Hessing Supervers and Brightlands Campus Greenport Venlo to collaborate on innovation and sustainability

Hessing Supervers and Brightlands Campus Greenport Venlo are going to collaborate on innovative solutions to make fresh vegetables keep longer, combat food waste and develop new sustainable packaging materials. On June 10, both parties signed an agreement to start the collaboration.

Fresher, smarter and more sustainable production

Short supply lines and fast, efficient processing are important for fresh vegetables to be fresh on store shelves and on consumers' plates. Hessing Supervers recently started building a new production location in Greenport Venlo that will supply even more consumers with fresh vegetables. In order to produce the vegetables that Hessing will be processing in Venlo in an even fresher, smarter and more sustainable way, the company is going to collaborate with Brightlands Campus Greenport Venlo.

Less waste, better packaging and new forms of cultivation

In all areas, the two partners will work on improving vegetable processing and making it more sustainable. They will devise innovative solutions to improve the shelf life of fresh vegetable products. This may involve new methods of packaging or shortening the time between harvest and consumption. Both parties are also researching new forms of cultivation, such as water cultivation, which Hessing has been experimenting with for some time. Furthermore, the valorization of residual flows, the search for sustainable packaging materials and the expansion of electric transport options are themes that the partners will address.

Fresh vegetables are top sport

Frank Hessing is looking forward to the collaboration with Brightlands: "For us everything revolves around fresh produce and every day it is top sport to get our fresh and healthy vegetables to our customers quickly and properly. The shelf life of fresh products is extremely important for our customers, because it prevents waste and increases turnover opportunities. We are therefore constantly looking for ways to improve shelf life. Together with Brightlands we can increase our knowledge in that area and come up with innovative solutions.

Strengthen position Greenport Venlo

Also Saskia Goetgeluk, director of the Brightlands Campus in Venlo is pleased with this new cooperation: "With Hessing as a partner there are good opportunities for the region to achieve a top position in agrifood, business and logistics. Hessing's plans fit in well with the development of the innovation ecosystem and with the education and research programs on campus. For our students it is interesting to let them experience practice. This is a nice basis for a fruitful cooperation!"

Source: Brightlands Campus Greenport Venlo