Tomeco starts supply of cucumbers, melons this summer

Founded by a group of Hoogstraten’s tomato growers, the Tomeco pack-house was created to customise the offering of tomato varieties and services for the retail sector in Belgium and abroad. “It is important the pack-house belongs to the growers, so they have full control and can offer tailor-made services,” said CEO Tom Lefevre. For the first time, Tomeco is supplying mini watermelons on a large scale and a series of melon varieties are being tested, including Charentais, Galia and Canteloupe. “We are responding to greater demand for local products by providing a much shorter supply chain with minimum waste and footprint,” said Lefevre. The products are marketed via the Hoogstraten cooperative and sold under the Tomélon label, with 3-4,000 items supplied each week. Cucumber is another new product for Tomeco this season. The eight member growers have a total of 80 ha of glasshouse production, 50% of which is fitted with LEDs.