Joost Blanckaert Senior and Junior act as a bridge between potato packers and producers, bringing both parties closer together. They give advice about various elements in the chain, such as strains, trade, markets and transport - but also about cultivation and cultivation areas. Senior and Junior already have years of experience in consultancy and trade. The volumes of Ulysse are between 20,000 and 30,000 tonnes of potatoes per year.
New direction
The company was originally founded in the 1980s by Joost Blanckaert Senior. In 1996 the company went in a new direction, one which mostly serviced the potato sector. Senior became a consultant with one of the largest potato packing companies in Belgium, in which his son Joost Blanckaert Junior had already been working (in purchasing, sales, transport and production) for 13 years. For almost four years now, both have also been active on the market as traders and advisers as Ulysse, and daughter Siska has now also entered the business.
Joost Senior, Joost Junior and Siska.
Active all over Europe
Blanckaert Senior indicates they are mostly active in the potato sector. “We are a bridge between the two parties, and have to make sure we know both of them very well, and that they are satisfied. And of course we need to know what our customers want.” Customers of packers are often in retail, and they each have their own demands in various areas. It is usually as follows: “A customer gives us some information about the type of potato they are looking for (for example: waxy, mealy, chips, and so on), and we then find the strain that fits perfectly. We then continue our search for a producer who will cultivate this strain. They need to have the correct attitude to match the customer. We also find the cultivation lands for the strain. We find the most profitable rates for both customer and producer. We prefer long-term relationships over single contracts.” Customers of Ulysse are all over Europe. “Germany, Belgium, the Netherlands, the UK, Ireland and France are the countries we are active in most.” How do they recognise a good cultivator? “The best producers keep their beds in the field. Furthermore, we work exclusively with certified cultivators.”
What is the value-added aspect of their business? “Knowledge of the market and having the correct people is our first advantage. We also have exclusive rights to trade certain strains in Europe, such as TPC’s Exquisa. Cultivators can acquire seeds of those strains from us alone. Besides, for packers it is a risk to establish everything. They work under contract for 60 to 70 per cent, and the rest is for the free market.” Competition also exists. “Especially in France many companies offer the same concept. That is why we think ‘say what you do and do what you say’ is the most important part. If you indicate certain traits of the strain to your customers, they need to be able to blindly accept these traits as facts,” according to Blanckaert Junior.
Making every transaction into a success story
The gentlemen see opportunities for the cultivation of small new potatoes in certain French regions. “Additionally, an increase of organic cultivation can be seen in Spain.” Junior and Senior are both mainly active on the fresh market, and also want to go further in the industry. “We are currently actively testing strains in France for industry. Apart from the common strains, we think there are even more possibilities.” The potato market remains challenging. “Every year is different and each new season brings forth its own surprises. The climate also has a large influence on our activities. We weekly keep track of the weather forecasts for all of Europe. We want to turn every transaction into a success story, because a satisfied customer and a satisfied cultivator is our greatest satisfaction.”For more information:
Joost Blanckaert Junior
Mobile: +32 475 663 250
Email: junior@ulyssenv.be
Joost Blanckaert Senior
Mobile: +32 475 815 479
Email: senior@ulyssenv.be