This week is Westhoeve Potatoes, based in the Dutch town of Ouddorp's, 40th anniversary. In the last 20 years, in particular, this onion and potato exporter has made tremendous strides on the export front. For the owner, Jan Westhoeve, there is only one way to go, and that is up. "Many people are complaining bitterly about the potato season. We, however, had a super year", he says.
The company was founded in 1978 by Jan's father, Wim. "He was suddenly fired from his job at an onion farmer", tells Jan. "So, he started buying potatoes from local farmers. He then sold these to wholesalers in the Dutch cities of Hellevoetsluis, Leiden, and Delft. In this manner, he slowly expanded his activities. In 1986, the first packaging machine arrived, and he started packing potatoes for exporters."
At the end of 1996, Jan joined the business. This was not the original plan. "Until a year before, I always said I want nothing to do with potatoes. I worked in the hospitality industry. I wanted to take over a beach restaurant. I quickly learned that this was not going to happen. So, I ended up working at home anyway", Jan remembers.
This trading company focuses on export activities and are expanding steadily. "In the early days, we curbed our exporting activities. This was in order to help our Dutch clients. Over the last eight years, however, we have been purely focused on exports. I travel a lot, and we now sell worldwide. In the coming years, we hope to expand our export activities further. Next year we want to expand our building with 3.000 m2. We will also add new packing machines", continues Jan.
In the past few years, Westhoeve has also started exporting onions. These are packaged in Tuns, a nearby packing plant. "Every year is, of course, different but this last year has been fantastic. We had an unbelievable amount of sales. On a weekly basis, 60-70 containers of potatoes are sold. This is beside the 10-20 containers of onions. We have never exported as much as this year," says Jan.
Jan Westhoeve's brother, Peter, also holds shares in Westhoeve Potatoes. Dad, Wim, still lends a hand to the potato wholesale company. Jan is very optimistic about the future. "I do not see any threats. We are close to the farmers and keep far away from contracts. We also have close contact with the shipping companies and our overseas buyers", says Jan. "Clients get real-time information about the products they have ordered. I think this is the future. I expect export agencies to go this route. Doing our own exporting is the best decision we have ever made."
For more information:
Westhoeve Potatoes Holland
42 Hofdijksweg
3253 KB Ouddorp
Tel: +31 (0) 187 683 137
Fax: +31 (0) 187 681 274
info@westhoevepotatoes.nl
www.westhoevepotatoes.nl