Xenia Europe, the sales organisation of more than 70 Xenia growers in the Benelux has successfully undergone a QS Agency audit for the third time. QS certification is important for the largest German customers.
Bernd Feenstra says: "We have a complete package of certifications as a sales organisation, from Skal and PlanetProof at grower level and IFS, QS and European organic labels as a sales organisation. This allows us to offer all our European customers the assurances they require from us in terms of food quality and sustainability."
"We certify when there is clear added value for sales or when customers demand certification. In doing so, we have a preference for trade or chain certificates rather than even more certificates for growers. This is because the cost price-increasing effect for growers is more limited with trade certificates. But ideally we would like to work with a single European certificate for food quality and sustainability."
Bernd Feenstra and René Rombouts
Feenstra: "We chose to use AgriDesk for this, René has been doing this work for 15 years and you notice that in the smooth processing. The communication with him and QS runs smoothly as a result."
René Rombouts: "I notice a steady growth in the Netherlands of companies in the fresh produce trade getting QS (Wholesale or Agency) certification. All their suppliers/growers are required to be registered with QS for this. A trader can choose to become a coordinator themselves, but that does mean extra administrative hassle and costs for such a company, while for the grower it is interesting not to commit to a particular trader for certification, but to an independent company like mine, AgriDesk."
For more information:
Bernd Feenstra 
Xenia Europa
T: +31 (0) 418 683 615
M: +31 (0) 6 44 496 001
bernd@xenia-eu.eu
www.xeniapeer.nl/
René Rombouts 
AgriDesk España
T: +31 649086552
T: +34 616275925
rombouts@agridesk.com
www.agridesk.com