Cooperation Rainbow Paprika Telers u.a was formed in 1997 with just seven growers. Today, across The Netherlands it has 24 members. The aim was to be able to deliver direct to customers, both national and international, a range of fresh produce sorted and packed according to the customers’ wishes. In 1997, the Cooperative started a centralised sorting and packing station to improve customer service.
Today, the 24 members of the Cooperative have a production area of 100ha of Master Class Greenhouse production of bell peppers, aubergines, tomatoes and cucumbers. Every member of Cooperation Rainbow meets the requirements of the GlobalGap system – short for Global Good Agricultural Practice. This system was set up by the European supermarket organisations and lays down the standards that growers are required to meet concerning food safety, durability and quality. The members are also members of growers cooperation FresQ, under which sales of tomatoes, peppers, cucumbers and aubergines are organised. The members of Cooperation Rainbow deliver fresh produce to this organisation. Rainbow International BV, an organisation owned by the members of Cooperation Rainbow that was established in 2003
cooperates with specially selected growers and suppliers in different countries in order to widen the range of produce on offer with field produce, fruit and a complementary range of greenhouse vegetables.
Sustainability is important to each and every one of the Cooperation members. During the cultivation of the crops, the growers exclusively use biological crop protection. In addition, one of the Rainbow members, “Kwekerij De Wieringermeer” uses a climate neutral pepper production method by means of geothermal and wind energy. This method reduces CO2 emissions by 1,350t per year.
In 1997, it installed its first centralised sorting and packing area in De Lier, in the Netherlands. In mid-2009, investment was made to modernise the flowpack station and flowpacking lines. As a result, the operation is now fully certified to all the relevant standards and has a packing surface of 13,000m2 with
26 docking stations. Furthermore, investment was also made in climate control within the packing area in order to extend the life of the produce passing through the plant.
Alongside the packing areas are facilities for cross-docking, storage and transhipment, conditioning and transport, plant protection certification and a Customs depot. This extremely modern facility enables Cooperation Rainbow in cooperation with FresQ Rainbow Growers Group to offer fresh produce direct from the grower, central sorting, consistent quality, grading into different sizes, tailor made packaging and, perhaps most importantly, Just in Time deliveries. Cooperation Rainbow is accredited to GlobalGap, HACCP, BRC, TNC, DRC, QS, IFS, SKAL, ISO 22000 and RIK.
Cooperation Rainbow has grown significantly over the last years. Through FresQ it now provides fresh produce to retail outlets, supermarkets, wholesalers and caterers across Western and Eastern Europe as well as to the USA. Not only has business continued to grow steadily but, also, the range of products has increased. Some of this is undoubtedly due to the continuing presence of FresQ, and thereby FresQ Rainbow Growers Group, at the Trade Fair Fruit Logistica in Berlin. Rainbow is now looking to expand further through Rainbow International, with own direct import lines of garlic from China and pineapples from Costa Rica.
For further information please telephone 0031 17452 4132 or visit www.rainbow-growers.nl.
