The UK arm of Belgian fresh produce juggernaut Univeg has been on a real march in recent times, with a number of strategic developments turning it into a heavyweight player in this country.
From a turnover of under £80 million just a couple of years ago, Univeg now finds itself in the top 10 of the FPJ Big 50 2015 on the back of two very significant moves in January 2014.
First, Univeg UK merged with sister company Winchester Growers, adding a wide range of horticultural products to its portfolio. Winchester Growers is the world’s largest daffodil grower, with sites in Lincolnshire and Cornwall.
Then, in an even more eye-catching move, it acquired Spalding-based top-fruit specialist Empire World Trade (EWT), giving it a valuable extra route into the major British supermarkets.
The combined business now has a turnover of £203m, over 600 employees and a product portfolio ranging from top and soft fruit to exotics, dried fruit and horticulture.
Before the addition of EWT and Winchester Growers, directors in the UK had been focusing on profitability by withdrawing from unprofitable lines at the expense of turnover. That had led to a slight drop in turnover and increase in pre-tax profits in the latest filed accounts.
“Market conditions remained very challenging due to the prevailing economic conditions but were helped by a much drier summer compared to the previous year in the UK,” the directors’ report said. “The produce industry, particularly the sector supplying the multiple retailers, continued to be highly competitive. The company has maintained a broad base of customers and is actively pursuing a strategy to increase market share in 2014.”
On the product side, Univeg remains a passionate advocate of Fairtrade, introducing a range of Fairtrade firsts to the UK market, including Indian grapes and South African lychees. The company already has a wide Fairtrade offer but predicts further growth in the category both domestically and across Europe.
It has also been throwing its support behind particular lines, such as Opal apples, where Univeg has been working hard to convince the public of its sweet, tangy and aromatic flavour, with a range of social media activity backing its other initiatives.
Winchester Growers has been getting its public face on too, supporting Spalding in Bloom and donating 12,000 bunches of daffodils to the Falmouth Spring Festival.
Dried fruit and nuts is another area where Univeg has established itself as a leading supplier in the UK market, with the category experiencing a renaissance in the eyes of health-conscious consumers.
Moving forward, Univeg is looking to leverage its wider group connections to help further boost its performance in individual markets. “Univeg has extensive growing operations globally, as well as sales, marketing and logistics divisions spread throughout the key European markets,” a spokesperson explains.
“Looking to the future, Univeg UK will further capitalise on the extensive Univeg Group network and the efficiencies it brings to further develop opportunities with new and existing customers.”
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