Warehouse
In contrast to what one might expect to see at a wholesaler, StC does not have a warehouse. This was a deliberate choice. Jan: "Having stock is not our goal. It is just a means to an end. We ensure that the product gets loaded at the farms. You cannot get fresher than this. We also keep costs down by not having a warehouse."
Jan van der Kaden between the tomatoes at the Kester tomato nursery.
A small, closely-knit team ensures that the affiliated growers can fully occupy themselves with the cultivation of their crops. StC employees keep in close contact with the growers and customers. These employees take care of matters such as transportation and logistics. Growers use a software system to pass on their yield prognosis and supply. StC then uses this information to do their commercial planning.
One-on-one contact
"Besides monitoring things from a distance, there are a lot of opportunities for one-on-one contact in this short chain", says Jan. "Together with the grower, we, for example, determine sales policies. Farmers have a real voice with us. When the opportunity arises, we also like to take our growers along to clients. They can then see how their product is received."
Jan van der Kaden checks the tomatoes before they leave
The Kester tomato nursery in Honselersdijk, South Holland was the first to join StC in 2016. Together they came up with a marketing strategy for the farm's Merlice tomatoes. These tomatoes are cultivated on 7.5 hectares and are sold under the Red-Kes label.
Assortment
In addition to good service, a good price must also be realised. Jan, with his extensive experience in the fresh fruit and vegetable trade, is well-aware of this. "We have to perform well because, in the end, it is all about a good price for the grower."
StC consciously chooses not to follow the crowd. Presently, besides the Kester tomato nursery, Zwinkels aubergine nursery has also partnered with StC. "We are a small player with an extensive European network. We offer many benefits, such as a great demand for our products."
Ultimately, StC wants to be able to offer a complete assortment of greenhouse vegetables. They want to do this directly from affiliated farmers to the end client. Jan is, however, careful of unrestrained growth: "The short chain and our transparency are our strong points. This must remain."