Many companies and growers are increasingly looking to add value to their residual streams. That's right up Frédéric Lerouge's alley—he specialises in pressing fruit from his standard orchards and other growers. Fresh juice, jam, vinegar, oil, or cider—you name it, there's local fruit being processed on farms, in specialist shops, or at retail outlets. This trend prompted Frédéric to invest in a new double belt press to take things to the next level.
© Lerouge
"We're seeing more and more growers come to us with fruit they can't sell on the fresh market," the entrepreneur explains. "As a result, they're looking for ways to maintain profitability. That's why we decided to purchase a new double belt press." Soon, the company will operate two mobile fruit presses, which can be used on-site for batches starting at 5 tons, as well as two fixed fruit presses that allow them to press and package fruit for growers and for their own brand, Lerouge Natuurlijk, in 3-litre or 5-litre boxes and 1-litre and 1.5-litre bottles.
Greater variety, efficiency, and ergonomics
"With the investment in the new double belt press, we can now boost both capacity and yield, which was a necessity this year. Apple prices have been high due to reduced yields, and I don't expect that to improve much in the future. So, we wanted to show foresight with this investment, to keep extracting optimal value from the fruit we press," he says. "What's more, this allows us to press other (soft) fruits as well. These include strawberries, raspberries or redcurrants, which we use to add flavour to our apple base, but also overripe pears. These usually go to industry for very little money or are used as biomass. But now that apples are so expensive, working with overripe pears is a great opportunity."
© LerougeThe new double belt press
Another advantage of the new double belt press, Frédéric says, lies in staffing. "Finding staff isn't always straightforward anymore. We work a lot with Romanians, but while our economy seems to be standing still at times, they are progressing. They used to be happy just to have work. Now, they're in a position to demand more from their jobs. If the work is too hard or takes too long, they look for other options. That made it necessary for us to focus on improving ergonomics and reducing labour intensity. This press helps us do that."
Retail
The company's customers include growers who sell their own juice under private label, but Lerouge also supplies (organic) juices to supermarkets and meal box services under their own Lerouge Natuurlijk brand. "This stays within a radius of about 40 kilometres around our base in Zevergem. After all, we don't want to compete with growers—it's not fair, and we already have more than enough work in the region we source from. Still, we work on some great projects. For example, we collaborate with Foodbag, which features a different juice flavour each week. The base is almost always apples, supplemented with local fruit. We don't work with imported or frozen fruit—our goal is to use local fruit that needs a new destination. That alone lets us create a wide variety of great flavours. For example, we combine apple with ginger, (quince) pear, strawberry, rhubarb, or beetroot. Both conventional and organic. Everything is pure and fully ripe. That's how we stand out from the big players."
© Lerouge
Uncertainty
Looking ahead, Frédéric is optimistic, though challenges remain. "Our peak season is in autumn when growers are sorting their harvest. That's when they often decide not to risk storing some of their fruit, so they come to us. But due to increasing climate extremes, harvest volumes have fluctuated dramatically over the past 10 years. That creates a lot of uncertainty and puts pressure on prices. Last year, for example, the apple harvest was poor, which drove prices sky-high. That made it hard for us to get enough volume. Thanks to the double belt press, we have more flexibility again, but it remains extremely difficult to plan if you don't know what kind of fruit will be available in August or September. I'm afraid that uncertainty will only increase, but we're hoping for a normal harvest next year," Frédéric concludes.
For more information:
Frédéric Lerouge
Lerouge Natuurlijk 
Boeregemstraat 4A
9840 Zevergem, Belgium
Tel: +32 475 26 24 80
info@appelperslerouge.be
www.appelperslerouge.be