Jari van Langen has been running his own export business for less than two years, yet he has already reached several milestones this year. For example, Veg-Europe has been GlobalGAP-certified since the beginning of the year, a new software system has been implemented, and last weekend the company moved to a different office building in Schagen. The latter change mainly came from Jari's desire to be more among people. "I worked from home for the first 18 months, and that went well. I am also in daily contact with customers and suppliers, but I missed having some activity around me. That is why I moved to this sub-building, where I now have a 30 sq m office at my disposal."
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New office in Schagen
When it comes to trade, Jari is very satisfied. "I have been able to do a lot of trading. My customers and growers are satisfied, and then so am I." Veg-Europe focuses on exporting field and greenhouse vegetables, with France as its main destination. "I lived in France myself for eight years because my parents had a dairy farm there. So I speak the language and understand the culture, which is a big advantage in trade."
"My main products remain cabbage, onions, carrots, tomatoes, peppers, and in winter, Brussels sprouts and pumpkins. This year, the supply of outdoor vegetables is large, so sales are not too bad. Crop yields are high everywhere, and the quality is generally good. That makes it very difficult to play a significant role as a middleman, although growth is still quite good. France is my biggest market, but in winter, demand from France is somewhat lower, and in the meantime, I have expanded sales considerably by exporting to other countries across Europe."
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Last year, Jari also tried to become involved in the Spanish pepper season, but quality problems caused him to withdraw quickly. "You have to make sure you do not damage your name because of this. The focus remains on Dutch vegetables. In the future, it would be nice if this expanded somewhat into imported products as well, but I am not ready for that yet, as last season showed. Meanwhile, the first Dutch peppers and other greenhouse vegetables are returning to the market, and we have good expectations for that, with me buying as much as possible directly from the growers."
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"All in all, I have been able to take the necessary steps, and I am quite proud of that. With the professionalisation of the system, the certification, and the move to the new premises, I have laid a solid foundation to further expand my business. Now that I have the space, the next step is to hire colleagues to further grow exports."
For more information:
Jari van Langen
Veg-Europe
Tel: +31 (0) 6 10519 999
[email protected]
www.veg-europe.com
