The brothers and business partners Volkan and Namik Yildirim are proud to show their brand-new warehouse, which they moved into almost a year ago. Sales Manager Namik points to a range of herbs, one of the specialties of the gastro supplier. “We get our herbs like basil, oregano, salmon and lemon balm solely from Israel and pack them in 80 gram trays here. The premium brands Gaia and Arava are certainly about 10-15 percent more expensive than Italian herbs, but then people are guaranteed to get top quality.” The origin is also guaranteed for other products such as sweet potatoes from the US or kiwis of the Zespri brand. The quality of the goods is also ensured by strict selections and checks, where the products are repacked, handled and sorted on site.
Brussels sprouts
In addition to premium quality, today's restaurant chains are trying to stand out from their competitors with unique products. As a result, the product range of Knackfrisch now also includes special items such as Jerusalem artichokes and purple carrots, which are in great demand in the gastronomy sector due to their intense taste and great color. On the other hand, even everyday products sometimes have their renaissance. Yildirim: “Brussels sprouts, for example, was a product used mainly at home until two years ago, but is currently on the rise again. And cabbages as well: a cross between Brussels sprouts and kale is especially popular in modern Italian cuisine.”
However, according to the brothers, the main thing is unlimited flexibility and the feeling of responding to short-term as well as long-term wishes. The brothers name convenience products as an example. Because completely against the current trend, their company supplies mainly raw materials. Yildirim: “We are relatively old-school, although we also offer sliced lettuce. Otherwise, however, we are more likely to notice current trends, at least among our clientele.”
Relocation
Knackfrisch was founded in 1995 as a retail company and has completely specialized in supplying large-scale consumers, homes, canteens and restaurant chains since 2010. Nowadays, the wholesale trade is managed by the second generation and in 2017 they relocated to their current headquarters on the outskirts of Mönchengladbach. In addition to the gastro deliveries, the company also offers school and office fruit. Today the company has about 20 employees and has 9 delivery vehicles that provide both traditional and modern restaurants within a 100 km radius with fresh products daily.
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