Peter Smets: focus on time-consuming, small products
“Big demand to fill gaps for importers”
Peter Smet with Italian grapes
Smets Food Trading focuses on importing smaller products, taking care of the entire process from procurement at the grower to transportation to the customer. “We focus on the time-consuming, smaller products. The large trading companies don’t need me for Spanish melons, oranges and iceberg lettuce. We’re very good with grapes though. We do not focus on truckloads. But if I can fill a lorry with radish and kohlrabi from Italy for four trading companies, my customers will save a lot of money. That doesn’t mean that, added up, these aren’t large volumes. This year we have procured and transported about 25 to 30 lorries a week with watermelons.”
The first half year, Peter visited many producers abroad, laying the foundation for Smets Food Trading. “This winter, for instance, we imported a lot from Perpignan, which we will expand upon in the coming season. We have a lady in Perpignan who is able to inspect products for us, and clients can choose to make use of this service. We also deliver transport for third parties, and provide transport agency services in Italy. I am usually faster, because, where possible, I work with double manned transport.”
Apart from some curly and flat leaf parsley and dill at Peter Hendriks in Venlo, Smets Food Trading has no fruit and veg products in storage. “Everything else goes directly from grower to customer. By saving on expensive transport via distribution centres, we don’t have to pass on high costs either. And customers don’t have to scrimp and save for that 2% commission either. I actually fill gaps for the importers.” Therefore, Peter is confident about the future. “For now, our focus is not on overseas trade and deliveries to supermarkets, but I do notice some tentative interest. Who knows what the future brings, but first the foundation has to be fully in place.”
For more information:
Smets Food Trading
Rijksweg-Zuid 27
6131 AL Sittard
New telephone numbers:
Main number: 0031 46 2060 200
Transport: 0031 46 2060 204
Sales: 0031 46 2060 201
[email protected]
[email protected]
