He was one of the pioneers in the field of pre-cut goods when the term convenience was not even around. Today, longtime entrepreneur Stephan Junkers is still dealing with this product segment, which is currently growing rapidly, especially in Germany. Despite the huge growth, conditions are the same as they were then: The main thing is that the respective FreshCut products actually have an additional value and thus differ from conventional fresh goods, says Mr. Junkers.
The team of Go Fresh GmbH: the founder and owner Stephan Junkers at the right
'Added value'
Shelf life is still one of the biggest challenges in the Fresh Cut sector. Nonetheless, Junkers - due to his own experiences- does not believe in the artificial extension of the shelf life. Instead, he puts a special emphasis on so-called fast-turnovers. As a result, the long-standing entrepreneur draws the conventional goods largely from the immediate vicinity and imports goods via major suppliers in the nearby Frischezentrum Venlo. "I will have certain varieties, depending on the product I prefer: I find that interesting as a producer myself. In addition to the origin, however, we must also make the customer understand what is part of the convenience business: effort, logistics, traceability, etc. This is also part of my job as a manufacturer.”
'Added value'
Shelf life is still one of the biggest challenges in the Fresh Cut sector. Nonetheless, Junkers - due to his own experiences- does not believe in the artificial extension of the shelf life. Instead, he puts a special emphasis on so-called fast-turnovers. As a result, the long-standing entrepreneur draws the conventional goods largely from the immediate vicinity and imports goods via major suppliers in the nearby Frischezentrum Venlo. "I will have certain varieties, depending on the product I prefer: I find that interesting as a producer myself. In addition to the origin, however, we must also make the customer understand what is part of the convenience business: effort, logistics, traceability, etc. This is also part of my job as a manufacturer.”
Above all, however, the customer must immediately understand what makes the convenience product itself attractive. That means, according to Junkers, that the products should be both tasteful and easy to use. Since the Fresh Cut products of course are in higher price ranges, a balanced price performance must also be there. 'Every single product therefore needs a so-called added value', is his message. He uses the pomelo as an example: “Once you have peeled it, you do not have to do it again. If we can sell them already peeled, the customer has an added value compared to the unpeeled goods, and we have a good selling point.”
Know-how
With a wide range of products and various packaging units as well as various appearances, Go-fresh GmbH is able to respond to individual and specific customer requirements. According to Junkers, at a certain point convenience food producers have meet their customers and respond to the trends in large-scale consumption: "There are fewer and fewer chefs and those who remain, are doing something different than cutting fruit and vegetables. This actually makes convenience products a necessary alternative for running the catering business. In the course of this, we see ourselves as the extended arm of the cold kitchen. But that also means that we have to offer the customer the opportunity to make a difference, which is why we have everything possible in our assortment.
With a wide range of products and various packaging units as well as various appearances, Go-fresh GmbH is able to respond to individual and specific customer requirements. According to Junkers, at a certain point convenience food producers have meet their customers and respond to the trends in large-scale consumption: "There are fewer and fewer chefs and those who remain, are doing something different than cutting fruit and vegetables. This actually makes convenience products a necessary alternative for running the catering business. In the course of this, we see ourselves as the extended arm of the cold kitchen. But that also means that we have to offer the customer the opportunity to make a difference, which is why we have everything possible in our assortment.
Currently, the convenience range is increasing rapidly across Europe and above all in Germany, which is why a large number of existing fruit and vegetable suppliers are opting for the FreshCut business. However, Junkers observes this development with mixed feelings: “Of course, competition is driving us all to the top. However, you also need a certain amount of experience or know-how, because you can not just make convenience food on the side. Because of this, you also have to specialize: for example, we clearly focus on bulk consumers and do not supply food retailers, because our product range is simply too broad. In general, the zeitgeist is clearly there: the young generation looks at sustainability, healthy products, etc. This is not only beneficial for us as a convenience manufacturer, but for the whole industry.”
New building 2019
Stephan Junkers has a long career in the fruit and vegetable industry, where he founded several successful companies and worked in the supply of airlines right from the start. In 2011, Go-Fresh GmbH was founded - a fruit and vegetable manufactory that supplies bulk consumers of all kinds with both hand-cut goods and machine-cut products. However, 70% of the product range consists of fruit, salads and single products. The range is supplemented by high pressure-pressed fruit juices from the Belgian business partner Juicy Group. The company headquarters -with a total capacity of 7000 square meters- is located in Geilenkirchen, close to the Dutch border. An expansion of the operating area is already in the making: by the end of 2019, a new hall of approximately 2000 square meters will be built.
For more information:
GO-fresh GmbH
GF: Stephan Junkers
Benzstraße 5, 52511 Geilenkirchen
Tel. 02451 90722 10 (Zentrale)
Fax 02451 90722 29
eMail: info@go-fresh.net
Web: www.go-fresh.net