Over nine years ago Coert de Winter started a fruit import company called 'Cuddy Import & Export', alongside his wholesale plumbing company. He has specialized in banana and pineapple import and receives melons, grapes and citrus as well. The sales mainly take place within the Dutch fruit and vegetable trade sector.
Coert visiting banana suppliers in Costa Rica
"My office is located at my house and I import about two containers per week. The containers are then unloaded by R&M Forwarding in Schiedam, South Holland and by Dokus de Klerk in Barendrecht, South Holland," says Coert. Cuddy imports most of it's bananas from Ecuador, followed by Colombia, while Costa Rica provides the most pineapples. "The pineapple prices have skyrocketed due to bad weather in Costa Rica. Banana prices fluctuate on an annual basis, so you have to look at the long term results. Its all dependent on good shippers. If you have the volumes, then you can make schedules."
According to Coert, there is definitely room in the fruit import sector for 'one man enterprises', "I try to earn money from each container. The big multinationals use me, for example, if they have pineapples that are not suitable for retail. I repackage the pineapples for them and then I keep an eye on them for future sales opportunities. I stay away from contracts with big retailers that have almost impossible delivery obligations, and there is still a large enough market left for me to do business with. You can earn a good living this way. However, I struggle with the fact that I have to pay out of my own pocket if I want to scan a container from a new shipper for drugs. That costs me 540 Euro. The government really needs to do something about that."
For more information:
Cuddy Import & Export
Drionpad 16
3053 TT Rotterdam
Tel: 010-2363980
info@cuddy.nl
www.cuddy.nl