Belgium: Quality Nuts specialised in small packing nuts and dried fruit

"We have a wide assortment of nuts and dried fruits. In the area of nuts we make our own mixes. We get many of our products through a Dutch supplier. Some of it we import ourselves, for instance from Spain, France, Italy and America. We keep a close eye on the dollar exchange rate for the American trade. We also work in dollars with Turkey. At the moment the dollar is in a good place, which is positive. Nowadays the authorities have much tighter checks. This is very important for keeping an eye on the health of the consumer."

"Many of our customers like traditional products, and they remain best-sellers. Yet we have seen the demand for new products increase over the course of the years. For instance the Goji berry and the Cranberry. These healthy berries have certainly increased in popularity. The share of nuts and dried fruits in volumes is 50/50. Figs and dates are the most well known of the fruits. "Recently the assortment has been extended with all kinds of fruits, even tropical ones like mango, papaya and kumquats. Really, any fruits available fresh are available dried. The dried fruits have been dried naturally, or sweeteners have added for a nicer colour and longer shelf life. A lot of dried fruit is bought when there isn't much fresh fruit on the market. Around Easter, when the strawberries start again, the consumer returns to eating fresh products," concludes Monique.