Nature’s Pride continues to expand

The importer of exotic fruit and vegetables has scheduled the start to an expansion of 21,000 m2 for September. The company has chosen practically the same construction team responsible for the current premises to realise this sustainable and automated new build project.

“We will enter into an agreement with four contractors: De Vries en Verburg, Climate Service Holland, Mansveld and Van Kempen Koudetechniek.  These four companies are familiar partners who also constructed our current premises. A tried and trusted partnership, that we believe will result in the joint creation of an impressive and sustainable building featuring the latest technology, » said Fred van Heyningen, CEO of Nature’s Pride.

“The rising demand for our ripened produce and the success of Apeel is driving rapid growth. The expansion will result in more space for ripening chambers and the logistics process. The warehouse facility will be automated and packing robots installed at the sorting lines. This will enable continued growth and safeguard our quality, » said Willem Verbakel, COO of Nature’s Pride.

The architecture of the premises, designed by Paul de Ruiter Architects, will reference and seamlessly match the current human-centred building. The sustainable characteristics of the building will be applied in line with recommendations from consultancy and engineering service DWA. Nature’s Pride already has a BREEAM-Excellent certificate for sustainability. The sustainability ambition is BREEAM-NL Outstanding for the expansion. For example, the new packing areas, cooling and ripening chambers will be heated and cooled sustainably. The residual heat generated by the cooling system will be utilised for low temperature heating regulated by a climate ceiling system. Solar panels will supply a significant proportion of the energy demand. Rainwater will be harvested, distributed and cleverly reused. The vegetation covered roof will convert CO2 into oxygen and filter fine particles from the air.

Nature’s Pride expects the new premises to be operational in Q4 of 2021.