Tovano in Maasdijk has been at home in the world of nuts and dried fruits for six decades. As early as 1950, Toon van Noort, the father of current CEO Toon van Noort jr., began dealing in nuts, peanuts and raisins.
The international trade in nuts and dried fruits remains a capricious, but interesting market. If there is a noticeable change, it is the way in which the food is perceived by the consumer. Toon: "People are increasingly concerned with healthy consumption. Walnuts are healthy. Pine nuts are healthy. So that is a burgeoning market.” The global crisis, it seems, also has its upside: “People don’t frequent the restaurants the way they used to. They prepare their meals at home. This also means that they are more concerned about food and health. The nut fits this picture. It is unprocessed, honest and healthy.”
Another change in the sector, according to Tovano, is the emergence of new countries and unexpected markets. Think of China, which is very popular. With the popularity of nuts, the price goes up and hence the number of producers. "With emerging producers, we needn’t worry. A common walnut tree needs 15 years to mature. So that buys us some time. We also do not expect production in new countries to be fast enough to keep up with current demand. And if there is a shortage, the prices are high. That always brings in money."
As said, Tovano also deals in dried fruits. The figs are now available all year round. The lion's share comes from Turkey, says Toon. According to him other suppliers, countries like Iran and Tunisia, are losing the battle. Seeds and pits mainly come in bulk. The trade is habitually described as speculative and precarious. "Very dangerous, you never know what to expect," says Toon. "A while ago a container came in containing 620 boxes of pine nuts. Trust me, you don’t want to know what it costs us. I almost fell off my chair!"
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