From bok choy to chilies and okra to yardlong beans - Sortrade Impex specializes in importing and exporting Asian products. Besides fresh vegetables, fruits, and herbs, this Dutch company also offers non-perishable Asian goods.
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Sortrade Impex was founded 12 years ago. It sprang from a hobby. Owner, Biswajiet Jhagru, used to be part of the automation world. "For years, I advised businesses on processes and their automation. Until I had a car accident and could no longer do my job properly."
Why choose to begin a company that imports Asian fruit and vegetables with zero know-how or experience? "My wife is Thai and often uses Asian products in her cooking. We could find those ingredients, but they were always quite pricey. I wanted to do something for the Thai community," begins Biswajiet.
"And I was convinced I could do it for cheaper. So I decided to start importing myself." He visited producers in various Asian countries and started very small, with about 100kg at a time. "Those volumes grew, and gradually larger importers began knocking at our door. It took trial and error, but that's how you learn."
Supplying Asian supermarkets, restaurants, and stores
Sortrade imports its wares directly from certified producers in countries like Thailand, Vietnam, Cambodia, Malaysia, China, and Laos. "We mainly supply wholesalers and importers and increasingly sell directly to Asian supermarkets, restaurants, and specialty stores. Importers increasingly want to deliver directly instead of via intermediate suppliers. The market is shrinking while the costs remain the same. So, we'll have to make other choices," Biswajiet continues.
Asian cuisine has been growing in popularity for years. That, undoubtedly, contributed to this family business' growth. Biswajiet started the company to be able to supply the Thai community with favorably priced products. These days, Asian cuisine is very popular in the hospitality industry and among consumers at home. Sortrade Impex offers a wide range of fresh vegetables, fruits, and herbs supplemented with various Asian long-life products such as coconut milk, (wok) sauces, tea, rice, noodles, and spice mixes.
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Increased demand for Asian fruit
The importer says many of the fresh Asian products eaten in Europe are available year-round from different production countries." Things like basil, cilantro, various chilies, ginger, and galangal sell extremely well. Galangal has become very popular in recent years. This root, also known as Laos, is related to ginger."
"It's also called Thai ginger and is widely used in Thai, Malaysian, and Indonesian cooking. Asian fruit imports, too, are increasing rapidly. Popular fruits include atemoya (a cross between sugar apples and cherimoya) sapodilla, yellow plantain, rambutan, mangosteen, longan and salak or snake fruit. Fresh coconut is also doing well," says Jhagru.
The goods are flown in, and the trader sends them on to supermarkets, restaurants, and smaller stores in the Netherlands and elsewhere. "We mostly do imports but also send goods overseas to be sold mainly in specialty stores. Destinations include Norway, Denmark, and Iceland. We imported coconut, ginger, and longan by container for a long time."
"But we stopped because of the pandemic. It became too expensive. Prices are still high - we used to sell a box of nine coconuts for €4.50; now, you can't get them for less than €15. The pandemic affected trade as a whole; our turnover has dropped considerably. Demand for Asian products has recovered. Nevertheless, we've decided to take less risk," explains Biswajiet.
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Tricky, challenging market
Sortrade Impex delivers solely to order. Customers receive their goods eight to ten days after ordering. That amount of time is essential, says the importer. "It's primarily because of the strict requirements. And that's not always easy. You have to constantly be aware of the Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority's inspections and changes. That requires a lot of energy. Especially when you see these people driving around with vans selling the same type of products."
"They don't have to deal with all that. They're simply earning a living, but it's distressing sometimes. We have good inhouse storage and quality facilities and face sharply rising costs. We have to comply with all the food safety requirements, which are strictly monitored. At times that's a little hard to make peace with, especially when you see things are easier in other countries. It's certainly not an easy business, but we're keeping at it," adds Biswajiet.
Letting go of the old ways
He perseveres because the next generation is standing at the ready to take over the company. He is showing his son and daughter the ropes so that they can continue Sortrade Impex. "They have a different attitude, which is a good thing. We're stuck in the old ways; it's time to start thinking differently."
"For example, the Thai community is active on Facebook, which offers opportunities for us. We've also started a webshop, so our products are accessible to everyone. And we've put together a specialty store and restaurant box consisting of a mix of fresh and non-perishable Asian products. That makes it easier for customers to choose," says Biswajiet.
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He is also considering getting goods from other production countries, like South America. Sortrade Impex has, for instance, started a spice project in Suriname. "We do everything in-house, from cultivation to washing and packaging the herbs. The first samples have been well received. As soon as we can find enough staff, we'll scale up. I'm not ruling out European production in, say, Spain, either."
Lowest price, guaranteed
"Our strength is that we guarantee surety at the lowest price. Clients can rest assured that they'll get their wares. Naturally, we're dependent on nature," Biswajiet admits. "A storm, heavy rainfall, or insect plague can easily throw things out of whack. We then do everything possible to find a suitable alternative. We can do that because we've built long-standing, stable relationships in the various production countries."
"Our short communication lines with producers mean we can often obtain specific products. Sometimes, buyers want a particular specialty or niche. Even if it's only a small order, we offer to have it delivered. We only say no if it's genuinely impossible. And then we're honest about it," Biswajiet concludes.
Biswajiet Jhagru
Sortrade International
T: +31 627147309
[email protected]
www.sortrade.com
