Regional partnership
The wholesaler primarily supplies hotels and restaurants, positioned as it is, in the heart of a tourism area. Currently, the snowfall has a positive impact on demand, as the winter sports season is picking up. "As a rule, potato products -peeled and sometimes pre-cooked- are accepted very well by our customer base. Regionality also plays a significant role in this segment, and fortunately we enjoy regional partners and suppliers. As a regional trading company we have a flexible response to customer needs, through our partnerships on the ground. The fruit salad business is also doing well," says Lermer.
Two generations within the same company; Claus Lermer (l) takes care of buying and selling, Franz Lermer deals with wholesales
Currently, the availability of potato products is quite normal, says Lermer. This is due to the fact that the impact of this year's heat wave in southern Germany was not nearly as catastrophic as in the north. "Our suppliers can get goods from all over Germany if they need them. Currently, however, there are sufficient regional products available."
Tight situation for onions and salads
Currently, there are some abnormalities however, said Lermer. He pointed to the problematic onion market. "Because of the shortage of goods throughout the industry, prices have been rising again. It was also announced that this would not be the last instance of a price increase. Interestingly, the Spanish products currently are much cheaper than the Austrian and German tubers. For common sizes, Spain is about 2 euros per 25 kg cheaper."
Regarding colored lettuce, the situation is also problematic, but not as much as for the onion market. Red Oak Leaf and Novita from France are significantly more expensive than the Lolo varieties, says Lermer. "At the moment we buy many lettuces from France. From Italy, only mixed lettuce is available."
Differentiation
In general, the regional provider still sees a promising future for his company, that was founded in 1970. "We supply a loyal clientele within a radius of 60-70 kilometers, and their claim to quality and fresh innovation has not only strengthened our position in the market, but also shows that we are still on the right path."
For more information:
Früchte Lermer
Claus Lermer
Traunsteinerstr. 11
83313 Siegsdorf
Phone: 086 62 / 71 91
Fax: 086 62 / 128 84
E-Mail bestellung@lermer-siegsdorf.de
www.lermer-siegsdorf.de