The company supplies products to companies in Belgium, France and the Netherlands. The fruit and vegetable sector is an important buyer of Galoppin and worth 20% of the total turnover. "Our company is in the chicory region close to Kampenhout. When my grandfather started the company in 1937, the chicory sector was even bigger than it is now. He supplied covering sheets of blue paper to the growers. He also offered products to bakers and butchers and this is still the case. This way we can spread risk by not focusing on one sector. This also created new ideas. Certain packaging solutions for one sector can also be used for another. The carton company we took over was specialised in cake and bakery boxes. From there we found solutions for the fruit and vegetable sector."
Everything in hand
Galoppin buyers are auctions, growers, wholesalers, exporter, supermarkets and shop owners. The company has everything in hand from production to supply. With the help of tens of machines the products are made from the roll or the sheet. "From cutting paper to printing and setting up boxes, Galoppin produces everything themselves. We also keep stores of certain products, so that we can quickly play into demand. Delivery time is the most important selection criteria for the fruit and vegetable sector. A lot of paper supplied to the fruit and vegetable sector is covered with a paraffin layer. This can be both shiny or matte and protects the product against various substances such as damp or damage. Paraffin paper was firstly used for meat and cheese, but increasingly often for fruit and vegetables as well. Paper for chicory has a paraffin layer almost as a standard."
Plastic bag
Marc sees the demand for paper increase. "The tendency in Europe is that less plastic is allowed to be used or it has to be paid for. It may even be banned in the future. Supermarkets are looking for good alternatives to the plastic bag. Paper more often than not is preferred, especially in he fruit and vegetable department. This is a more ecological solution and of course a renewable raw material. I expect this tendency to continue further." Galoppin supplies paper bags with the FCS brand.
Defining
Wholesalers and exporters still have a lot of vegetables packaged, both in foil and carton or a combination. Marc finds it difficult to predict how that demand will develop. "This is mainly guided by the supermarkets. If they want a sealed pepper, it will be supplied. The tendency is that more is packaged small. Every trader, auction or supermarket wants to differentiate themselves and as all fruit and vegetables look alike, they can only define in packaging. The question is: is it always needed?"
On the ball
A lot has changed in the area of packaging compared to ten years ago. "Back then a wholesaler just had a few standard packagings and these lasted for years. Now there are a lot of different packagings and they are regularly changed. A lot changes in other areas, such as printing, demands, house style, sortings, calibres and traceability. People want more information on the packaging. Or less, for instance in Russia. Then packaging had to be neutral, without an origin. It happens increasingly often that things in the fruit and vegetable sector change quickly and we have to play into this. Being on the ball is one of our characteristics." Despite the chicory region no longer being what is used to be and the number of fruit and vegetable exporters decreasing exponentially in the region, Marc certainly sees opportunities for the future in the fruit and vegetable sector. I expect the customer base to remain if we keep our clients happy."
For more information:
Marc Galoppin
Galoppin Papier
Leuvensesteenweg 364-366
3190 BOORTMEERBEEK
tel: 0032 (0) 16/60.30.40
fax: 0032 (0) 16/60.13.25
info@galoppin.be
marc@galoppin.be
www.galoppin.be