The demand for fresh-cut fruit and vegetables and ready-to-eat meals is on the rise. At 't Vitamientje in Belgium, this fourth range is increasingly popular. "Certainly, from the hospitality sector, demand for freshly cut fruit and vegetables has risen sharply. For many, ease of use and convenient portioning are becoming more and more important. However, due to staff shortages, the hospitality industry especially appreciates this kind of outsourcing," begins Hendrik Bollen.
The company has two regular stores and a wholesale store that supplies restaurants and the healthcare sector with fruit, vegetables, and related products. And business is booming for this family business. "We've been hectic since the lockdowns ended. So have our customers. We had a great summer, which was, of course, nice. The holidays were a little calmer, though. There, inflation played a role."
"I think because so much had been reported about reduced purchasing power, many consumers feared spending too much money. It seems those shoppers were tightening their belts a bit more. Yet, the first months of the year were unusually busy. These are normally somewhat quieter," says Bollen.
Fourth range
That is chiefly because it is between seasons now, he explains. "Spring is slowly approaching. The production of things like hop shoots and asparagus has begun, and their demand is also increasing. Those products will sell the hardest in the coming period. Also, as already mentioned, the fourth range is becoming more popular. Think of fresh-cut and mixed vegetables. We unburden our clients of much of the preparation and labor-intensive work."
The company produces these entirely in-house. "We don't outsource anything and entirely prepare the products ourselves. Everything is produced day fresh, as per buyer order. Ease of use is greatly appreciated, especially since the pandemic and especially in the hospitality sector. But it's also a great way for everyday people to prepare healthy meals quickly. We'd like to keep taking care of customers in this way in the future," continues Hendrik.
Spreading out client portfolio
This family business faced tough times during the pandemic, but things seem to be slowly returning to normal. "Much of our sales fell away, but fortunately, since eateries began to reopen, we've managed to recover most of that. We're not yet at 2019's level. However, by focusing more on deliveries to, say, healthcare facilities, our sales across multiple customer groups have become more constant."
"What's more, three other young, enthusiastic companies and we have launched a webshop for the fresh market: supervers.be. We've, thus, spread out our customer portfolio more, so, in the future, we can properly absorb any lost sales markets," concludes Hendrik.
For more information:
Hendrik Bollen
't Vitamientje
Tel: +32 (0) 112 27 120
Email: [email protected]
Website: www.vitamientje.be