A special year for Fruitsnacks. The company from the Flemish town of Wijer, which specialises in fruit at work and in schools, celebrated its 20th anniversary this year. It was an anniversary year that was clearly well celebrated, but also one in which a record number of fruit baskets delivered was broken, and the new focus on Germany took further shape. "This year, we again achieved around 14% turnover growth, and we dare to express the ambition of moving towards 30% next year," says Doménica Van Hees of Fruitsnacks.
© Fruitsnacks
With the festive season just around the corner, this always means an extra busy period for the company. "It remains a real peak period. Companies are increasingly looking for ways to give their employees something healthy as an end-of-year gift. Additionally, this year, we received a substantial extra order of over 180,000 mandarins for St. Nicholas. That was a huge logistical operation. Now that the peak is over, we are preparing for the last deliveries. After that, our production can take a two-week breather and enjoy the Christmas break, because with a record year in which we sent up to 15,000 fruit baskets a week, you can certainly say it is deserved."
Still, Doménica sees that demand remains steady throughout the year. "Employees are used to fruit being there. If it is not there for once, it is noticed immediately. In summer, volumes sometimes drop a bit because that is when partners opt for smaller baskets. But we also see new trends emerging, such as the sharp increase in the uptake of our soups, which a partner produces for us. These are lactose-free, gluten-free, and completely vegan. A combination that not many players offer. The vegetables are cut by hand. You rarely hear that anymore. It is a great story."
Germany as a growth market
In May this year, Fruitsnacks won a government contract to supply fruit to employees of the Flemish government. "Our focus remains B2B, but is definitely complemented by schools. Those are really our two strongest pillars. The order from the Flemish government is certainly a great recognition and a project we are proud of. But we are always careful not to become dependent on one large client or one type of project. Our growth comes precisely from consciously developing several domains at the same time. In this respect, we are also seeing increasing demand from schools. This year, we grew by about 14% in turnover. Next year, we are aiming for growth towards 30%, which is ambitious but realistic given the markets in which we operate."
Market leadership in the Benelux has already been achieved, but for several years, Germany has also increasingly been on the radar. "Of course, we want to maintain our position in the Benelux, but Germany is a hugely important growth market for us. At the moment, we are focusing on North Rhine-Westphalia and Rhineland-Palatinate, but there is still so much potential there that we will invest very specifically in that market in the coming years. We are exploring different avenues." Will other markets also come into the picture? "We are continuously exploring potential markets, such as France and Italy. Not because we want to move there immediately, but because we always want to look ahead and be prepared. Concretely, however, no start-up is planned for those countries at the moment. First, we want to further strengthen our position in Germany."
Cultivation
Doménica is convinced that Fruitsnacks is uniquely positioned for this. "What sets us apart is that we are fruit growers ourselves. We cultivate some 70 hectares of top fruit, which means our baskets contain truly home-grown fruit from our own orchards. Moreover, companies that value sustainability often consciously opt for a short chain, and we can offer that. We bring not only the expertise of growing, but also insights you can only gain when you are in the field every day. We know not only what good fruit is, but also what it is not, and which conditions play a role. That creates confidence," she points out. "In our cultivation, we are constantly innovating. A good example is the use of sheep grazing in the orchards, which we introduced. That is something almost unheard of in the fruit sector. For us, it shows how sustainability can also be achieved through small, concrete steps."
B2B brand of the year and SDG Ambassador
This has put the company on a clear growth path, yet there is also time for a brief look back. "Twenty years is not only a beautiful symbolic milestone, but also a moment when we very consciously reflect on where we came from and how many steps we have taken since the beginning. When you realise that I once started with a few hundred baskets, you see the huge evolution we have gone through. To mark the anniversary, we therefore organised a large two-day festival."
"Moreover, the celebrations did not stop there. This year, for example, we were recognised as an SDG Ambassador, something that has enormous significance for us. Sustainability is not a marketing term for us, but a real pillar that we work on every day, from cultivation to packaging to logistics. This recognition confirms that our choices are heading in the right direction."
"Another important accolade came three weeks ago, when we were elected B2B brand of the year in Limburg. That really felt like an appreciation for the efforts of the entire team. It was a special moment, especially for our marketing team, which has put a great deal of work into clearly and consistently communicating our story over the past year. It is nice to see that this is also recognised and appreciated."
Fruit the Future
Looking ahead to next year, Doménica remains ambitious. "Next year, we want to focus even more strongly on schools. Many Belgian schools do not make use of the subsidy that allows them to offer one free piece of fruit per pupil per week, plus five portions of milk. Two years ago, only 43% did so. We think it is important to make schools aware that this support is available, free of charge, but underused. The 'Fruit the Future' concept fits in well with this. Companies can sponsor local schools for additional fruit days on top of the subsidy. This can be done for up to 15 weeks a year. We feel that people increasingly want to make a social impact, and through this project, that can be done in a very concrete way. It is a nice balance, because in this way we help contribute to a healthier youth."
As icing on the cake, managing director Roel Paesmans welcomed his first daughter just before this interview. "The Fruitsnacks family has gained another scion. Ellie, Roel's daughter, shows that succession will not be a problem for the company. It truly is a family business, and you feel that every day."
For more information:
Doménica Van Hees
Fruitsnacks
Mierhoopweg 34
3850 Wijer, Belgium
Tel: +32 (0)11 69 52 80
[email protected]
www.fruitsnacks.be
