TRADE AND MARKETING tor is not going to help us at all’ of transport must have it. You’re always dealing with people and every customer is different. Proper marketing is only possible when the company behind you works well, your product development is of a high level and if you have motivated people who want to deliver high quality and provide service. In the end, you try to ensure the potato has as broad a perspective as possible. The bigger the business, the more important it is to be really well organised.’ How do you do that, to give your product as broad a perspective as possible? ‘One of the topics today is health. That’s what you include in your planning, because that’s marketing. A good example of that is the Nature’s Goodness product that we have developed. With this product we have succeeded in making chips that contain 50 percent less fat. In an absolute sense, a Nature’s Goodness chip contains less than 5 percent fat. That is practically nothing. Compare that with the various other foods you eat in a day and think about which of those foods contain less than 5 percent fat. In addition, over 80 percent of this consists of healthy, unsaturated fats. I think it’s quite unique that we, as a medium-sized company, have been able to develop such a product. That’s very important in our segment. You can only make such a product if you have the entire chain backing you. And our customers think the cooperation in the chain very important. That’s marketing too.’ Are you still able to sell new products in this difficult financial time? ‘In spite of the crisis, there is good news for us. The consumer is continuing to eat potato products. So the long-term perspectives for the potato are good. There can be no two ways about it. Potatoes are available everywhere, are relatively cheap and you can buy them in all types, sizes and varieties, and you can prepare them in numerous ways. This is all really positive. The processing sector is even doing better than any other.’ So sales and marketing are up at Farm Frites? ‘Yes, but it could be better still. What I’m really sorry about is, for example, that the potato doesn’t have the prominent place on the plate that it deserves. It’s a healthy and easy product for our customers and not at all difficult to prepare. It is therefore a great pity that many customers today leave the purchasing to the supermarkets. The result is that the price has often become a leading factor. It’s up to us to change this policy. How are you going to change this way of working? ‘At any rate, it won’t help to complain. We must act, use our heads and think carefully. I am of the opinion that we must develop a vision and set a goal within the chain. I often have the feeling that we could collaborate much better within the potato branch. We must remain sharp and not oppose each other. People in many countries are traditionally used to eating potatoes. It frustrates me that this opportunity cannot be translated into money. I’m firmly convinced that squeezing the sector is not going to help us at all. We can earn much more by trying to sell more potato products. There’s nothing to stop us. The mistake we are all making is that we are not able to put this message across properly. Are you going to be successful within five years? ‘Absolutely, we will have grown in the market to which we have been able to provide added value. And we will also have grown in the new areas all over the world. Here in Europe, you will mainly see a product range improvement, and possibly a little growth, because I think that we will grow just a little. Will that take the price of potatoes for specific suppliers to a higher level? ‘At Farm Frites, we buy in line with market standards. I simply cannot afFord not to do that, even if I think that potato farming doesn‘t earn enough for the growers. If a farmer buys a new tractor, he will also go to where it’s the best price for him. That’s exactly the same for me,’ Will developing markets in new areas be easier than in Europe? ‘The greatest risk in developing countries is the cultivation itself. Not the sales, which will be all right. After all, we’re talking about countries where our biggest customers McDonald’s, Burger King and Kentucky Fried Chicken are operating in a buyers’ market. If, for example, you want to open up South America, you need to multiply your own seed, grow it and store it yourself. That is going to be very costly. The capital tied up in that and the risks involved are disproportionally great. It means that you need to be able to control the entire chain. If we do something wrong in the production today, we can have it solved tomorrow. But if your crop fails, or the growth is lagging behind, the entire chain will be behind schedule. Limiting this risk as much as possible is the greatest challenge in developing countries.’ ● Jaap Delleman Potato World 2010 • number 1 5 Pagina 4
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