Van den Bos Freshpartners in ABC Westland, the Netherlands, has managed Vegimex's Moroccan product arrivals for years. When office space became available in the same business park in Poeldijk, director Willem Schrage did not have to think twice. Last weekend, the company moved from The Hague to ABC Westland. "It's perfect for us to be literally on top of our products. It's a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity," says Willem.
Willem Schrage and Robbert de Mie in their new office space.
Willem has worked in Moroccan agriculture for 20 years, speaks the language, and has been Vegimex's director for the past five years. He and his colleague Robbert de Mie manage the Moroccan fruit and vegetable distribution. Most of those are grown on the company's farms. "Our cultivation partner has 300 hectares of greenhouses in Agadir and significant open-field production. We receive between two and four trucks daily outside of the programs."
More fixed agreements
All year long, tomatoes, Kapia bell peppers, zucchinis, green beans, and melons from Moroccan soil arrive at Vegimex and then find their way to the European market. "Our biggest markets are Scandinavia, Germany, the United Kingdom, and Belgium. This year, we're focusing even more on contracts because fixed agreements provide much more stability. We're working with several Spanish transporters who bring the trade from Morocco. That suits us extremely well," Willem explains.
Pre-season expectations were high for the Moroccan tomato season. "Those weren't fully met, partly because Spain has planted plenty of tomatoes. Supplemented with Turkish tomatoes, that's put considerable pressure on the market. Our contracts run until week 16, after which the Dutch tomato supply will start to dominate the market again," says Robbert.
The first melons from Mauritania will arrive at Vegimex this weekend. "Many Moroccan growers have moved there. The upcoming Ramadan means there's a significant demand for melons. Customers want to start loading quickly." Vegimex does not rule out expanding to other products and origins. "We're offered all sorts of things, but we especially want to excel in the products we carry for our clients. We've built a good reputation with the Kapia bell peppers over the years. We can truly distinguish ourselves in the market with them, which is more important than carrying as many products as possible," Robbert concludes.
For more information:
Willem Schrage / Robbert de Mie
Vegimex
407 ABC Westland, 2685 DE
Poeldijk, the Netherlands
Mob.: +31 (0) 641 886 974
[email protected]
www.vegimexbv.com