"We're not looking at large volumes, but concentrating our efforts"

Israeli supplier Bellissima's request to deliver fruit and vegetables to their Eastern European buyers during the summer months as well, and to sell Israeli products in the Benelux, led Michiel Groenewegen and Robert Blomsteel to establish Bellissima Europe early this year. With this, the organic entrepreneurs took their first steps on the conventional road. "But we keep our businesses strictly separated. Organic will always be our baby. You can't do a little bit of both. That's why we're looking for an enthusiastic colleague with some experience, who can further shape Bellissima Europe's activities. This applies to both sales of produce from Israel and sales to Eastern European buyers."

Michiel and Robert

Selective
Bellissima Europe started by delivering bell peppers and tomatoes to Russian retailers, and during the season, citrus and pomegranates also found their way to Eastern Europe through Bellissima Europe, soon to be followed by avocados and mangoes in August. "We want to build up slowly and strongly. We are selective in our buyers, looking where we can add value. Above all, we want to achieve continuity of sales to our existing buyers," Michiel relates.

The differences between conventional and organic fruit and veg export are vast, the entrepreneurs have noticed. "Volumes in conventional fruit and veg are much larger, and price fluctuations are much more unpredictable. But in the end it's about how much you end up with. Eastern Europe is not yet a big export market for organic fruit and vegetables, but it's a huge buyer of conventional fruit and veg, and you never know how an organic market will develop. Russian retail is seeing a lot of growth, and we are looking to get a slice of that pie. We certainly don't want to do everything and in large quantities, but we do try to focus our efforts, looking to see if we can fill programmes for produce that is in high demand."

All in all, Michiel and Robert reflect on Bellissima Europe's first half year with satisfaction. "We started from scratch, and have seen a good half year. With our strategic partnership with our Israeli shipper, we have a solid foundation, and we're free to source elsewhere as well. The low prices for Dutch tomatoes and bell peppers early this year were of course advantageous for us to buy, but we're looking for regular suppliers for the long term. We can deliver to the whole world from here, and now we want to build long term relationships!"

For more information:
Michiel Groenewegen / Robert Blomsteel
Bellissima Europe
Honderdland 242
2676 LV Maasdijk
Tel: +31(0)174-519335
www.bellissima-europe.eu