Fruity Pack with new building ready for growth of fruit salad market

The acquisition of Fruity Line, has strengthened Fruity Pack's market position on the Dutch and European market for fruit salads. Meanwhile the company, part of the Olympic Food Group, made its entrance into a new high-care production plant in Rotterdam South, adjacent to the commercial centre of Barendrecht.

busy opening

"That was an important condition for us, because from a logistical stand point we have to work with maximum efficiency and working close to the source we can in no time transport to our clients and they have the best possible freshness guarantee," explained general director Wim Kleinjan.

The new production site covers an area of 13.000 m2, of which currently 7.000 m2 is used for processing fruit. "In week 37, production in Barendrecht transferred to the new location, followed by the production in Ochten in week 38 and in week 39 the whole production was integrated at the new location.

Wim Kleinjan

"We still have expansion possibilities, and we are positive that the market for sliced fruit will develop further. Sliced fruit is only 2% of the total volume, but a doubling in five years' time is, in our opinion, one of the possibilities," says Wim.

Leonard, Leander and Richard de Vries

As early as 2008, Fruity Pack knew, with the arrival of a new access road, that they should look for another property. "We began the search for another location in a 2 kilometre area around Barendrecht. There were different locations to consider but when we took over Fruity Line we knew we needed serious room and this location was the only one suitable," said Wim.

Thijs van den Heuvel

"Obviously the property follows the latest requirements and guidelines as applies to food safety. There is a sophisticated routing in the building resulting in a very strict separation between high-care and low-care production. Sliced fruit salads must meet the most stringent requirements."

At the new fruit processing location in Rotterdam South, there are around 130 employees at work preparing the fruit salads for sale. "We took the large machines from our old premises in Barendrecht and Ochten but there is still a lot of manual work required in the preparation of the fruit salads, particularly in the finishing," concluded Wim.

There are no new activities planned for the company besides fruit salads. "We are making this our complete focus, so our clients have the best and the freshest fruit salads delivered. We expect the highest quality from our suppliers and, along with expansion, want to build on our position in the coming years. The food service and caterers in neighbouring countries such as Belgium, France, Germany, Luxemburg and Austria are growing significantly and we should be able to grow with them with our new buildings."

For more information:
Fruity Pack
Wim Kleinjan
Tel: +31 (0)10-3035100
wim@fruitypack.com
www.fruitypack.com