During the interview with Bas Rensen, the word 'focus' comes up repeatedly. Bas succeeded Mart Valstar as CEO of Best Fresh Group two and a half years ago and has maintained a low profile externally ever since, but much has changed internally. A major and successful SAP implementation took place, along with a restructuring of the group. "At one point, there were 35 BVs under the group. That didn't make things any clearer for the customer, which is why we focused. With our current structure, everyone knows exactly what Best Fresh stands for. We connect partners in the fresh produce chain and play an active role in all its links."
Today, Best Fresh still includes two growing companies: Kwekerij Voorhof and Eminent Produce. The trading companies in Poeldijk are grouped under Farmhouse International (Valstar, Yex, FV Seleqt, Avor, and Spot), while Sous Fresh serves the foodservice market from Venlo. Logistics providers ABC Logistics and Sous Fresh Logistics focus on supporting their own trading companies, while partner companies Europe Retail Packing and Varekamp Coldstores are more externally oriented. "As a support organisation, we combine our expertise in HR, Legal & Control, IT, Impact, Governance and Facilities within Best Fresh, so that our partners can fully focus on their strengths," says Bas.
Bas Rensen
Family of companies
"We took a close look at our operations in recent years and this structure emerged from that," Bas explains. "We're simply not the kind of company that ships 200 trucks of tomatoes 'lean & mean' to customers. What we are good at is relieving customers in Europe and the Middle East by supplying all kinds of products on a single mixed pallet. We are not only a family business, with the fourth generation of the Valstar family now involved, but also a family of companies that together form a strong link in the fruit and vegetable chain. Within Best Fresh Group, we work with over 400 employees across 5 locations, with 13 partner companies, and we export to over 30 countries. Our sales are split between retail, wholesale, foodservice, and industry. The group's brand portfolio includes Eminent (specialty greenhouse vegetables), Aroma (everyday fruits and vegetables), Discovered (exotics), Chefs Inspiration (gastronomy), and 5 Senses (herbs and spices)."
"We've worked hard to get to where we are today, and now that the foundation is solid, we're ready for the next step. With our broad offering of greenhouse vegetables, exotics, organic, and niche products, we have a strong base to grow our trading and packaging businesses. This can be done through organic growth, as we still see plenty of opportunities with existing customers, but we are also actively looking to acquire trading companies or explore new partnerships," says the CEO. "We took our first step in that direction this year with the acquisition of EFP's business, strengthening our sales activities in markets such as the Middle East, Ireland, Malta, and Cyprus." However, Bas does not foresee an expansion into in-house cultivation. "We've done plenty of that in the past and learned our lessons. Apart from our two nurseries, we won't be embarking on our own cultivation projects for now, although we do maintain close partnerships with foreign growers through Avor, Spot, and FV Seleqt, among others."
On to 100 years of Valstar - Best Fresh Group
"The challenges for a fresh produce company today are significant. We face geopolitical unrest, rising labour and energy costs, climate change, and the rapid pace of technological innovation that requires well-considered decisions. In this environment, it's important to stay true to our strategy, but with an entrepreneurial mindset. After all, we want to remain flexible and responsive to market developments," Bas continues. Best Fresh closed 2024 with a turnover of around €300 million. "Financially, we're in a good place again and ready for significant growth in the coming years. I'm convinced there's room in the market for a healthy family business like ours. Since 1928, we've been doing everything we can to not only deliver fresh fruit and vegetables, but also put a smile on the faces of our customers and suppliers. From the vegetable barge and the auction clock to joint ventures and mergers, our rich history has shaped us. We originated from the family firm M. Valstar & Co. and now, nearly a century later, we still serve our customers with the same family values and passion that started it all. I'm very proud of the strides we've made in recent years, and we're looking forward to celebrating Valstar / Best Fresh Group's 100th anniversary in 2028."
Implementing SAP was a major step in recent years. "You could sense that some in the sector viewed it with a bit of skepticism, but I'm extremely proud we pulled it off. A big part of our success came from involving our own staff heavily, alongside a few consultants and dealers. And it doesn't stop with implementation, you have to keep improving," says Bas. Before moving into the fresh produce sector, Bas worked for many years in ornamental horticulture. When asked about the differences between the two sectors, he notes that peaks in the flower and plant industry around Christmas, Valentine's Day, and Mother's Day in the UK are even more pronounced than in fresh produce. "When I was still in floriculture, I used to think the AGF sector was more advanced in digitalisation, but I've had to revise that view. In floriculture, several webshops are generating €200 million in turnover — I've yet to see that in fresh produce."
"I'm proud to be CEO of this entrepreneurial organisation. Mart Valstar had the courage to entrust his 'baby' to another director after 500 months of hard work. He now leaves day-to-day operations to our management team but remains a very valuable sounding board for me," says Bas. "What I also find special about Best Fresh is the way we engage with our employees and stakeholders. We've summarised our core values under the acronym BEST: Reliable, Efficient, Collaborative, and Dedicated. As a family business, we continue to innovate and look for new ways to build a more sustainable future, full of flavour and vitality. Internally, we have a Food & Fit programme that promotes numerous sports and healthy activities. We also have the Best Fresh Foundation, which has existed for 15 years, through which our colleagues organise activities and donate fruit and vegetables to promote social involvement."
For more information:
B
est Fresh Group
ABC Westland 100
2685 DB Poeldijk
Tel: +31 174 479 550
[email protected]
www.bestfreshgroup.com