Growers United team

As of 15 October, Dutch fresh produce grower cooperative Door has announced that it has changed its name to Growers United.

'The new name fits in seamlessly with our strategy of doing business as a team,' said chairman Jack Groenewegen. 'That is where the strength of the cooperative that was founded in 2013 lies.'

The immediate reason for the change is is the group's new strategy, in which its healthy fruit vegetables from a trusted source are the primary focus.

'Our new strategy focuses on the consumers themselves,' explained commercial director Perry Dekkers. 'We want to reflect this with our new narrative and our promise: Good food in good hands.

'Growers United is a cooperative of family businesses with many years of experience, real professionals,' he added. 'Together with our customers, we want to encourage as many consumers as possible to enjoy healthy, tasty, and high-quality fruit vegetables from reliable sources several times a day. Straight from the producers and sustainably grown.'

The new name will soon appear on the façade of a new packaging centre, which is jointly owned by the cooperative's members.

Growers United said that its brands Prominent, Purple Pride, SweetPoint, Green Diamonds and PapriCo were increasingly joining forces, including in the field of joint packaging.

This month, the first employees will start working in the new building along the A20 motorway in Maasdijk.

Customised packaging and distribution of tomatoes, aubergines, pointed peppers and cucumbers will gradually start taking place at the new facility, the group outlined.

Growers United will continue to pack its blocky peppers from PapriCo in Noord-Holland, and the activities at the Scheeweg in De Lier will gradually be moved to the new building in the next few years.

'Our strategy should add value for our members and contribute to a strong position for our growers,' explained managing director Jan Opschoor. 'That's what it's all about for us.'

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