we focus again on an indispensable partner in this transition. In this edition, Harrie Jonker, cultivation expert at FruitMasters, shares his insights on the unique opportunities for F1 Hybrid Strawberries and Limore One for growers and distribution.

In this article, you will read about:

Why FruitMasters sees great potential in Limore One
How Limore One ensures an optimal and stable harvest pattern
How Limore One meets the changing needs of the consumer

FruitMasters is a leading cooperative of fruit growers based in Geldermalsen, The Netherlands with several service hubs across the country. With more than 400 affiliated growers, FruitMasters focuses on the marketing of fruit both nationally and internationally.

The organization supports growers and manages the fruit from cultivation to consumer, including sorting, packaging, marketing, and retail presentation. As one of the largest fruit grower cooperatives in Europe, the company primarily focuses on hard and soft fruit, but also supplies stone. Thanks to their strong logistical and facility infrastructure, they are an indispensable player in the fruit market.

From grower to supermarket

As a cultivation expert at FruitMasters, Harrie Jonker mainly guides soft fruit growers, including those of raspberries, strawberries, blackberries, red currants, and blueberries. He explains, "My focus is on field service, especially product and cultivation matters. I support growers in their cultivation processes, from supply and quality to variety selection and cultivation forecasts. Our main goal as a cooperative is to maximize the yield from our growers' crops."

With this goal in mind, Harrie also works closely with breeders to stay updated on the latest developments and varieties. “This enables us to continuously identify new opportunities for growers,” says Harrie. “For instance, Sjoerd Gipmans, Account Manager Strawberry at Limgroup, contacted us to test two new interesting varieties. We introduced these varieties to two growers and monitored them closely. One of these varieties was Limore One. Although we receive many new varieties each year, the fact that Limore One is grown from seed made it immediately more interesting than many other varieties. When the growers also reported that Limore One performed above expectations, we started working more closely with Limgroup to learn everything about this variety.”

At FruitMasters, we promote new varieties to supermarkets, wholesalers, the hospitality industry, and catering, but only if we see real potential in those varieties. For supermarkets, three aspects are vital: taste, shelf life, and supply reliability. For consumers, taste is ultimately the most important; a strawberry simply has to taste good. But with both, sustainability is becoming increasingly important. We are currently very focused on Limore One, and the variety is showing excellent results. If these results continue and the variety keeps growing, this is definitely a variety with a lot of potential."

“If these results continue and the variety keeps growing, this is definitely a variety with a lot of potential.”

Reliable forecasts thanks to a stable harvest pattern

"Besides being revolutionary, Limore One produces delicious strawberries and beautiful, large fruits," says Harrie. "We also see several major advantages for the grower. Since plant breeders can plant when they want, the plants no longer need to be cooled. This offers growers many benefits: the plant immediately produces optimally and delivers a uniform harvest, without the disadvantages of cooling. Another important advantage is that growers with Limore One can order exactly what they need at a later date. This means they can plan ahead and accurately calculate the required number of plants. As a result, the plant breeder no longer needs to make estimates more than a year in advance and can sow the plants based on the exact demand. This reduces waste and increases efficiency, ultimately resulting in healthier and more uniformly growing plants.

Limore One's stable harvest pattern also brings peace of mind to the farm. Growers know exactly what to expect and do not have to worry about production fluctuations. This also allows them to make much better labor planning, making them more efficient and effective. This enables them to better respond to market demand and improve supply reliability.”

“Supply reliability is essential for supermarkets,” continues Harrie. “We buy the strawberries from the growers and then deliver them to supermarkets. Together with the supermarket, we make forecasts to ensure that we can deliver the strawberries at the right time and for the right price.

You want to avoid ups and downs as much as possible. Suppose you estimate that there will be a production peak next week and you plan a sales promotion together. If it then turns out that you are short of strawberries, you cannot deliver 100%. Conversely, if you think there will be a dip and there is actually a peak, the strawberries are overpriced.

I think Limore One can make a lot of improvements here. Thanks to the stable harvest pattern of this variety, you have an incredibly stable supply, allowing you to make very reliable forecasts. As a supermarket, you can almost blindly trust the number of strawberries delivered.”

"Limore One's stable harvest pattern also brings peace of mind to the farm.”

A sustainable choice in the supermarket

However, Harrie sees another area where Limore One can achieve the most significant results. “Sustainability is a factor we can no longer ignore in the strawberry sector,” he says. “This is where I see the greatest advantage of Limore One. In the clonal process, you are already busy making and setting cuttings two years in advance. With seed propagation, you skip those steps. As a result, the plant spends much less time in the ground, which means you need significantly less crop protection and fertilization. This naturally has a positive effect on sustainability.”

This is especially important because consumers are increasingly concerned with sustainability. Where people previously chose a particular strawberry based solely on taste, it is becoming increasingly important to be able to make a sustainable choice in the supermarket. This influences the consumer's choice in the supermarket. Sustainability is also essential for growers, especially given the strict regulations. The rules are now so stringent that it is almost impossible for growers to comply. This is where Limore One could really provide a solution. It is clear that this variety offers future potential on multiple fronts.”

Alternatives to Elsanta

The most important thing for us as a cooperative in terms of sales is that Limore One produces incredibly tasty strawberries with beautiful, large fruits. If the plant is also well-preserved and scores better than average, I am convinced that you can place Limore One in the market anywhere. This offers opportunities in a changing market. Elsanta, traditionally the most significant strawberry variety, is declining in acreage every year. Therefore, growers are looking for new varieties, especially everbearers. There are several other interesting everbearers, but they all still have room for improvement. I think we can achieve many of these improvements with Limore One. Now the variety needs to prove itself to convince growers. Production is also crucial in this; growers must achieve sufficient production to obtain a reasonable cost price. With the large strawberries and the picking results we have seen so far, I expect Limore to meet these expectations.”

Therefore, we at FruitMasters want to be involved in this development. We want to be at the forefront so that we can immediately supply supermarkets with the latest and most sustainable strawberries to help them stand out in market. Together, we can take the entire sector to the next level.”

“There are several other interesting everbearers in the market, but they all still have room for improvement. I think we can achieve many of these improvements with Limore.”

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