Sustainable Doers of Hutten

1 Tielen Groenten

Tielen Groenten: Innovation and Sustainability in Cultivation

In 2002, the young Johan Tielen formed a partnership with his parents, and in 2006, he took full ownership of the family business, Tielen Groenten. Today, the company cultivates 26 types of vegetables, both organic and conventional. “Organic is the future,” says operations manager Jeroen Huijs. Tielen supplies zucchini to Hutten, and in the ‘Sustainable Doers’ series, we highlight this collaboration.

Tielen is committed to sustainability, with solar panels covering 70% of its energy consumption. The focus is on eco-friendly cultivation, with zucchini and pumpkins as key crops. A portion of the zucchinis is supplied to Hutten.

The zucchinis are grown in open fields across 400 hectares, with 100 hectares dedicated to organic farming. Flower strips and beehives are introduced to support pollination. After harvest, the zucchinis are cooled and packaged using increasingly less plastic.

Tielen invests in innovative technologies like the Carbon Laser Weeder, which precisely removes weeds without disturbing the soil. Additionally, De Verspillingsfabriek processes surplus zucchinis and pumpkins into soups, with further collaborations in the pipeline.

2 Fresh Valley

Small Tomatoes, Big Story – Fresh Valley: Sustainable and Innovative Tomato Cultivation

Since 2011, René Tielemans has been supplying his sustainably grown Juanita vine cherry tomatoes to Hutten. What started as a modest collaboration has grown into a large-scale operation under the name Fresh Valley. With 30 hectares of cultivation across six locations, Fresh Valley is committed to innovation and sustainability.

Tielemans grows his tomatoes in greenhouses, where bumblebees provide natural pollination and mesh screens protect against insects. The water used is collected rainwater, making water consumption fully sustainable. Advanced climate control and water management ensure that each vine produces exactly 14 tomatoes, allowing for uniform growth and high quality.

In addition to tomatoes, Fresh Valley is the market leader in the Netherlands for snack cucumbers, which are highly sought after in the retail sector across Europe. Hutten also sees great potential for these cucumbers in corporate vitality programs, where healthy snacks are becoming increasingly popular.

Fresh Valley utilizes CHP engines and solar panels to supply energy to over 12,000 households. The CO₂ released from heating the greenhouses is reused by the plants, further reducing environmental impact.

Beyond sustainability in cultivation, Fresh Valley also prioritizes social responsibility. The company invests in high-quality housing for its international workforce and collaborates with care farm MeMo to provide meaningful daytime activities.

3 SemperVere

SemperVere: Climate-Positive Indoor Farming

Located near Venlo, SemperVere is a pioneer in indoor farming, growing lettuce varieties and herbs year-round—completely pesticide-free and with minimal water use. Thanks to their Circular Indoor Greenhouse, the company is CO₂-neutral and even climate-positive. Solar panels on the roof generate four times more energy than they consume.

Hutten has partnered with SemperVere from the start, drawn by the long shelf life and sustainable production of their crops. The produce, which requires no washing, stays fresher for longer and is delivered with minimal packaging.

Beyond sustainability, SemperVere also prioritizes fair working conditions, offering stability to their employees. Additionally, they are exploring ways with Hutten to repurpose byproducts, such as chives, in De Verspillingsfabriek products.

4 TrendingTea

TrendingTea: A 100% Fair Tea Supply Chain

Founded in 2016 by Roeland Veen and Niels Schutter, TrendingTea has eliminated all middlemen in the tea supply chain. They import real tea leaves directly from farmer cooperatives in Sri Lanka. As a Social Enterprise and Fairtrade-certified company, they are committed to a fully sustainable and fair tea industry. Hutten chose TrendingTea for their dedication to the environment, biodiversity, and social justice.

By operating through Direct Trade and Fairtrade, Sri Lankan farmers receive 30% to 50% higher wages, ensuring a living income. The tea leaves are packaged locally, reducing transport emissions and improving working conditions.

TrendingTea offers loose tea and pyramid tea bags with no additives, packaged in sustainable refill packs, saving 80% of packaging materials. Their bamboo displays are handcrafted locally by Leger des Heils (Salvation Army) participants. Additionally, TrendingTea invests in local communities and promotes biodiversity through rainwater harvesting and agroforestry initiatives.