Stoffels tomaten will be in the renovated Hall 27 at Fruit Logistica this year. This Belgian company has been assigned a brand new stand at the German trade show. There, they will showcase their main activities to international fruit and vegetable traders. "First and foremost, we remain an independent grower," says Paul Stoffels. “The passionate cultivation of all kinds of tasty tomato varieties remains our core business. We try to do this by consistently applying our core values. These are flavor, innovation, and sustainability."
At Stoffels, they believe that 2020 will be the year in which innovation could play a prominent role in the fruit and vegetable sector. "There is increased pressure from competitors in the retail landscape. It will, therefore, be necessary to look for distinctiveness. This will have to go beyond just the cheapest price. Product innovation can be a driving force for success."
"As is the continued search for sustainable solutions to end-users' demands. It will be more important than ever to find the right balance between price, quality, and sustainability. For this, different parties, pooling information will become crucial. The time of every new, interesting thing finding its way to store shelves is over," says Paul.
“Last year, we rolled out several successful projects. These were done in collaboration with large players in the European retail sector. At our stand, we like to delve into our working method. Our motto is, 'We innovate to serve your needs'. This year, too, we have a number of new varieties. These may raise an eyebrow here and there. We also have several new packing concepts."
"With these, we portray eating tomatoes in a different light. We will keep focusing on specialty varieties. But we have also made some significant taste improvements in the standard tomato segment. It is surely worth tasting a flavorsome tomato on the vine. We are happy to show people all these new ideas by appointment," adds Paul.
Stoffels is ready to expand
Is the stand that is twice as large as before an example of what is to come? "It just might be,' Stoffels admits, laughing. "There is a plan that is in an advanced stage on the table. It is for a sharp expansion in our own production. We do not want to count all our chickens before they have hatched."
"However, I can say that in the last year, we, as an organization, have been preparing for possible growth. Last year, we strengthened the organization. We established a better-equipped sales team and sound HR policy. We employed a top financial person too."
"We are also delighted with the appointment of our Commercial Director. He will help set up our future strategic plans. He will lead the team, but will also be hands-on when it comes to sales activities. We will happily introduce him to visitors to our stand," concludes Paul.
Stoffels will have a stand at Fruit Logistica in the new Hall 27, Stand D-12. For more information or appointments, contact sales@stoffels-tomaten.be.