In recent years, the Chinese ginger market in the Benelux has been increasingly dominated by companies of Chinese origin, importing large volumes of ginger from their home country. Despite this, Sawari Fresh International from Barendrecht has also made inroads. The company started five years ago with a focus on quality. "Every piece of ginger we receive is thoroughly checked and then packed under one of our brands. This allows us to stand out in the market," says Bert van Gelder.
Ginger under brand Guru
"Until last week, there was a strong demand for ginger. Now, the market is a bit quieter, possibly due to Ramadan and the warmer weather. There is also a bit more ginger arriving, which has put some pressure on prices," Bert says. Sawari Fresh currently sells Chinese ginger at a price point of around 30 euros for 12.5 kilos. "For that, you get a very nice box of ginger, fully checked. Every bit of mold, spoilage, or dried piece is removed. That's our trademark."
Apart from Chinese ginger, availability is currently low. "In Peru, it is currently the low season. We still receive ginger from Peru, but mainly through fixed programs for the processing industry. Peru is now exporting its Class I ginger mainly to North America, where the transit time is shorter and higher prices are paid," says the importer. "Furthermore, we're seeing ginger exported from Brazil to Europe via air freight. But this remains a niche market. These prices are much higher, and with the volume available from China, it's difficult to compete with 'Brazil by air' on the spot market."
As a surprise by staff and with the help of sponsorship from a number of relations, a trailer was stickered for the 5th anniversary
Sea freight delays remain the norm. "Transit time from China is now stretching to 7–8 weeks, and from Peru, shipments are also on the water for nearly four weeks," Bert says. "The Red Sea problems persist, as shipping companies continue to avoid this route due to fears of attacks by Houthi rebels from Yemen. As a result, shipping companies still have to take a detour via South Africa."
"Until the end of March, ginger volumes from China will remain limited. What's arriving now was all loaded just before Chinese New Year, and during those holidays there's hardly any ginger packing in China for about two weeks. From April, volumes will likely start to increase again, although with warmer weather, consumption typically drops, so there could be additional pressure on the market."
Besides ginger, Sawari Fresh is also active in the garlic market. "Demand for garlic is still strong, and any trade that comes in is absorbed by the market within two weeks," says Bert. "I don't expect that to change in the coming months. Spain has not yet picked up, and in the longer term, cultivation will face significant challenges due to the year-round water shortage. For instance, we're currently seeing solid demand for Chinese garlic from the Spanish market."
Bert views the future of Sawari Fresh International positively. "More and more customers are approaching us for regular programs because they are satisfied with the quality we deliver. The Netherlands remains an important market for us, but we have a broad customer base across Europe—from Germany and France to Spain, Italy, and Eastern Europe. We are increasingly focusing on retail and are finding our way in that segment more and more. In terms of organization, we have a solid foundation in place, but we'd like to expand the team further to continue serving our customers well."
For more information:
Bert van Gelder
Sawari Fresh International
Transportweg 22
2991 LV Barendrecht
Tel: +31 0 180 472 803
bert@sawarifresh.com
www.sawarifresh.com