BRUSSELS – Horeca Flanders, the branch organisation for restaurants in Flanders, is taking action in response to the substandard, highly priced mussels from Zeeland over the past years.

In negotiations with the mussel dealers of Yerseke in Zeeland (the Netherlands), the federation is demanding a specific quality seal for the benefit of the Flemish restaurants.

Last summer the Zeeland mussel sector suffered something of a low point in its existence. “Poor delivery, terrible quality and yet a very high price,” says Luc De Bauw, chairman of Horeca Flanders.

That was a problem for the Flemish restaurants, which make a living off Zeeland’s mussels, but just as much of a problem for the four large mussel dealers in Yerseke.

An initial meeting with the sector took place in Yerseke in March. A seal of quality, put on the product by the Dutch dealers, will hopefully win back the confidence of the Flemings.

“The mussels that meet this standard will only go to the restaurants. They can in turn guarantee their customers that they are getting the highest quality mussels,” the dealers say.

[Copyright Expatica News 2007]

Subject: Belgian news