Dutch Agri Food Week Albert Heijn Marit van Egmond Elies Lemkes-Straver Carola Schouten

Pictured (l-r): an Albert Heijn supplier offers chopped veg to the supermarket chain’s Marit van Egmond, Dutch Agri Food Week chair Elies Lemkes-Straver and Minister of Agriculture Carola Schouten

Netherlands-based supermarket chain Albert Heijn has shown its support for the fresh produce business by setting out what it claims is the country’s largest vegetable stall, even attracting the support of Carola Schouten, Dutch Minister of Agriculture, Nature and Food Quality, in the process.

The stall forms part of the fourth edition of Dutch Agri Food Week, for which Albert Heijn is an ambassador. Taking place on 5-16 October, the initiative is designed to publicise and promote food in the Netherlands, with a particular focus on production and innovation.

Farmers, suppliers and processors are joining retailers, government officials and scientists to show what they’re doing as far as ensuring food is safe and healthy for consumers, both in the Netherlands itself and abroad.

'Albert Heijn wants to offer customers all the ingredients for a better life and that makes delicious, fresh and healthy food an important part of it,” commented Marit van Egmond, commercial director at Albert Heijn.

“It is therefore only logical that we make a contribution to the Dutch Agri Food Week. I am very proud that today, with more than 35 vegetable growers from AH, with whom we have years of cooperation, we are standing in the largest vegetable stand in the Netherlands to show and taste Dutch products. We want to show that eating more vegetables fits with a healthy diet.”

Visitors to the stall are being given the opportunity to fill a bag with fresh vegetables and wonky fresh produce for five euros. The proceeds will go to local charity the Haaglanden Food Bank, with any remaining products going to Food Bank Netherlands.