As from today, Boss Fruit & Food International is operational from Ridderkerk in the Netherlands. Lucien Pinas, originating from financial services, had several fruit and vegetable customers in his network, after which the proverbial, the ball started to roll. In collaboration with a number of people who have been active in the Spanish fruit and vegetable sector for years, a strategic sales location has been set up in the new office of Van Gelder Fresh fruit & vegetables, in order to serve the European market further and better.
"Our Spanish partners have built up a network of some 350 growers in the regions of Almería, Valencia, Granada and Badajoz. A private office is located in Castellón," says Lucien. "Our local presence is a major advantage for our customers. We have full control over the fruit and vegetables, up until it is loaded into the truck. This gives the end customers the opportunity to purchase their fresh products almost directly from the grower, with some of our employees in the country of origin taking care of all operational matters."
The range consists of Spanish citrus, open ground and greenhouse vegetables, but the people of Boss Fruit & Food International also work closely with local growers in South America and North Africa.
"We only have an office in Ridderkerk. We have the option to store our trade at R&M Forwarding, but will also deliver directly to the end customers from Spain. We hope to have our own logistics center in the future, but first we want to settle on the Dutch market," says Lucien.
"We initially focus on wholesalers throughout Europe, of which the German market is an important one. We notice that there is an increasing need in the chain to have direct contact with the supplier.
We offer that access and that is our added value," says Lucien. "In addition, we do everything we can to do business on the basis of a good relationship. Then you will make it. We are looking for stable partnerships."
As CEO, Lucien will mainly focus on the management of the new company. "From my project-based background, I am mainly focused on managing the company. I leave selling tomatoes and oranges to my colleagues who have a lot of experience in this. I am convinced that this is a great combination to be a serious sparring partner for many fresh produce companies."
For more information:
Boss Fruit & Food International
Krommeweg 10 (unit 2)
2988 CB Ridderkerk (Z-H)
The Netherlands
T: +31 180 234 060
M: +31 6 423 874 61
lucien@bossfruit.nl
www.bossfruit.nl