Exotic Roots entered the exotic fruit and vegetable import market five years ago. However, the fifth anniversary will no longer be celebrated at the old office in Nieuwerkerk aan den IJssel, as the company moved to new premises at Dinkel 5 in Rotterdam this week. "We're growing fast, and this new location marks another great step forward," says general manager Tim Struckman. The Exotic Roots team currently consists of seven people. "Now, halfway through the year, we've already matched last year's turnover. To continue supporting this strong growth, we're actively looking to expand the team, including in sales, purchasing, marketing, and administration."
© Exotic Roots
"Our product range is becoming increasingly broad. For example, we are gaining more ground in container trading," adds Account Manager Arjan Everding. "We receive several containers each week, mainly with cassava from Costa Rica and yams from Ghana. In two to three weeks, we expect our first container of sweet potatoes from Brazil, followed by regular arrivals." As a result, our product list keeps expanding. Vietnam and Peru are among the new sourcing countries we're importing from. Meanwhile, imports from countries like the Dominican Republic and Thailand continue steadily. This enables us to offer our customers an extensive selection of products that they can order in mixed shipments."
© Exotic Roots
"We also notice that sunny weather drives a sharp increase in demand for tropical fruit. Think yellow mangoes, but also papaya, pitahaya, and passion fruit from countries like Ecuador, Colombia, and Brazil," Arjan continues. "We receive multiple shipments of these each week. Whereas customers previously ordered smaller volumes per item and often opted for mixed pallets, we now see a growing trend of ordering full pallets of a single variety. Customers appreciate that we can deliver year-round. For instance, the Spanish pitahaya season is now starting, and in the off-season we easily switch to imports from countries like Thailand and Vietnam."
When asked how he envisions the next five years, Tim replies, "By then, we hope to have established a strong position in retail. We already serve a wide network of wholesale customers across Europe, and in the coming years, we also want to target supermarket chains. We're currently in talks with some retailers and are actively preparing to expand this step, including the launch of our own brand on store shelves. We're gaining momentum, as consumers increasingly choose exotic flavours. Our goal is to make it possible for more and more people to discover a surprising and diverse range of tropical fruits!"
For more information:
Tim Struckman / Arjan Everding
Exotic Roots
Dinkel 5
3068 HB Rotterdam
The Netherlands
Tel: +31 (0)10 501 05 41
[email protected]
www.exoticroots.nl
