The past tough season has been alleviated thanks to SAFE\u2019s pre-planning – now top quality produce to overseas markets is guaranteed, says SAFE marketing and sales director, Wibo van den Ende.<\/p>\n
Wibo is currently based in Europe to oversee the arrival of the grape harvest from South Africa.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt helps a lot to be temporarily in Europe while the grapes arrive every week. I have been here since January and will remain until mid March, which is when more than 90% of our grapes will arrive here.<\/p>\n
“It\u2019s important to see the quality first hand, and be able to prepack and select the produce and meet all our receivers, who really appreciate the hands-on, personal approach,\u201d says Wibo.<\/p>\n
\u201cAnother plus is that I can provide immediate details about the market conditions for our packhouses and farm management back in South Africa.<\/p>\n
\u201cSo far we have had a very successful launch of mixed seedless (mixed white and red as well as white and black seedless) in 10 x 500g packs prepared in the Netherlands. There is also strong demand for our Fair Trade grapes.\u201d<\/p>\n
Van den Ende says sales targets for the year include expanding and strengthening SAFE\u2019s European supermarket fruit programmes, and increasing cooperation with Netherlands-based fruit and vegetable importer and distributer, Haluco, as the service provider for the warehousing, cooling, prepacking, distribution and sales.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe believe we are much better able to guarantee a constant reliable product through checking and selecting at Haluco before we distribute to our end receivers,\u201d says van den Ende.<\/p>\n
\u201cIn Switzerland we have a full programme and are successfully and consistently supplying Swiss retailer, Coop, with our Fair Trade accredited grapes on a weekly basis.”<\/p>\n
While in Europe, van den Ende will be attending Berlin\u2019s Fruit Logistica trade fair where he can be found at the combined Haluco and SAFE stand C06 in Hall 3.2.<\/p>\n
In addition to the European market, SAFE also supplies table grapes to China and other Far East countries. SAFE\u2019s Rutger van Wulfen, says the Nuwepos farm near Vanrhynsdorp in the Orange River area is particularly well-positioned for this market, allowing grapes to be harvested three to four weeks earlier than on the Hex River farms.<\/p>\n
According to Van Wulfen, the fact that SAFE has been able to get to market “early” with crimson red seedless for the last few years \u00a0has meant excellent returns for the exporter.<\/p>\n
“We can deliver earlier than Australia and Chile, which means we have a unique window to market our products.”<\/p>\n
\u201cNuwepos grapes are already en route to China, where we expect very good results. These days Chinese customers focus more on taste than size, so these grapes will be ideal for this market,\u201d says Van Wulfen.<\/p>\n
In the Far East, SAFE has a new client in Vietnam, and will be supplying directly to Big C, the giant retailer with its head office in Thailand and 35 stores around Vietnam.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe have been supplying clients in Vietnam for many years through agents. Now largely due to SAFE\u2019s growing reputation as producer\/exporter we are able to get direct access to our markets – this process is more transparent \u00a0and cost effective for us as producers and for the retailers,\u201d says Van Wulfen.<\/p>\n
“The trend for supermarkets these days is to reduce the supply chain, and work directly with their suppliers which suits SAFE as a producer and exporter,” he concluded.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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