Jos Janssens from Van Dijk Foods Belgium:
Belgium "We have been working for thirty years with some of our suppliers"

At Van Dijk Foods Belgium (VDFB) the Chilean import season is at an end and they are starting to import of New Zeeland hard fruit and South African citrus fruit. "Van Dijk Foods Belgium wants to be a link between producers and consumers. They are both equally important to us. Sometimes trading companies forget that without producers you have nothing to trade", says Jos Janssens. "We go for long term relationships. We have been working with some suppliers for thirty years. You can cheat your supplier for a year, but at the end of the day you don't have good a trade. Using our work methods we are in a position to impose specific customer requirements on our producers."



The most important products which Van Dijk Foods Belgium trades are apples, grapes and kiwis. "But we try to offer the whole fruit and veg package to the supermarkets. Of our products 60% go to supermarkets in the Benelux (Belgium, Holland and Luxembourg), 20% to Germany and 20% to Belgian wholesalers", sums Jos up.

"It was one of the most difficult Chilli-seasons so far, but we never the less we  ended the season successfully", reflects Jos. "There were less pears from over seas so everyone had high expectations for the Chilean pear season. The prices however were not higher." The trader finds it hard to explain. "At the beginning of the import season the price per kilo of Conference pears was €1.40 and overseas pears €1. The over seas pears never came onto the market. We can certainly say that the Conference pear is very popular in Europe. We much take this into account when importing pears."

The Chilean apple season went according to plan with normal prices. "The stone fruit season was low to average. The Chilean grapes went badly. We had problems with the prices as well as the quality", tells the trader. "Also the South African grape season did not start well. We started last year with prices of €12. This year we started with half that."



Meanwhile the New Zeeland apple season has started. "We are seeing a normal price. There are enough Jazz and Breaburn apples available. The supply of Royal Galas is ending", says Jos. "The price of Pink Lady apples has been good. In any case there has been no over supply. At Van Dijk Foods Belgium, Pink Lady apples are part of the furniture, we have been providing them for fifteen years. Meanwhile we are laying the ground plans to get Jazz apples in the supermarkets all year round, but this is still in the start-up phase."

The South African citrus season is having a difficult start. "Spain has produced too many oranges. They are still on the market now, while last year they were all gone by now", the Belgian trader tells us. "I don't expect a full program of South African  or Argentinian oranges 'till week 30. The export of grape fruit and easy peelers is running normally." 

"As we say in Belgium 'It's not flying out", Jos sums the fruit import up. "What we mean by this is that there is not really a doubt, but in spite of the European crisis we see a positive future. We see 2009 as a transition year. Our turnover remains good and we will continue to invest in the future. We are building more cool houses especially for Zespri kiwis, of which two million colli a year leave here."



Contact:
Jos Janssens
Van Dijk Foods Belgium
Kempenarestraat 50
2860 Sint-Katelijne-Waver
Tel.: +32 15 55 65 61
Fax.: +32 15 55 65 66
www.vandijkfoods.be

Publication date: 7/10/2009
Author: Nichola Watson
Copyright: www.freshplaza.com

respond to this article  email this article    print

Receive the daily newsletter in your email for free | Click here

 

<< back | www.freshplaza.com