Speakers for the morning session at Cool Logistics 2015, from left to right, Thomas Eskesen, Joachim Paul Bosch and Chayenne Wiskerke.
She highlighted that despite the difference in consumption between India (33 kilos per person per year) and the West (6 kilos per person per year), if we look at production and exports, the Netherlands is the most significant country in the world. She assured that this has plenty to do, not just with the country’s efficient port infrastructure, but also with having producers who are the best in their field and exporters who know how to deal with new and difficult markets.
For its part, Wiskerke Onions packs and exports onions all over the world. “We are a market leader, covering around 18% of the market share in the Netherlands, which makes us also the world’s largest exporter of onions. We pack 3,000 tonnes per week and ship 5,500 40 foot containers per year. 40% of our sales are to retail chains and the other 60% is exported to over 90 countries,” explains Ms Wiskerke.
The question is, how did a small family firm manage to achieve this? According to its Managing Director, it has everything to do with strategy, which is based on working with just one partner and one importer per country. “This means we only have one retail chain and one importer and we focus on the personal relationship. We follow the product all the way to the end consumer and we select the best product for each customer in each country. Furthermore, we only supply countries that need those imports,” she explains.
Innovation is another key aspect, as illustrated by the use of X-Ray machines to make sure the product is healthy, since “if you put a healthy product into the container, it will also arrive healthy. With this, we can reach farther destinations in the world.”
Perishable products are subject to supply and demand, so timing is also essential. “For importers, it is crucial to know 24/7 where their product is and to be aware of any delays. To tackle this, we have focused strongly on the traceability aspect with an on-line application that provides all necessary information,” down to individual container numbers, contents, brands, sizes and prizes, as well as documents and invoices. “This makes communication a lot easier.”
Traceability information also makes it possible to see who the grower is, where he/she is located and what fertilisers or pesticides were used. “It is even possible to see a photograph of the product leaving the facilities, and I believe this is the future.”
All in all, it can be said that the level of expertise of Dutch exporters is their core strength, with a capacity to pack onions (30,000 tonnes per week) which has actually exceeded the global demand (about 20,000 tonnes per week). And there is still room for growth. “We have the innovative machinery, the technology, the people, the companies and the infrastructure to fulfil all demands to come and remain competitive,” she concludes.
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