Last week, Euro Gijbels started with its new Leanri clementines. After the first full harvest last year, John Gijbels and Stef Minten see that people are becoming increasingly familiar with this Belgian company's crown jewel, grown in its orchard in Catalonia, Spain. "We're already at double the sales compared to this time last year," they begin.
So far, they say, it has been a relatively good Spanish citrus season. "The quality is good, and yield-wise, we're more than satisfied with that region's crop. The Clemenule season has, however, lasted much longer. Usually, everyone switches from Clemenules to Nadorcott around January 6. Then, price negotiations begin. But since there are still plenty of Clemenules on the market and even still need to be picked, buyers aren't really eager for Nadorcott yet," explains Stef.
"When you're still in one variety, it's difficult to start talking about the next. That's stressful for Nadorcott growers. The fruit's there, but the market's not ready yet. It's sometimes hard to ensure a smooth transition between different varieties. Fortunately, the Leanri fits nicely in between. You can't really compare it to 'ordinary' clementines. Its harvest is quite short, but you can spread the marketing because you can store the Leanri for longer. That, along with its exceptional tart flavor, makes it a standalone premium variety."
Challenging cultivation
The new Leanri harvest is satisfactory, says John. "It's beautiful again with a high brix value. Still, this year, we're picking 30% less than last year. That's mainly because this fruit is extremely challenging to grow. You have to plan it carefully. Leanri has only recently been cultivated on a larger scale, so it's still tough to manage exactly what the final product will look like. There's still a world to discover. Regardless, we're more than satisfied with this year's crop," he explains.
The company works with a core group of Leanri clementine growers, who steadily expanded in recent years. "Together, we're always looking at the possibilities. It's not always easy, though. Tarragona, where our orchard is, is a very suitable region for Leanri cultivation. To such an extent that other important suppliers of this variety, for example, in Murcia, are looking north to expand their cultivation because they cannot meet the desired sizes. That can cause tension, but we still try to expand every year."
Premium Variety
For the new Leanri season, Euro Gijbels is, thus, again focusing on the next few months. "Leanri has gained clear recognition among our customers. Instead of advertising well first, we can now start selling immediately. We got off to a flying start because retailers, market vendors, and traders who've worked with this fruit quickly enquired about the new harvest," John continues.
"They've given us extremely positive responses. Still, we're trying to bring these clementines even more to consumers, whom we try to reach directly through promos and tastings at large stores and supermarkets. Once they taste this fruit, very few don't return for it."
This season, the company will focus on that, too. "When people try it, they're sold. It's just that this fruit is a little pricier than other citrus varieties. It's a premium variety with a distinctive flavor. Last year, though, they sold well despite the high inflation. That's somewhat stabilized, so the Leanri should gain an even higher spot on Belgians' shopping lists," John hopes.
Daring
Euro Gijbels primarily concentrates on the Belgian market with the Leanri, which they offer until about March. "It coincides with Nadorcott, so it's still hard to convince Spanish traders to go with a more expensive premium variety. Also, we don't yet have the volumes to look at other markets. But Belgians are willing to pay a little more for quality. That's also the target group we have in mind. Clients where quality takes precedence."
"If a large chain, wholesaler, or importer dares, we're also firmly convinced that this fruit can conquer the market. Players who want to stand out with high-quality citrus as an addition to a premium brand. Then you can build something beautiful. Partners that have already started working with it have only good things to say and have even removed all other clementines from their stores. You, obviously, always have to justify a surcharge, which is undoubtedly successful with Leanri," John concludes.
For more information:
John Gijbels / Stef Minten
Euro Gijbels
Cami de les Arenes s/n
43300 Mont-roig del Camp
Tarragona, Spain
info@euro-gijbels.be
www.eurogijbels.be