In 1965, the Dejonghe brothers started a frozen food company called Pinguin. Now, PinguinLutosa Food Group is one of the biggest players in Europe. The present company operates in three divisions: frozen vegetables, processed potatoes and canned foods. PinguinLutosa Food Group has 17 branches and employs almost 3,400 people.
The decision to branch out in three divisions was a conscious one, according to Herwig Dejonghe, the company’s COO. “These three pillars gave us the opportunity to really distinguish ourselves on the market. At the same time, they overlap, and that’s where the individual divisions benefit from each other’s experience.”
Like everywhere else, the frozen food industry is about two things: storage and freeze capacity. PinguinLutosa has done much in its long history to keep up with both increasing demand and updated technology. Dejonghe: “We were the first ones in the sector to have ISO and HACCP. The advance of technology, and the race to implement these in the company, resulted in heavy competition.”
But the company found its way, even through tumultuous times. In the early 2000’s, after entering the stock market, Pinguin was able to take over foreign companies, especially in the UK. “This was a period of intense growth.” Around 2005, with the acquisition of Lutosa, the concept was extended with frozen potatoes, widening Pinguin’s already impressive assortment. The most recent takeover dates from last year, when the French company d’Aucy Frozen Foods was added.
Dejonghe is optimistic about the future. “We will continue to invest in other countries. We are always searching for sound investments and business opportunities. What we want to do a little more is marketing. We’d like to reach the customer, promote our product. We believe in a future for processed vegetables.”