Retail
Most produce sales within Northern Europe take place through retail channels. Continuous growth has occurred within this sales channel in recent years, with a number of supermarket chains becoming more and more concentrated. In the Netherlands, no fewer than 90% of all produce sales take place through supermarkets. This percentage is lower in Southern Europe, but the sales percentage through the retail channel continues to rise.
Total Produce B.V. has several customers active within retail, including both supermarket chains and convenience shops. Years of experience have made us experts in developments taking place both in the market and at our buyers. As a result, the availability of products can be guaranteed in the desired volumes and adapted to specific customer preferences. This includes individual labelling for various retailers, assisting them in developing and carrying out year-round programmes and, together with buyers, achieving shop innovations.
Wholesale
The Total Produce B.V. portfolio contains a wide range of wholesalers. Although the number of wholesalers in Europe has declined over the past few years, those buyers who are still active are focusing more and more on quality and taste and interested in unique products that are not only available in large volumes. Consistent quality and supply certainty are key to serving this group of buyers as optimally as possible.
Wholesalers will continue to hold an important position within each market and are increasingly developing into product specialists who can provide their customers with one-on-one information that is more difficult for consumers to obtain in the supermarket.
Export
For many years, the Netherlands has been the leading port of landing for fruit intended for export. This is one of the reasons why the Dutch market has such a large number of exporters. They specialise in combining full lorries with a wide range of products in full keeping with customer preferences. A number of exporters have also started concentrating on exports to areas that are more challenging in terms of documentation.
It goes without saying that good quality in the right size and volume are important export criteria when supplying leading brands. The Total Produce B.V. range meets these criteria and is tailored to the needs and desires of exporters.
Food Service (Out of Home)
Growing prosperity and changing eating habits and times have made convenience shopping a part of everyday life in recent decades. Consumers are eating out more and more and caterers active in this dynamic market are making efforts to ‘entice’ consumers to eat ‘out of home’ instead of ‘at home.
Through the years, Total Produce B.V. has acquired considerable expertise in supplying this group of buyers. By working with the right suppliers, Total Produce B.V. can provide its buyers with products with higher brix levels and more intense colours. Total Produce B.V. also has the necessary expertise in product ripeness and the corresponding shelf life.
As a result, buyers in the food service sectors can count on optimal service and information, enabling them to continue to grow in an increasingly important market sector.
Ship chandlers
The provisioning of cruise ships is a specialisation that requires knowledge of both products and logistics. In terms of products, the right combination of freshness, shelf life and quality is key. Logistics is the art of supplying the ships ‘just in time’, i.e. the moment they dock. Close collaboration with ship chandlers has enabled Total Produce B.V. to acquire specialist knowledge within this market over the years. This has made them proficient in all relevant aspects and able to adequately respond to developments.