On March 1st, the Venlo-based fruit and vegetable wholesaler Eurofresh celebrates its 25th anniversary. The anniversary is being celebrated this week with and for the customers, with 25 special offers and delicious treats from the food truck. In May, the celebration will continue with the entire Eurofresh family at a fun location in Venlo. Two jubilarians, Toon Mendoza and Peter Gijsen, who have been with the company throughout its journey, were honored today. The current CEO and shareholder, Ad Pollux, was also involved in the founding of Eurofresh 25 years ago. Early last year, he made his comeback by acquiring the shares from Pascal Rutten and Hans van Pol.
Jubilarians Toon Mendoza and Peter Gijsen
When asked about the success of the anniversary-celebrating wholesaler, Ad is quick to sing the praises of his predecessors. "I think they simply did a great job by sticking to the concept, not compromising on quality, and always remaining customer-friendly. That's everything a good cash & carry wholesaler should do. The idea we had back then still works. We offer a high-quality product, fresh daily and at a fair price. That resonates in the market. Moreover, every customer is welcome with us. We don't impose limits on turnover. We are a wholesaler where you can do business at the checkout with just fifty euros. We're proud of that. All those small customers make a big one. Everyone who behaves well and pays well is warmly welcome with us."
"Initially, we mainly supplied to retailers, market traders, and the hospitality industry. Over the last few years, the hospitality industry and its suppliers have increasingly come to us. Instead of purchasing their goods from an all-round hospitality wholesaler, they come here to the Fresh Park where they can buy fresher goods and also save on their purchases. 70% of our clientele comes from Germany, with the remaining 30% from the Netherlands and Belgium," Ad explains. "For years, we had the Triple A-location at the main entrance of the Fresh Park premises. That has shifted in recent years, but by now we have built such a reputation that the location is less decisive."
"Customers know they can come to us for a complete assortment. Traditionally, we are very strong in vegetables, both from greenhouses and open field, but in the last year and a half, perhaps due to my background, we have also made significant strides in hard fruit. We purchase at auctions in Germany, in Belgium, at ZON, and we also have direct lines with a number of Dutch growers. We buy import fruit mainly from Dutch colleague companies, but we also have direct lines with Spain, Portugal, and Italy. Our loyal and reliable suppliers, with whom we have maintained long-term relationships, have played a significant role in the success of Eurofresh."
"Looking at how 2023 went; it was a beautiful year in all areas. We could use a few more years like that. I'm also very pleased that I got the opportunity to take over the shares of this company. When I returned to the fold, it immediately felt right again. No hassle with customers or staff, but a solid and financially healthy company, where it's great to work. That's certainly not my own achievement, but rather a compliment to my predecessors and the eighteen colleagues who work here every day."
Confident about the future
Asked about the future of Eurofresh, Ad sees it in a positive light. "When you hear about the wholesale markets in Cologne and Düsseldorf; those developments are imminent. With our location in Venlo, we are perfectly situated to serve the German market. Moreover, the emergence of new farm shops and similar 'local-for-local' formulas also offers plenty of opportunities. It's no news that we also aim to build a new facility in the long term. It's not concrete yet, but it certainly shows the confidence we have in the future!"
Although you might hear that the greengrocer's trade is dying out, we notice nothing of the sort. Moreover, the emergence of new farm shops and formulas also offers plenty of opportunities. Thus, Eurofresh has become one of the three Partners of the Regional Food System Limburg this year, an initiative where I personally see a lot of potential for the future. In short, we continue to work ambitiously in the coming years under our new motto ''Simply the Fresh''. It's no news that we also aim to build a new facility in the long term. It's not concrete yet, but it certainly shows the confidence we have in the future!"
For more information
Ad Pollux
Eurofresh
Mob: +31 (0)6 11180209
[email protected]
www.eurofresh.nl