Most of Westland Mushrooms' end clients are in the hospitality channel. That's been a significant challenge for this Dutch company in recent years. Yet Harold Schuurmans isn't pessimistic about the past year. "Our trade's resilience has amazed me. Where one door closes, another opens. Last year proved that once again."
"It's fantastic to see how clients anticipated the situation. We didn't make nearly the turnover we did in 2019. But, given the situation, sales have continued to run much better than expected. Sales but also supply challenges caused problems. Containers and air freight availability were limited. That made the products very pricey."
"So, we removed certain typical hospitality products from our assortment. These were things like sprouts and certain exotic mushrooms. White, chestnut, and portobello mushroom sales have continued well, particularly to supermarkets," Harold says. Cardboard packaging isn't very suitable for some mushrooms. So, Westland Mushrooms is increasingly focusing on sustainable plastic alternatives. These include top seal packs and recyclable plastic.
Westland Mushrooms' mushroom range finds its way all over the world. That's via Dutch exporters. "It's surprising to see where they end up." Closer to home, they supply retail suppliers, hospitality sector suppliers, professional market vendors, and greengrocer. According to Harold, Brexit has had little impact on the company.
"Of course, we had prepared all kinds of doomsday scenarios. But most of these didn't materialize. The product has become a little more expensive for the English. And documentation has become a little more complicated. We don't get any more last-minute orders."
Last year, the company started gradually renovating its premises. "We decided to go ahead with this, despite the COVID-19 pandemic. We believe in life after Corona. We've replaced the cooling system with a sustainable CO2-based one. In the second phase, we'll install an additional cooling system in the warehouse. We will erect more walls, creating a night cooling system, among other things. Then we can supply our clients 24 hours a day. We plan to revamp the office in the third phase," says Schuurmans.
The mushroom supplier has also had its house style redesigned. Westland Mushrooms' two vans have already been stickered. The company clothing has been changed too. And soon the premises' signage will follow. "These are all fun, things that give a lot of energy. The SKAL, IFS, and Fair Produce certifications have also been completed."
"And from this year, we'll have a colleague who'll focus on sales in Southern Europe. We're optimistic about the post-coronavirus future. Everyone's eager to start working full out again. We're ready to serve our clients as a one-stop-shop for fresh mushrooms, sprouts, cresses, and vegetables," concludes Harold.
For more information:
Westland Mushrooms
Harold Schuurmans
12a Jogchem van der Houtweg
2678AG, De Lier, NL
T: +31 (0) 174 240 334
D: +31 (0) 174 244 031
M: +31 (0) 618 805 431
Email: h.schuurmans@westlandmushrooms.com
Website: www.westlandmushrooms.com