Benelux Fresh Hub near Rotterdam will consolidate ripening, packaging, logistics and sales operations at single site
Valencia-based multinational SanLucar has opened a new packhouse called Benelux Fresh Hub in Ridderkerk, near Rotterdam, as it looks to consolidate all of its Benelux operations through one site and grow its overseas imports.
The centre will be used to manage various aspects of its various supply chains, including inventory, ripening, quality management, packaging, logistics, and sales.
And it will enable the company to handle products like bananas, avocados, mangoes, pineapples, citrus, grapes, berries, and stonefruit, all under one roof.
Bringing all those services together should mean a faster and more efficient operation with capacity for a larger volume of overseas produce, the company said, and help to strengthen the brand’s business in the Benelux retail market. “With the new location in Ridderkerk, we are creating the conditions to manage our overseas business even more precisely and efficiently,” said Armin Rehberg, CEO of SanLucar. “At the same time, it is a strong signal of our sustainable growth and the consistent further development of our international activities.”
The group sees plenty of fresh potential across the region’s retail landscape, Rehberg added. “From SanLucar farms and origins via Rotterdam to our retail partners and consumers, we see ourselves as ideally positioned to deliver added value and services both nationally and internationally,” he said.
The centre will offer modern packing and added-value services, as well as a high level of automation for product preparation – for example, cardboard sleeves, punnets, washing, netting, flowpacks, foodtainers, and laser branding.
