This week the first cauliflowers of French origin were sold by auction at the REO Veiling. These cauliflowers, grown by Belgian and French REO producers, originate from Northern France. "Our buyers receive free access to French produce this way. The cauliflower is available in sixes in various forms of packaging. The buyers has the choice between a newly designed box with a corner card, IFCO boxes, wooden crates or EPS boxes," says Dominiek Keersebilck, commercial director of the REO Veiling. The REO Veiling continues to invest in these French products and wants to add a number of typical winter products to its auction assortment.
France has become an important sales market for the REO products. In 15 years time the REO Veiling has created a rise in turnover of 35% on the French fresh market. Around 48% of the exported fruit and vegetables go towards France. This is 1/5 of all fresh fruit and vegetables sold at the REO Veiling. You could say that France has become the second home market for the Roeselaar cooperation. The growing population and the decline of the home horticulture in France offers opportunities for the REO Veiling. The investment in commercial power and bundling French produce in France ensures the REO Veiling gains more reputability as market party that creates local added value. The success on the French market rests on a fully transparent, honest communication and a rigorous quality policy.
The origin of the product is also an important buying motive for the consumer. The consumer now likes to buy local products and this certainly goes for our neighbours to the south. To meet this consumer demand REO Veiling is working with the French l'Union des Groupements de Producteur de Bananes de Guadeloupe et Martinique (UGPBAN). UGPBAN represents over 700 member producers and organises both the production and the harvest of their bananas, ripening and packaging, up to the distribution and sales to final customers in Europe.
Investing even more in the French fresh market
"It is essential that cooperations of producers in France and Flanders have found each other to market purely French produce. The structure and the organisation of the partnership are set up so that the same collaboration model can be rolled out across France." says Dominiek Keersebilck. "The REO Veiling is convinced that it has to invest even more in the French fresh market, but it remains our healthy ambition to also work in other European countries from a local cooperative involvement with respect to the individuality of the local production and from the strength of working together cooperatively on the level of producer organisations. In this way we choose an active market approach. This is why REO Veiling has been working with a French commercial adviser for a while, who represents the interests of the French B-2-B customer. Due to the strong growth of the product bundles in Northern France the REO Veiling will also attract a French product manager over the coming days," concludes Dominiek Keersebilck.
Investing even more in the French fresh market
"It is essential that cooperations of producers in France and Flanders have found each other to market purely French produce. The structure and the organisation of the partnership are set up so that the same collaboration model can be rolled out across France." says Dominiek Keersebilck. "The REO Veiling is convinced that it has to invest even more in the French fresh market, but it remains our healthy ambition to also work in other European countries from a local cooperative involvement with respect to the individuality of the local production and from the strength of working together cooperatively on the level of producer organisations. In this way we choose an active market approach. This is why REO Veiling has been working with a French commercial adviser for a while, who represents the interests of the French B-2-B customer. Due to the strong growth of the product bundles in Northern France the REO Veiling will also attract a French product manager over the coming days," concludes Dominiek Keersebilck.