© Hugo Huijbers | FreshPlaza.com
"We have found a successful niche with the delivery of a wide variety of fruit and vegetables in Duisburg and the surrounding area," explains Kenan Özcelik, co-founder and managing director of EK-Service GmbH, based in the north of Duisburg. The company was founded in 2021 and emerged from Gastronomieservice Özcelik GmbH. "After the outbreak of COVID-19, we realized that catering delivery would become difficult for us. First, the pandemic was, of course, a severe setback for many restaurants. Second, people's purchasing power has also declined sharply as a result of the crisis, so that many can no longer afford to go to restaurants. This prompted us to start a new company and focus primarily on supplying Turkish, Arabic, and Eastern European supermarkets."
© Hugo Huijbers | FreshPlaza.comUzbek melons (left) are particularly popular among the Russian community. Sweet cherries from Belgium are also currently in high demand.
Over 70 years of experience in the fruit and vegetable trade
The four-person management team of the young company has a total of over 70 years of experience in the fruit and vegetable trade. "We purchase our goods primarily through auctions and also rely on direct imports from Spain, Italy, and Turkey, among other countries. We started in 2021 with a modest selection of potatoes, onions, and eggs. Although we hardly focused on customer acquisition, this service was met with an astonishingly high level of acceptance. As our customer base has grown rapidly, we now offer a complete range of fruits and vegetables, including all types of tomatoes, seasonal fruits, and specialty items. Initially, we focused primarily on vegetables, but since this year, we have been offering our customers a wider selection of fruit, such as a broad range of melons. However, what is causing us problems at the marketing level is price sensitivity, which has increased noticeably in the wake of inflation."
© Hugo Huijbers | FreshPlaza.comDeliveries account for up to 90 percent of total sales, according to Özcelik (pictured), who has four delivery vehicles.
Syrian shops as the largest growth market
The young company's goal is now to continue growing organically and to exploit the existing potential accordingly. "There are a surprising number of Syrians here in the western Ruhr area who are opening their own shops. We are responding to these social developments and adapting our product range accordingly, so that we now also offer items such as mini vegetables and special types of beans," explains Özcelik, who currently employs around ten people. "We definitely want to continue growing, but we're waiting to see how the political situation develops first. I'm also critical of the ongoing staff shortage: even without 24-hour operations, it's becoming increasingly difficult to find good workers."
© Hugo Huijbers | FreshPlaza.com
Turkish fruit, vegetables, and Italian stone fruits in the warehouse of EK-Service GmbH
For more information:
Kenan Özcelik & Sevki Özdemir
EK-Service GmbH
Theodor-Heuss-Str. 286
47179 Duisburg
Tel: +49 203 36 95 36 70
[email protected]
https://ek-service.gmbh/
