On Tuesday afternoon, at the second VersPodium event—a Dutch knowledge-sharing platform for fruit and vegetable industry professionals—Sabine Devreese, the Vegetables Division Manager at BelOrta, hosted a group of Dutch visitors. She inquired about their associations with BelOrta, and their responses, including a variety of fresh, locally grown vegetables, large auctions, auction clocks, effective marketing, and the Ruby Red variety, delighted her. "Well, I don't need to say anything more," joked Sabine.
A visit to the sales room was not missing. A new physical sales room is being built on the site in Sint-Katelijne-Waver
More than an auction
BelOrta is proud of its auction system and the auction clock's operation, with a new physical sales room being built at their Sint-Katelijne-Waver location. However, Sabine highlighted that BelOrta is more than just an auction: it is a cooperative created by, for, and with the growers.
The Dutch visitors, including representatives from large cooperatives, trading houses, and breeding companies, quickly raised questions, curious about how BelOrta efficiently collects a wide variety of fresh vegetables and fruits in one place and auctions and sells them promptly and without delays.
Sabine was quickly bombarded with questions
Connection with the grower
During the tour, participants observed the steps BelOrta takes before auctions. As they walked through the site and halls, they occasionally saw growers delivering products, some on tractors and trucks transporting items like beef tomatoes.
Here, the trucks with fresh products drive in
With BelOrta growers experiencing expansion and generational changes, visits to the cooperative have become less frequent. To stay connected with younger growers, BelOrta created FuturO, a platform for informal knowledge exchange among growers under 40, an initiative to ensure that the voices of younger growers are included in decision-making.
Some in the group of visitors were surprised to learn that several BelOrta growers manage their own packaging, even though the cooperative offers centralized packaging at locations in Belgium, such as Sint-Katelijne-Waver and Borgloon. Sabine explained that the choice depends on what the most efficient process is for each product.
Aromia, a new brand of tomatoes
Strong marketing
Some participants of the VersPodium event combined their visit to BelOrta with a tour of nearby supermarkets, where they noticed how frequently the BelOrta name appeared on packaging. Sabine proudly mentioned that they have successfully established their brand on the shelves, even with retailers who typically prefer private label products. Additionally, BelOrta products can be found internationally, such as chicory in Canada, celeriac in Japan, and pears in China.
Visiting the cold storage rooms
Local
The cooperative consists of around 1,100 growers who produce over 200 products from Belgium and the southern Netherlands. "We want locally grown vegetables and fruits here," they affirm. Local products can also come from the Netherlands, with North Brabant, Limburg, and Zeeland being common areas, while three growers from South Holland and one from Gelderland are also members of BelOrta.
At BelOrta, fresh vegetables and fruits can be purchased before the auction clock or through mediation. The sales strategy is determined by the grower, along with colleagues in the same segment and BelOrta employees. BelOrta supports this process by providing access to a wide range of buyers, with over 500 customers from various segments and countries.
Buyers can pick up their products here.
Power of the clock
On Tuesday afternoon, the halls were relatively quiet, which is understandable since the big rush occurs in the morning. The main auctions take place on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday. "We make sure everything, absolutely everything, gets sold. By evening, we're empty," Sabine explained.
The Dutch visitors were curious about how BelOrta knows in advance what the growers will bring. The Manager of the Vegetables Division acknowledged that this is limited and depends on the segment; however, with the auction clock as a powerful tool and its broad reach, they are able to sell additional crates of tomatoes, strawberries, or chicory. When there's a large supply, such as the current surplus of chicory, causing a price drop, the market might face challenges. Despite this, the balance has tended to tip positively over the years.
During times of scarcity, prices can reach their highest on the auction clock at BelOrta, which is centrally located in the heart of Belgium. Sabine noted, "The clock is the best market barometer for many products." This includes items like the Ruby Red, a new tomato variety that has garnered attention from Dutch cooperative colleagues due to its effective marketing and notably strong pricing.
A stack of Ruby Red, now also available organically.
For more information:
BelOrta
Mechelsesteenweg 120
B-2860 Sint-Katelijne-Waver, Belgium
Tel.: +32 (0)15 55 11 11
[email protected]
www.belorta.be