Dutch investors buy Belgium’s biggest tomato grower

The owners of Belgium’s largest tomato grower, Den Berk Délice, have sold a majority stake to Dutch investment fund Egeria. The company wants to use the raised capital to expand its international activities.

Expansion

The tomato grower is a family business, headquartered in Hoogstraten (province of Antwerp), that supplies tomatoes to almost all food retailers in Belgium. The company specialises in varieties including Kumato, Yoom Délice or the Miss Perfect cherry tomatoes. The company recently opened a tomato farm in Morocco to provide fresh tomatoes all year round.

Earlier this year, the company started looking for an external investor to help support its international expansion plans. That financial partner has now been found in Egeria, Belgian newspaper De Tijd reports. Tomato growers Luc Beirinckx, Hans van Gool, Paul van de Mierop and Koen Lauwerysen do remain on board as minority shareholders.