At this time of the year clementines fly off the shelves. This trend is evident at Fruit At Work, a company based in Zonhoven, Flanders, that supplies fruit boxes to businesses and schools. "Every year, I'm amazed at how many clementines we handle, but this year was a bit more challenging due to issues in Spain," says Youri Aerts, the company's representative.
"You could say we've had a busy spell," he continues. "This week, we delivered for St. Nicholas, so last week was particularly hectic with packaging. We always operate on a calendar schedule. Right now, it's very busy for a short period, but in two weeks, we'll close for the Christmas holidays. Then, in the first week of January, things pile up again as everyone returns from leave, New Year's gifts are distributed, and schools resume. School holidays tend to be quieter since schools are a significant part of our business, but during the school year in Belgium, it's our busiest period, with peaks around holidays like St. Nicholas and Easter."
Clementine demand through the roof
Clementines continue to dominate the market. "Once again, I was really surprised," Youri shares. "We always stock up extra for this period, but I still had to request additional pallets several times. We even had to buy more from wholesalers regularly, which is, of course, a positive sign. However, this season has not been easy. We all saw what happened in Spain. Normally, during this time, we rely on the regular mandarin season with the well-known Satsuma, but this year, that ended 4 to 5 weeks earlier. As a result, we had to switch to clementines exclusively, much earlier than usual.
"We usually prefer to offer both mandarins and clementines to educate consumers about the differences in taste, juiciness, and peel. Unfortunately, we couldn't do that this year," he explains.
This shift has also kept clementine prices high. "This week, prices are starting to drop to slightly more acceptable levels, but we're still paying over €1.50 per kilo for premium sizes. That's still 20–30 cents higher than last year. The big question is how prices will develop in the coming weeks. If weather conditions in Spain worsen, prices could spike again. Ideally, we'd like to see them fall to €1.30, which is our usual rate. For other citrus fruits, like oranges, prices are already favorable. We exclusively use A-brands with minimal peel damage, and prices are now at €1.20–€1.30 per kilo, which we're satisfied with."
Despite the challenges, Youri says Fruit At Work has managed to meet all customer demands without issue. "I've been a bit more cautious this year, though. During this period, instead of ordering 3 or 4 pallets, you need to plan for 8 or 9. You tend to over-order to ensure you have enough stock, but you still occasionally run short. Thankfully, those gaps are quickly resolved," he laughs. "We did notice that nearly all suppliers struggled to maintain consistency in volume and calibers."
"It's been more difficult than previous years, but that's understandable given the storm in Spain. You have to adapt. I've already heard that the first Moroccan clementines are quietly entering the market. Normally, we don't switch to those until after New Year when the Nadorcott variety is in full swing, but for now, it's not the right product for us. So, you make do with what you have. Still, everyone can enjoy a festive St. Nicholas, and we're extremely pleased with that," Youri concludes.
For more information:
Youri Aerts
Fruit At Work
Tel: +32(0)11 825 844
[email protected]
www.fruitatwork.eu