Total Produce, the demerged produce marketing and distribution business of Fyffes, certainly isn’t lacking in ambition. It made the headlines in July after acquiring a majority share in health foods distributor Wholefoods Wholesale. Plans to invest more than £75m in establishing 40 fresh produce distribution centres in India, alongside its joint venture partner Tata Chemicals, have also kept it in the news.
The company’s Edinburgh branch has been grabbing the column inches and is on the look out for new challenges, following the move to its new state of the art facility in Sighthill. “We’ve had a settling-in period over the past few months and we’re now ready to move forward,” says Robin Spinks, general manager for Total Produce.
The company is looking to take advantage of its favourable location and is concentrating some of its efforts on local sourcing. Total Produce is looking to build more relationships with locally based suppliers and increase the ratio of Scottish based produce it markets.
“We are currently working with 12-13 Scottish growers and we’re looking to raise awareness,” Spinks tells Commercial Grower. “Lots of the growers here are in partnerships with retailers but there are still some smaller type producers who supply Total Produce.”
Given that much of Scotland’s fresh produce is concentrated in root vegetables, mushrooms and soft fruit, it’s unsurprising that Total Produce is currently in talks with a potato grower to supply a full range of products.
“More and more of our customers are asking about the percentage of locally grown produce,” says Spinks.
“If we get more fruit and vegetables from Scotland, this means we don’t have to source as much from the rest of the UK which reduces road miles.”
Spinks says Total Produce is looking to forge strong ties with local growers. He explains: “It’s far better to form a partnership with growers and negotiate prices that are conducive to both parties which will allow the growers to invest. This will encourage better specifications and higher quality produce.”
Total Produce currently works with mushroom growers in Stirling and unusually for some larger firms, Total Produce drivers collect suppliers’ product, allowing local producers to cut down on their transport miles.
Edinburgh may be hundreds of miles away from Total Produce’s headquarters in Dublin but Spinks says each division has significant control over its day to day operations. “We enjoy the best of both worlds,” he claims. “We have the financial backing of a large company and the collective strength that goes with it but Total Produce in Scotland runs as an independent unit; we’re given a lot of independence.”
Relocating to new premises can never be easy but Total Produce is enjoying a good response to its new 33,000 sq ft distribution centre at Sighthill. The state of the art facility is equipped with up to the minute technology and is home to a 1,000 sq ft ripening facility room which can handle 24 pallets. The latest refrigeration controls have been installed in the warehouse and chill cold rooms.
“Anyone that’s been to visit our new facility has been overwhelmed; it’s far in advance of anything else in Scotland and really sells itself,” Spinks says.
When questioned about the major benefits of the facility, Spinks says fresh produce has been given a new lease of life.
“With our docks and loading facilities, fruit and vegetables are never left outside and are kept in perfect condition all of the time,” he explains. “This has helped to extend the shelf life of fresh produce.”
The new facility has also given Total Produce the space and equipment to consider its options. And while fresh produce will continue to account for a major percentage - some 90 percent - of Total Produce’s business, the company is also keen to diversify into other foods.
Total Produce is looking to handle a range of other products including dairy, in particular cheeses, and oils. Spinks says: “Total Produce’s aim is to provide a consistent, quality service offering a full range of products. Our catering clients want one delivery for everything rather than the five to six lorries that currently deliver their orders. It’s much more efficient and easier for them to handle a single bulk load.”
The diversification will also help the firm to pay for its new facility and make it more economically viable, says Spinks. “Obviously, when we move into new products, we will take a lot of guidance about storage and handling etc, but we have the capacity at Sighthill to store cheeses and other goods in different cold stores to fresh produce,” he adds.
The convenience store sector is one of Total Produce’s major customers and it currently devotes two merchandisers to Spar who assist them with training and planning. Total also handles Spar’s labelling, packing and barcode requirements and runs a daily service transporting fresh produce to Spar’s central depot in Dundee.
Booker Cash & Carry is another one of Total Produce’s c-store clients and the food service supplier advises Booker on fresh produce handling and training. The c-store sector could become an even bigger client to Total Produce in the future as it is also in talks with two c-store operators. “If we win these contracts, it will mean servicing another 200 c-stores,” Spinks reveals.
Consumers frequenting c-stores often pop in to buy something quick and easy to cook and prepack lines have shown significant growth in the sector. Although price is usually less of an issue, Spinks says there’s a misconception that c-stores are more expensive than multiples. “For the majority of fresh produce excluding bananas, prices in c-stores are on a par and sometimes lower than multiples,” says Spinks. “This summer, I’ve seen nectarines and grapes selling cheaper in c-stores than the bigger supermarkets.”
The Fruit for Schools scheme represents another important chunk of business for Total Produce. It primarily supplies schools in the west of Scotland and has been providing free fruit and vegetables for the last seven years. “We’ve recently renewed contracts for another two to three years so by 2010, we’ll have been involved in the scheme for 10 years,” Spinks says.
It’s all go on the catering side too. Total services some 350 retail units throughout Scotland and its catering business includes all of Sodexho’s units in Scotland. Other clients include Glasgow, Edinburgh and Strathclyde Universities and East Lothian Council.
The firm has recently taken on new catering and hotel orders and is hoping to gain more in the future. “Some of the big clients are already locked into contracts but when these expire, we will be targeting them,” Spinks says.
Offering your customers a consistent, reliable, quality service is a given but in these competitive times, making that extra effort can mean all the difference.
“We try and give some support to all of our customers in what they do,” Spinks says. “This can mean anything from offering recipe ideas and putting on tastings to providing advice about training and handling.”
As anyone in the fresh produce sector will tell you, nothing stays the same and it’s important to keep up with the times. With different customers coming on board, it’s vital to meet their needs. “We’ve had a growing number of requests from our catering clients who want more specialist foods,” Spinks says. “We’ll be going over to the Rungis market in Paris and one of our aims is to establish strong partnerships there and bring over mixed pallets of speciality tomatoes, herbs, exotic mushrooms and herbs.”
Total Produce is also busy preparing for its food show which will be held at Sighthill in late September/early October. The company will ask its suppliers to display their products and invite its customers along for tastings and to meet suppliers.
There’s obviously a whiff of change in the air but Spinks says one thing that has remained relatively constant is the company’s employees. “You don’t get very far without good staff and we have a very solid base here; many of our employees have been with the company for years,” Spinks says. “Staff training is a priority and we encourage employees to work their way up.”
A staff social club has recently been set up and already enjoys a 65 percent attendance and a committee is on hand to organise events throughout the year. The first event will kick off with a Witchery Tour visiting Edinburgh’s spooky landmarks and there are plans to put on charity events. “The new facility is good for staff morale and provides a good working environment,” Spinks says.
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