Dutch cooperative credits new Smart Fruit Hub facility with making it more resilient in unpredictable market
Dutch cooperative FruitMasters says the opening of its new, automated packing centre this time last year enabled it to cope better with the challenges associated with unpredictable supply and variable market pricing, after securing pre-tax earnings of €9.3mn on higher sales of €306mn in 2025.
At an annual meeting of its member growers last week, the group said it had been able to secure higher revenue and maintain a similar operating profit to the year before, despite a challenging trading environment which it said was characterised by high volumes and persistent price pressure.
“This is proof that the strategy is paying off and that the organisation is operating with increasing resilience and efficiency, even in a turbulent market,” it commented.
With the arrival of its state-of-the-art Smart Fruit Hub in Geldermalsen, depreciation costs and interest expenses reportedly increased, contributing to a “projected small negative result” for the 2025 financial year.
It noted: “This result was better than projected and is in line with the business case and the pre-established budget.”
Last year’s fruit campaign was especially unpredictable due to highly changeable weather conditions, it noted. “An early start, followed by warm and dry periods, caused shifts in harvest times and required flexibility in planning and sales.”
