Next week, Fruit Vandepoel will have a new home in Sint-Katelijne-Waver. This Belgian wholesaler is leaving the Brussels early market after many years. "We decided to move to improve our services' quality," explains Guy Claessens. "We'll have our own building in a great spot. It's right next to BelOrta, one of the largest vegetable cooperatives in Europe."
Fruit Vandepoel's new building on Fortsesteenweg in Sint-Katelijne-Waver.
There are various reasons for this choice. "Market sales have declined somewhat in recent years, and there was a greater demand to deliver. Our new building has five loading docks, so we'll make considerable logistical progress. Also, we can centralize everything. Our office will move to Sint-Katelijne-Waver too. We'll thus do purchasing, sales, administration, and logistics from one place," says Guy. "That saves considerable costs and significantly advances efficiency."
Fruit Vandepoel will, however, not discontinue direct sales. "Organization became complex in Brussels. We did market sales and deliveries all night, so it was difficult to check for things like theft and mistakes. Sint-Katelijne-Waver also has an early market with complementary hours to those in Brussels. We'll have a better overview and, so, even more hours available for our customers."
It's high time for a change at the wholesaler. Along with moving, they have also had a new co-CEO on board for a month. "Koen Goossens joined us last month, replacing my previous partner. He'll support me in management. This, together with the move, gives us confidence in a bright future, in which we can continue to grow," Guy concludes.
For more information:
Guy Claessens
Fruit Vandepoel
56 Fortsesteenweg
2860, Sint-Katelijne-Waver, Belgium
Tel: +32 (0) 224 11 720
Email: guy@fruitvandepoel.be
Website: www.fruitvandepoel.be