The merger of wholesalers Gebr. van Hezik and Robert Vissers led to the creation of AGF Kerkdriel 20 years ago. Every day, Robert Vissers drives to the Brussels import centre to source imported fruit for his customers. "We ended up there by chance once and liked it so much that we kept going back. We can find good products there with reliable quality and pricing. Moreover, for us in the south of the Netherlands, Brussels is easy to reach. If you purchase your goods there at 4 a.m., you are back in Kerkdriel by 9 or 10 a.m., which allows me to stay ahead throughout the day."
© AGF Kerkdriel
© AGF Kerkdriel
With two trucks, the wholesaler is present at the Brussels import market every day. "We mainly buy higher-quality fruit from Spain and Italy there, especially standard varieties such as oranges, grapes, and mandarins," he says.
"In the Netherlands, we source local fruit, such as hard and soft fruit, directly from growers in Bleiswijk and Barendrecht. In this way, we put together a full assortment. As much as 99% of our trade is collected using our own two trucks," Robert says.
AGF Kerkdriel's customers are mainly located in the south of the country. "Primarily market traders, supplemented by shops and farm shops. We also sell some to fellow wholesalers. Almost all the trade is collected by our customers. We do not deliver much ourselves," Robert says.
© AGF Kerkdriel
Asked about the future, Robert responds: "Nobody knows. It will always be a fight to maintain your position, but that has always been the case. We are operating in a shrinking market, although there are far fewer wholesalers active than before."
© Izak Heijboer | FreshPlaza.com
A growing challenge, he says, is the availability of good products. "More and more growers are working directly with wholesalers and stepping away from the free market. This is understandable, as the free market now accounts for at most 5–10% of the total. In Brussels, as in the Netherlands, the number of importers has also declined considerably. In the past, there were at least 25 importers; now, seven are sufficient. In the first months of this year, I also found supply to be limited. Availability was low, prices were high, and sales lagged behind."
© Izak Heijboer | FreshPlaza.com
Robert marked the 20th anniversary "on the cusp of 1 April" with a dinner with his team of eight colleagues. "We have been a stable player in recent years. Our product range and customer base remain similar to those of the early years. There is clearly still a market for that, so we will aim to maintain it for the time being."
© AGF Kerkdriel
© AGF KerkdrielFor more information
Robert Vissers
AGF Kerkdriel
Industriestraat 8a
5331 HW Kerkdriel
Mob: +31 (0) 6 53480 934
[email protected]
