Producer Frupeco processes fruit for retail and food service. As of recently, the fruit processor started a new project, making it easier for consumers to meet their daily fruit intake requirement.
It all started with one apple peeler in a specialist greengrocer’s. Wim and his brother Bart Lammertyn took over the company from their father in 1995, who, besides growing apples and pears, also managed Fruithoeve Lammertyn, a specialist greengrocer’s. “With this apple peeler, the first step was taken in fruit processing,” Wim says. Due to increasing demand, a second peeler soon followed, and in 2000 the complete takeover of the fruit company occurred. Wim and Bart continued with the family company under the name Frupeco (Fruit Peeling Company). “Over the years, we were able to increase production capacity considerably by means of expansions and renewing, and by now we supply a complete range of fresh fruit and fruit salads. The fruit snacks are marketed under the SnackyFruit brand.”
The fruit processor from Lendelede in West-Flanders supplies sliced products to wholesale distribution, bulk consumption and food service for sales to companies including bakeries, fast food chains, food factories, supermarkets and the hotel and catering industry. “The sliced fruit and salads are processed by us in large quantities, and subsequently packed in large and small packaging,” he explains. In recent years he has noticed the market requiring more and more variation. “Not only is a broader assortment is desired, but, for example, other compositions and mixed packagings are also doing well. Furthermore, we have seen a growing demand for special products. Think of products that are difficult to process, such as pomegranate, coconut and mango. Similar fruits aren’t just laborious, people also want the guarantee that they are buying a ripe product. This is a trend, and a growing market for us.” Additionally, the fruit salads on juice are steadily disappearing in favour of fresh fruit salads. “Fruit salads on juice have a longer shelf life, but are not always fair. The scandal in France did the confidence in the product no favours. We still make them on demand, but the production of fresh fruit salads is clearly increasing.”
Creating product certainty by means of contract cultivation
The peeled and sliced apples are still an important part of the fruit processing. The apples and the pears are grown domestically as much as possible, and preferably they are even own cultivation. “Originally, we are a cultivation company, and we always continued doing this. In recent years, we have been planting more apples and pears again, so we can process them. Not just to keep the supply chain as short as possible, but also to cover availability a bit. In future, we would like to see more grown based on contracts for us, to create product certainty. For that matter, apples and pears can practically always be bought on the free market, although this year’s poor harvest might cause some problems.” The short lines help make Frupeco more sustainable. Wim mentions that the environment is an important point of attention within the company. “We have solar panels and residual streams are going to a digester. Nearly 90 per cent of our energy is green. Moreover, waste water is purified through a landscaped reed land. In future we hope to be able to purify the waste water in its entirety, so we can reuse it again in the production process. We want to get a closed supply chain as much as possible.”
Besides apples and pears, other fruit is also bought locally as much as possible, and if not possible, it’s imported directly or bought through third parties. Wim: “In principle, it’s first quality fruit, but for processing the correct ripeness is of great importance. Regarding sales we are completely dependent on the seasons and the availability in the countries concerned. We have top fruit, melons and pineapple year-round, for example, but fruit such as peaches, nectarines, strawberries and berries are true seasonal products.”
New sales channel
Frupeco recently started their project Fruityou. With it, the company offers convenience fruit at locations where it’s consumed, such as in offices and schools, but also during events. The fruit is offered by means of vending machines, fruit boxes or fruit baskets. “We want to make it easy for consumers to meet the daily recommendation of fruit. This is sometimes forgotten due to daily stress, deadlines and targets.” Besides fresh and sliced fruit, Fruityou also offers fruit salads, smoothies, juices and snacks in ready-made single portions. Wim has especially high hopes for the sales via vending machines at schools. “We would like to see parents encourage their children to choose fruit over unhealthy snacks. Consciousness is increasing, partly due to the great attention in the media for healthy food, but there is still much to be gained. In the end, consumers will have to decide for themselves, but a bit more encouragement could help.” As an example, he mentions the fruit subscription that gives pupils a balance so they can easily buy fruit and fruit snacks.
More information:
Frupeco
Wim Lammertyn