The warm weather has had much influence on trade. “First of all, it’s not good for the product, but it’s also too hot for trade,” says Gert Turelinckx of Groothandel A&W Broeckaert. “Extremes are never good, neither cold nor hot. Some people come outside less when temperatures are this high.”
Fruit salads
He continues: “With this weather it’s very difficult to store the products in optimum conditions. Fruit and vegetables harvested now are more liable to quality problems. It would be ideal if it could be 23 or 24 degrees throughout the year, but we can only dream of that.” According to him, there are just a few products that are doing really well now. “People in catering establishments are asking for fruit salads a lot at the moment, much more than usual. But as soon as temperatures drop, that will stop again.”
Not always aware of the value of the euro
Gert has been business manager of Broeckaert since 2010, and supplies to catering establishments in Antwerp, Belgium. The company also supplies ships. He thinks it’s difficult to make predictions for the coming years. “There will be more convenience, but I think it’s remarkable that people don’t always consider the cost. For example, considering the amount of sliced lettuce in bags sold, that’s too expensive to produce. One head of lettuce of 500 grammes is much cheaper. Part of the consumers are willing to pay for it, but I think the majority isn’t always aware of the value of the euro. We often talk about it amongst ourselves in the trade. Talking about francs and guilders, we were much more aware of their values. We’re now quick to talk about 1000 euro like it’s nothing.”
He doesn’t entirely want to say everything was better in the past. “It’s definitely not true that it was always easier or more difficult. Some things were better, of course, but other things are better now. In the past, lorries had to be loaded and unloaded manually. People going home bent over wasn’t better. We now work with loading docks and forklift trucks, meaning the lorry can be unloaded within 30 minutes. But on the other hand, everything is meticulously timed, which makes it more difficult.”
Distinctive
Another challenge, according to him, is to be distinctive as a fresh produce trader nowadays. “Because everything is more transparent now, it’s become obvious that we’re actually all doing the same thing. We’re all poaching part of the market and supply good quality most of the time. Pure service is one aspect with which to be distinctive. We can do something extra where others stop. You naturally also have to make certain choices in that, regarding costs and the overall picture. A company has to remain profitable. We don’t work 24 hours, but we’re open 12 hours per day. Besides, we try to make it as easy as possible for our customers in various ways. For example, we’ll open an online shop this summer. This will also help make error margins as small as possible.” He indicates that the basis of trust is just as important as service. “In the long run, a good basis is most successful. A good cooperation will then grow between both parties.”
Stable customers
Supplying ships is going well according to Gert. “That sector has good and stable customers. We deliver a weekly package of fresh produce through a distributor. The irregularity is difficult in that field, you never know exactly when which ships will arrive and what they need. It’s currently a fairly stable market, it is possible that this becomes a focus in future, and might even have a growth margin.” For more information:
Gert Turelinckx
A&W Broeckaert BVBA
Tel: +32 (0)3 645 66 41
info@broeckaert.com
www.broeckaert.com