Press release

BelOrta and Lidl kick off local berry season with donation to Zorgband Leie & Schelde

Sint-Katelijne-Waver, 13 May 2026 – BelOrta and Lidl are jointly highlighting the start of the local berry season with a symbolic sale of Belgian blackberries. The blackberries were grown by the Royakkers family from Nazareth-De Pinte. Lidl purchased the crate for a symbolic price of €2,000, after which BelOrta doubled the amount. The full proceeds of €4,000 will go to Zorgband Leie & Schelde, a local welfare organisation that supports people in residential care, home care, and rehabilitation. Good news for consumers: the first Belgian berries are now also available in Lidl stores.

Support for Zorgband Leie & Schelde

Lidl purchased the first crate of blackberries for a symbolic €2,000, after which BelOrta doubled the amount to €4,000. The proceeds from this symbolic sale will be donated to Zorgband Leie & Schelde. The organisation supports people at different stages of their care journey, offering residential care, home care, local service centres, and rehabilitation care through Revales, its rehabilitation hospital.

“Thanks to this support, we can continue investing in high-quality, locally produced food for our residents. We aim to further expand cooperation with local farmers, embed this approach within our organisation, and gradually roll it out across all Zorgband Leie & Schelde campuses,” says Luc Van Huffel, chair of Zorgband Leie & Schelde.

Local products and local commitment

“At Lidl, we are firmly committed to Belgian products of the highest quality. By symbolically purchasing these first berries, we are not only celebrating the start of the berry season, but also reaffirming our long-standing collaboration with local growers such as the Royakkers family. The fact that we can simultaneously support Zorgband makes this initiative even more meaningful,” says Isabelle Colbrandt, spokesperson for Lidl Belgium.

“With this symbolic sale, we are putting the start of the local berry season in the spotlight,” says Wout Vereycken, Fruit Sales Supervisor at BelOrta. “Our growers will bring a wide range of Belgian berries to the market in the coming months. Thanks to Lidl, we can link this seasonal moment to support for a local charity.”

Local berries from the Royakkers family

The blackberries for this initiative came from the Royakkers family in Nazareth-De Pinte. Willy and Rina Royakkers have been growing blackberries for more than 30 years. The next generation is also ready to take over the business, with daughter Aline and her partner Jonas.

Great attention is given to flavour, quality, and shelf life in cultivation. Last year, BelOrta and the Royakkers family also introduced Bestum®, a new Belgian blackberry variety with extra focus on taste and texture. The variety has a firm bite and good shelf life, allowing it to reach consumers easily. The blackberry has a fresh sweet-and-sour taste and a firm structure, making it suitable as a snack, in yoghurt, or as part of a simple dessert.

With this symbolic sale, BelOrta not only aims to highlight blackberries, but also the start of the broader local berry season. This period marks the beginning of the season for various Belgian berries. The first raspberries have been available since early April, and the first redcurrants were sold at the beginning of May. Gooseberries will be available from mid-May, while blueberries typically start in early June. The first Belgian cherries are expected around the end of June.

Belgian berries remain popular

The popularity of local berries in Belgium is steadily increasing. Figures from GfK commissioned by VLAM show that Belgians consumed more than 2.90 kg of strawberries, cherries, raspberries, blackberries, and blueberries over the past year. Lidl also sees this trend reflected in its own sales figures: within just one year, the retailer recorded a 164% increase in sales of Belgian blackberries.

Belgian berries are now widely available for customers in Lidl stores.

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