Coop Sweden aims to increase the proportion of Swedish-grown tomatoes offered in its stores from this summer onwards as it will source from a new greenhouse in Frövi, developed by the Swedish company WA3RM.
The greenhouse project, taking place in collaboration with Svenska Odlarlaget (the Swedish Growers' Association), will account for one-tenth of Swedish tomato consumption annually, Coop noted.
The ten-hectare greenhouse will produce around 8,000 tonnes of tomatoes per year. The first tomatoes from Frövi are expected to be in stores by mid-August.
'Resource Efficient'
Elise Andersson, purchasing and assortment manager for fruit and vegetables at Coop Sweden said, "I am happy that we at Coop can now offer even more Swedish tomatoes in our stores, all year round. Tomatoes that taste good, are produced with great care for the environment and are resource efficient."
WA3RM seeks to develop the Swedish vegetable market by designing and building several greenhouses around Sweden heated with residual heat from industry.
Magnus Nilsson, CEO of the Swedish Growers' Association added, "Today, the majority of all tomatoes consumed in Sweden are imported from countries in southern Europe and northern Africa that have huge challenges with access to water.
"You should also take into account that food waste is reduced by choosing Swedish-grown tomatoes, as they reach the store directly after harvest."
Seasonal Consumption
A majority of Swedish consumers believe that seasonal consumption and local production are two of the most important parts of sustainable food consumption, according to a study by HUI Research on behalf of Coop Butiker & Stormarknader.
The study involved an online survey with 2,006 respondents and was conducted from 24-29 May 2023.
The investment in more greenhouses will also create room for other vegetables in the long term.
"More greenhouses of this type will be built in Sweden and we are currently making calculations together with WA3RM on more Swedish-grown products, such as peppers, sweet peppers, salads, strawberries and other exciting crops," Nilsson added.
The survey also showed that more than 80% of respondents consider buying seasonal fruit and vegetables to eat more Swedish-grown produce.
