The leek volume at REO Auction has increased incredibly over the past two years. “During the first half of 2016, the supply of leeks to our auction was more than 30% higher than in 2014, with an obviously higher price. Working on this product for two years has paid off for our region and its producers,” says the chairman of REO Auction, Rita Demaré, in the preface of the REO Actueel magazine.
Investing in quality
Dominiek Keersebilck, commercial director of REO Auction, clarifies these figures: “This year we had a similar supply rate to last year, so that means that there were two good production years in a row, with a high supply as a result. The price is higher now than in 2014. Now, it is 48 cents, while back then it was half that.” The most important reason for the combination of increasing volumes and higher prices is our continuous investment in diligence and quality, according to Dominiek. “We invest in quality in all areas, from growing to sorting and packaging. We have advised the growers about production and varieties, and we have increased our diligence. In addition, we remain very vigilant during the delivery to the auction. For example, we are very strict with temperature checks. All of these measures are taken to guarantee the quality of the leek, even with a longer display time. To prevent misuse of the reference brand Flandria, we introduced a new leek-packaging box. We make the necessary adjustments to these boxes, if requested by our growers, merchants, and clients.”
More export to Spain and Italy
Dominiek states that this is appreciated by many clients. “We have invested in other markets this year. Normally, we are mostly focused on France, Germany, and the Netherlands, now we have also turned our attention to Spain and Italy. We noticed that certain merchants try to distinguish themselves and that they are willing to pay more for quality products. The business appreciates these efforts. Recently, I was at the market in Barcelona and many people stated that they could finally make some money with leeks. That is a good thing.”
According to Dominiek, sometimes it is hard for small agricultural family businesses to compete with larger producers when it comes to cost prices. “That is why we depend even more on quality and service in West-Flanders. We will keep on investing in quality, because we want to remain the leek reference of Europe.”
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