Fruitmasters and The Greenery intend to combine their fruit ranges, subject to approval by the relevant internal and external authorities, in a project provisionally called Fruit-NL.

Both Dutch companies believe that pooling their fruit supply will improve the market position of fruit farmers in the Netherlands. They will each have a 50 per cent share of the partnership.

Rian Verwoert, general director of Fruitmasters, is planning to act as director of Fruit-NL, with responsibility for the daily management being taken on by André van Tuil.

The board of commissioners will consist of eight members with Cees Masteling, vice-chairman of VTN (Dutch Growers' Association) as candidate chairman.

The primary objective of Fruit-NL will be the optimisation of turnover in the fruit sector. The first stage is the introduction of a single auction clock for fruit, the co-ordination of the various marketing strategies and improvement to the general efficiency of all logistics activities.

Meanwhile, the Greenery and Naturelle, a subsidiary of Jansen-Dongen potato retailers, have announced plans to combine their organic interests.

Naturelle has recently become a major player in the Benelux organic market, while the Greenery has previously focused its organic activities on the UK market.

According to spokespersons from both companies, the combination of expertise, backed by the Greenery's extensive logistical network, should lead to a strong position in the organic area.