“The general public is choosing organic”

Last year 2Organics moved to a building of 1,100 m2 at ABC Westland. “And that is the best decision we have ever made,” says Michiel Groenewegen. “Robert Blomsteel and I decided to do our own packing. In the past, everything was done for us, and now we have to do it ourselves. That requires a completely different procedure, but we like it a lot. We are literally on top of our trade, and because of that, we are able to work much more flexibly. By creating space in your shed, you are also creating space for your list of customers. We are now even considering renting more space.”

The organic company purchased a flowpacker, which is continually in operation, in order to pack mostly bell peppers for supermarkets.

“Greenhouse vegetables are the main product in our assortment. We offer tomatoes, bell peppers, cucumbers, aubergines and courgettes year-round, in all shapes and sizes. Additionally, we have a decent citrus range, and we will soon start the overseas avocado and top fruit season again,” Groenewegen says. “We also have our own import of sweet potatoes from Israel, Spain and Egypt.”

Quite a number of horticulturalists switched to organic cultivation in the Spanish greenhouse vegetable cultivation in recent years. “Large parties are also dedicating themselves to organic. But it has to be seen in perspective. Ten hectares in Spain produces as much product as one hectare in the Netherlands,” Groenewegen explains. He does not see the expansion of the cultivation as a threat. “It could have both a negative and a positive influence on trade. A situation with oversupply is never good, but it is positive that we can also supply larger retailers with organic product in bulk.”

2Organics mostly focuses on packers for supermarkets and re-exporters, both domestic and international. Interest from retail increases annually, according to the trader. “All retailers will supply more organic product in the coming year again. The days of niche and open sandals and woolly socks types are long gone, but because organic products are becoming more affordable, due to the larger supply, the general public is also choosing organic. A fun effect of the move is that we are also becoming more interesting to smaller shops in the Netherlands and abroad for orders of about a half to three mixed pallets.”

It is remarkable that 2Organics does not just focus on companies, but has also entered the consumer market with their packaging service: ‘Organic on your plate.’ “Organic shopping has to be accessible, easy and fun. This is the reason that we deliver to people at home or in the office. The packages are home-delivered free of charge, and the loose groceries are home-delivered free of charge when you spend 25 euro or more. We have an online supermarket where people can do their groceries as well. In the past, we drove our own cars, but we stopped doing that, and now a packet service delivers for us. The benefit of that is that the delivery radius has immediately expanded throughout the country.”

In the coming week, 2Organics will be present as an exhibitor at the Bio-Beurs (Organic Fair) in Zwolle. “This fair is becoming more well-known and therefore it is becoming more interesting for us. Besides customers, we also meet many organic cultivators there, who might also know colleagues who want to switch. If you look at how big the organic market is becoming, switching is becoming more interesting for an increasing number of horticulturalists. And we can then enter into conversations with them,” Groenewegen concludes.