The organic market is currently clearly under pressure due to inflation and lower purchasing power. Nevertheless, there are still innovative, passionate entrepreneurs who are choosing the organic industry out of conviction. Maximilian Kaas and Julian Heusler are part of this new generation in the organic industry. After taking their first steps in the organic fruit and vegetable trade, the two young entrepreneurs now want to build bridges between organic producers and the various sales markets.
Currently, the two-member management team at K&H Bio-Partner is mainly involved in the procurement and marketing of organic vegetables. TOVs are by far the most important source of sales, although German open ground vegetables are also currently being traded in large quantities. According to Kaas, the procurement of goods in this segment in particular has been extremely challenging recently. "German courgettes, for example, were only offered to us in limited quantities and at unusually high prices. In early June, we even had to import pallets of courgettes from the Netherlands, which rarely happens during the domestic season. However, due to the lower demand at the beginning of the holiday season, we are seeing a slight recovery in the market. Nevertheless, we still expect manageable quantities from domestic cultivation later in the season, as many growers were unable to plant due to waterlogging and therefore missed the second or third set."
French organic TOVs of the Codino variety.
Growing producer base throughout Europe
In the area of imported goods, the focus is on European procurement. Heusler: "The connection to the producer is extremely important to us. I have been to Spain and France several times in recent months and will also be spending a few months in Andalusia. Then I'll be in Brittany from September. We believe that the business can be organised much more efficiently if you are there, on the ground. And this is easily done these days." In addition to greenhouse vegetables, organic citrus from Spain will also be offered from next autumn.
Maximilian Kaas and Julian Heusler are at the helm of K&H Bio-Partner.
Future prospects in the organic sector
Sales of organic fruit and vegetables are still stagnating, which is clearly due to inflation, Heusler adds. "Many people simply can no longer afford organic food. However, the price gap is widening too far for certain products, which is particularly noticeable for everyday products such as cucumbers and peppers. In the short term, I continue to take a critical view of the development of organic sales. In the long term, however, we are convinced that the market share will increase again." His business partner Maximilian Kaas agrees, adding: "Politicians are also committed to organic, which has already led to subsidies and specific targets in system catering and communal catering. Sooner or later, there will be a certain boost."
The management predicts that there will also be an upward trend on the producer side in the future. "We want to save CO₂ and cultivate our land sustainably. At the same time, the causality between soil sealing in conventional agriculture and phenomena such as soil dehydration and flooding is being ignored too much. In organic production, on the other hand, topics such as greening and mixed crops are already commonplace, which is why there is much more harmony with nature." According to Heusler, this will also lead to shifts in the procurement of imported goods in the future. "In large parts of Spain, the water problem is already having serious consequences in the agricultural sector. I could also imagine that France will benefit from this trend, surely gaining in importance as a source country."
Images: K&H Bio-Partner oHG
For more information:
Maximilian Kaas and Julian Heusler 
K&H Bio-Partner oHG
Weinbrennerstrasse 4
79837 St. Blasien
Phone: +49 1516 8514940
Email: [email protected]
www.khbio-partner.com