The start of the new spring season traditionally creates increased activity at Sebrechts Groenten en Fruit. With greenhouse vegetables coming onto the market and Easter approaching, trade is currently running at full speed. "Yesterday was a little quieter, but that is mainly due to the bad weather of the past few days," says Ellen Sebrechts of the family-owned wholesaler from Antwerp. "You notice that immediately in sales, especially in spring. The weather determines demand."
© Ellen Sebrechts
According to Ellen, however, things can change quickly. "Last week was very good, but a weaker weekend in terms of weather has an immediate impact. Fortunately, the outlook is better. Better weather is forecast from tomorrow, and we expect sales to pick up towards the end of the week. With the Easter holidays approaching, you traditionally see a spike towards Easter, followed by a brief dip before the summer season really starts."
Spring products lead the market
During this period, it is mainly typical seasonal products that set the tone. "You can see that demand also follows price. Asparagus has increased in price again, and so have strawberries. These are clearly the products of the moment towards Easter," Ellen says. "In addition, we have recently seen green asparagus return, along with many other varieties, chicory, and other spring products."
© Ellen Sebrechts
Demand, she says, naturally follows prices. "Instead of taking 10 bins, buyers now take five. People are becoming more cautious, but the issue is also that everything coming from Spain has suffered from bad weather, as was the case with cauliflower, for example. Those were almost unavailable, causing prices to rise immediately. Everything is transitioning to new crops, and those are always the first, more expensive volumes, but everyone wants them."
As a result, the first spring arrivals are selling well despite higher prices. "Products such as butter beans, green asparagus, string beans, turnips, and turnip greens are what consumers are looking for now. After winter, people want something new on their plates. At that point, they pay less attention to price."
© Ellen Sebrechts
"For example, we also have all these coloured tomatoes from both Belgium and France," she continues. "That creates the opportunity for a very colourful display, which gives a real summer feeling. It also depends on what is in the spotlight. Last week, for example, a Belgian chef cooked with hop shoots, after which everyone came to buy them. You then see that such a product suddenly becomes very popular. Hop shoots are always popular in Flanders during this period. They are quite expensive, but still sell very well. They are only available for a month and a half, and now only for a couple of weeks, so everyone wants them. The same applies to restaurants that still want them on the menu before Easter."
Soft fruit dependent on the weather
Despite the wider range of available produce, strawberries and asparagus remain the key products during this period. However, supply remains highly dependent on weather conditions. "Asparagus had just started to increase in volume, but then the weather suddenly changed. The same applies to strawberries, where good weather a fortnight ago boosted volumes, but after a change in conditions, supply immediately halves. Prices then rise again. Just when you think supply has stabilised, it suddenly drops again."
© Ellen Sebrechts
"That can be quite frustrating towards Easter, but today there were more strawberries at the auction again, and prices eased slightly. Some products fluctuate constantly. That is the challenge, and in the end, you just have to follow the market and buy what you fully support. Your customers trust your judgement, and if the quality is good, they will keep buying." Sebrechts now works entirely with local products. "We currently only have strawberries from Coöperatie Hoogstraten. In addition, the first special varieties are arriving, such as pineapple and peach strawberries. The first Dutch raspberries and blackberries have also arrived."
"You really notice that there is a strong demand for local soft fruit, because there were many quality issues in recent months from Spain, Portugal, and Morocco, so everyone was waiting for the local product. The same applies, for example, to peppers, which have now fully come onto the market. Yesterday, the first orange peppers arrived. Everything is expensive, but Spain has not been cheap this year either. This applies to many products. The climate is changing, including in Kenya, where there have been floods at the beanery. We are not used to everything being so expensive and limited in availability. People always expect everything to be available, but that is definitely not the case, especially under current conditions."
© Ellen Sebrechts
Contradictory
Explaining this remains a challenge. "If you look at raspberries alone, for example, we have not had consistent quality since December. That is difficult because prices are rising due to scarcity, while quality is declining. That is very contradictory. We understand it, but it is difficult to explain to customers. We could decide not to buy, but customers do not want that either. A pastry chef still needs raspberries for a raspberry tart. Paying more for lower quality is not what anyone wants, but it affects everyone."
"In a broader sense, we notice that everything is becoming more expensive," she continues. "That creates frustration among customers. Not only food, but also other costs such as energy and transport are rising. This makes it harder for some people to keep up with expenses. We also distribute our surpluses to less fortunate people. Every little bit helps, because not everyone can afford it."
© Ellen Sebrechts
Still, Ellen expects the summer season to really take off after the Easter holidays. "After the holidays, the range will expand, and prices will ease slightly. That usually gives a new impulse to sales. With better weather expected and increasing supply, the season appears to be developing positively. All indications are that we are now properly underway. The combination of more products and more favourable conditions offers opportunities for a strong sales period in the coming months."
For more information:
Ellen Sebrechts
Sebrechts Groenten & Fruit 
Kielsbroek 4
2020 Antwerp, Belgium
+32 32374192
[email protected]
www.sebrechtsfruit.be
