The real holiday rush has yet to begin at Sebrechts Groenten en Fruit. The family-owned wholesaler from Antwerp observes that most customers are still somewhat hesitant in their purchases but expects the activity to surge by the end of next week. "It feels like the calm before the storm. You can see some uncertainty, which means no special items are being bought yet. It's up to us to inspire people," explains Ellen Sebrechts of the eponymous wholesaler.
"I'm not entirely sure why things haven't picked up yet," she continues. "I think people are just waiting until next week to make their big purchases. We've also been told that some bakers and caterers will be closing on Boxing Day or January 1 and 2 because they can't find staff. It's quite unusual, as this used to be their busiest time of the year. Now, they're finding it difficult to replace regular staff in the lead-up to the holidays, let alone double their workforce for the holiday rush. Many are avoiding the stress and choosing to enjoy some peace and quiet instead. I think that's why the rush is starting later this year."
This delay also presents challenges for wholesalers, as it becomes harder to predict when and how significantly demand will increase. "I've been calling customers to find out when they expect to place their orders, as we also need to prepare. It might even be a bit less busy this year. In the past, we needed pallets of passion fruit, avocados, and melons because they would sell out quickly. Now, passion fruit is mainly used for decoration, and items like pitahayas are used to add an extra touch to displays. Perhaps we should take the initiative, as a light fruit dessert after a heavy meal is surely better than a big dessert."
Challenges and risks during the holidays
Despite this, Ellen is optimistic about another busy Christmas season. "Right now, it's still a waiting game, but by next week, I think it will be a completely different story. The timing of Christmas is a bit unusual this year, with Christmas Day falling on a Wednesday. This means that on Monday and Tuesday, everyone will expect to have everything ready. Some customers are already ordering fruit baskets to prepare over the weekend and deliver on Monday, but the real rush will come next week. We'll need to handle deliveries on Wednesday, and then sales for market vendors will really take off on Friday. They'll be aiming to have fully stocked and decorated stalls for their customers by Saturday. Specialty shops, on the other hand, focus on prepared dishes and aim to be ready by Monday or Tuesday morning before Christmas. We need to capitalize on that."
So, what items are most in-demand right now? "In the lead-up to the holidays, it's really chicory, beans, and similar items. I think people prepare these in advance and vacuum-seal them. Standard vegetables are a bit less popular at the moment, but there's strong demand for items like specialty potatoes, forest mushrooms, and the first white and black truffles, which are always prestigious. Additionally, small apples and pears are highly sought after in Belgium. However, this year, small apples are harder to find due to larger sizes overall, which poses a challenge but remains a key demand."
"In terms of fruit, grapes are always a big hit. We currently have beautiful, plump grapes that I hope we'll still have for the holidays. Exotic fruits are also likely to see relatively high demand, but it's still a guessing game. We don't order far in advance, so it's always a gamble. This makes it tricky because you need to have an attractive selection, which costs more at the moment, and you can't be sure everything will sell. Last year, for example, we purchased stock in Paris, and as we drove back through the tunnel, it started raining non-stop in Belgium. We thought, 'What have we done? We have so much stock but no orders, and this weather might ruin sales.' That kind of uncertainty adds a lot of stress to holiday purchasing."
"It all worked out fine, but our customers expect unique offerings from us. They need to differentiate themselves from supermarkets, which claim to have everything. Our customers, like market vendors and specialty shops, need to show why consumers should choose them over a supermarket. It's our role to support them by providing special, unique, and high-quality items. That's the challenge, but it's also part of the fun. During this time, we visit our suppliers more frequently to ensure quality and quantity are up to standard. We always look forward to this season because it's a lot of fun, and everything is beautifully festive, but it's also incredibly busy and stressful. Our customers feel the same way," Ellen laughs.
For more information:
Ellen Sebrechts
Sebrechts Groenten & Fruit
Kielsbroek 4
2020 Antwerp, Belgium
+32 32374192
[email protected]
www.sebrechtsfruit.be