"We have pretty much put the summer season behind us and are now in the off-season. Currently, our assortment here in Friesenheim includes damsons, currants, blueberries, quinces, grapes, apples and pears. We have had an intensive year, however, the first year is usually always demanding. We are all the more proud of how we have mastered this challenge as a team," says Lena Trautwein, authorized signatory of Llombart GmbH.
Together with her husband Marcel Hentschel, the warehouse and logistics manager, she is responsible for the new company location with warehouse in Friesenheim. At the beginning of the year, this was taken over by Arnold GmbH. Trautwein is pleased that two new trainees have been part of the team since September 2023. "This reminds me of how I myself started out in the company as a 'homegrown'."
Lena Trautwein
1,000 square meters of warehouse space
At around 1,000 square meters, the warehouse comprises seven cold stores. "We can store the goods according to their temperature specifications and even in a controlled atmosphere. The new location is manageable, at the moment the existing space is still enough for us." Currently, 15 people are employed there. Llombart has always been known for its goods imported from Spain and overseas, and at the new location is now also dedicated to regional goods from central and southern Baden. "In the winter months we trade from Germany mainly lamb's lettuce, apples, pears and sugarloaf. Asparagus ushers in the summer season, followed by berries. Our assortment includes strawberries, raspberries, blackberries, currants and gooseberries. Finally, pome and stone fruits follow with the traditional representatives of damsons, mirabelles, quinces, pears and apples from our region." The blueberries currently on offer come from Poland and Germany, they were stored in the CA warehouse.
The berries are still marketed in traditional wooden crates, especially appreciated by wholesale markets. "We had bought the first currants in June. Currently, we still have stock available. Throughout the season, the currants had a very good quality, as the weather conditions here in Baden were ideal. Currently, there is hardly any fresh produce left on the market, so prices are developing accordingly. The season has been good," says Trautwein.
Sales shift toward weekends
"Consumption of high-priced fruits and vegetables seems to have decreased in Germany. In addition, we are noticing that sales of these are shifting more towards the weekend, whereas you have to fight your way to the beginning of the week. Our customers' orders are now mainly concentrated on Thursday and Friday. Since growers also have higher demand on weekends in their farm stores and stalls, everything is concentrated towards the end of the week. Plants are known to produce all week, so you have to be broad-based, especially for delicate products like berries."
Baden's produce is sourced directly from growers. "They can deliver their goods directly to us every day. Of course, we also cooperate with producer cooperatives, depending on what we need to supplement our range with. However, our mainstay is the direct line to the producers." From Friesenheim, the goods are distributed nationwide. "As a result of our expansion and the resulting broader assortment, our customers have one point of contact where they can conveniently access a wider range of products. The customers of our predecessor have remained loyal to us and appreciate the fact that they are now offered a wider range of products. We've also been able to attract new customers."
Part of the Llombart team at the Friesenheim site
The takeover from Arnold GmbH was completed within six months. "Originally, we were looking for a warehouse for another branch of the company. This search for a warehouse led to a conversation between us and Arnold GmbH, which had been a long-standing customer of ours. Since the Arnold family wanted to retire, they made us a proposal to take over the business unit along with the premises." Until January 2023, Llombart GmbH did not have its own warehouse. Previously, the company worked with a logistics service provider with whom they had a decades-long partnership.
At the moment, we still market our goods mainly in Germany, although we have already exported the first quantities of soft fruit to neighboring France. "In our first year at the new location, a lot of things still ran according to the principle of 'learning by doing'. It has taken an immense amount of man hours to get a foothold here. For certain products, we still need to expand the customer base in order to be a reliable partner for growers. We're taking a lot of lessons learned into the new year and are already working on the improvements and innovations for the upcoming season."
For more information:
Lena Trautwein
Llombart Handels- und Treuhandgesellschaft mbH
Industriehof 4
DE-77933 Lahr
Phone: +49 (0)7821/9397 – 0
E-Mail: info@llombart.de
Webseite: https://www.llombart.de