Holland

Logistic service provider Kloosterboer is a family business with over 85 years’ experience in treating temperature controlled cargo. The company specialises in storage, stevedoring, transport, customs and logistic IT solutions. Customer service coordinator Monica Pouwer of the Vlissingen branch cites flexibility as the key focal point in the total service package they provide. With over three million m³ / 500,000 tons of storage spread across 15 locations in both the Netherlands and abroad and more than 600 employees, Kloosterboer is one of the largest players in this segment. The branch in Vlissingen has a storage capacity of 200,000 tons, of which at least 35,000 pallets are suitable for the storage of fresh produce. 
There is a container terminal with an availability of 4,500 TEU and 180 reefer plugs. Modern IT technologies provide full traceability and quality control of the products. With a strong position in the handling of conventional reefer ships, there is also a firm commitment to their container business. Monica Pouwer: “We recently reached an agreement with a number of container shipping companies including Maersk, MSC, CMA CGM, Evergreen and  Hapag Lloyd to start a reefer container depot in Vlissingen.” Starting up an inland container depot allows optimal usage of incoming reefer containers. “Transport and handling costs are reduced, since only a single trip is needed.” Local exporters have the advantage that they no longer have to collect the containers from Rotterdam or Antwerp. Monica Pouwer:  “We already have good experiences with local onion exporters using the empty containers.” 

“Having only started up in 2007, Hillfresh today is among the largest fruit and vegetable importers in Europe”, says account manager Paul Postema. For most of its trajectory, Hillfresh has had to deal with difficult market conditions. “It has made us innovative and enthusiastic. We always see a challenge.” Paul Postema notes a strong demand for taste from the market. “When we programme our products, taste is our priority because if the flavour is good, the consumer will repeat the purchase.” Together with the WUR University and breeding companies Hillfresh is developing a taste model for melons that can be used to screen breeding lines objectively for taste.
The importer of fresh fruits like melons, kiwi, grapes and citrus and vegetables such as tomatoes, peppers, lettuce and broccoli is mainly focusing on retail for sales. Other trading partners are wholesalers and the processing industry, mainly for convenience products.  Coming from Spain, Israel, South and Central America and Africa, their fresh produce is sold in all of Europe. Another key point at Hillfresh is corporate social responsibility. Paul Postema: “The basics we have covered with standards such as GLOBALG.A.P., BRCI, or Cedex, but from retail we also see the need for attention to social and sustainability aspects.” Strongly socially committed, Hillfresh engages in several projects like the one in Peru, where alongside local authorities they invest in a clinic for pregnant women, or the partnership Hillfresh has with a producer in Namibia for solar energy.”

Purple Pride is a Dutch association for the growers of aubergine. Loes Al, Purple Pride’s marketing and communication manager explains that the 7 growers together hold 40 percent of the Dutch aubergine area and with that they are the largest supplier of the purple vegetable in north- west Europe. Purple Pride likes to approach the market of this relatively unknown vegetable a little different. Loes AL: “Through our ambition and vision we make that the aubergine gets more publicity and we work towards raising consumption. “Several initiatives have been rolled out to make it easier on the consumer. “We launched ‘world cooking’, which is an accessible way to introduce the aubergine to the consumer.” The flow-packed aubergine contains a recipe that can be prepared within 15 minutes just by adding a few other ingredients. Other projects include: a social cookbook on Facebook, recipe booklets and training for retail staff.
The different market approach is also evident in the relationships with partners and customers. Loes Al:” We strive for structural relations with like-minded companies.” The key in that process is constant good quality. “Retailers see the added value of that and by joining forces together we come up with the best ideas.” One of the concepts developed together with a retailer is an aubergine with a BBQ label to be launched next summer in Scandinavia. Sustainability is an integral part of Purple Pride’s quality policies. “We mainly use biological crop solutions and focus on social corporate responsibility.” 

The market oriented approach is very important to Greenco, says Commercial Director Jan Zegwaard. “You cannot produce without a market.” Greenco, a partnership of Dutch tomato growers, is the successful producer of ‘Tommies’ snack tomatoes. In 2005, Tommies were launched as the first snack vegetables and today a year-round production takes place on 25 hectares in the Netherlands, 40 hectares in Spain and 3 in Mexico. Jan Zegwaard: “Vital to our approach is the marketing department. They map what the retailers want. We provide external knowledge if needed.” The snack tomatoes are sold primarily to retail in the Netherlands, all over Europe, Asia and the USA. Expansion is expected. Jan Zegwaard: “We are continuously researching new opportunities for our Tommies.”