The hollow sound of a watermelon

By William Karels - Product Manager Melons and Field Products

Watermelon is a very popular fruit these days. Especially on hot summer days, watermelon is deliciously thirst-quenching. Although a watermelon consists of 95% water, it is rich in nutrients such as iron and vitamin C. The red colour is a result of the substance 'lycopene', which is also an ingredient of tomatoes. This substance has a positive impact on our health. Superfood for sure! But did you know that watermelon is not a fruit at all? Because of its sweet taste, consumers often associate watermelon with fruit, but in fact, it is related to the cucumber and therefore a vegetable.

Always the perfect match
The watermelon is delicious as a snack, in a summer drink or as an ingredient in dishes such as salads. We see that watermelons are only popular when the summer days are hot. The fluctuation can therefore be quite different from time to time. This is not always easy for growers.

Luckily, we can support our growers in this. Our strength is that we match buyers and growers, based on quality requirements. Our triangular relationship of growers, our own product specialists and the buyers means that we have all the necessary knowledge and information to get the watermelons to the best possible destination. In addition, our chain is short, which means that the shelf life is optimal, and the costs are limited. Thanks to our open communication and short lines, everyone knows what to expect, without surprises.

The smaller the better
The development of new varieties of watermelon is in full swing. Increasingly more growers can bring a tastier watermelon onto the market. The most striking trend we see is that the one-person watermelon or mini watermelon has become increasingly popular in recent years. This is not surprising, because such a small watermelon is much easier to consume than the large ones. In fact, nowadays the larger watermelons are no longer sold by the piece but are offered as half or even as a slice. The largest watermelons are still sold at local Spanish markets. Many large melons are also used in the fruit processing industry.