This time, in our “Yexpert Stories” series, we have a conversation with Dylan van Raaij, one of our Product Managers. So what are the developments around figs, and what can we expect this period?

In addition to the season with Turkish figs, December is one of the most beautiful times of the year. Demand rises, the price varies from day to day and matching supply and demand is a great challenge. Figs are a typical end-of-year product. In the Netherlands and most of the countries around us, sales peak around Christmas and New Year’s Eve. This means that from week 48 onwards, we will be processing large volumes. So we tend to plan a lot of promotions in North-West and Central Europe. It therefore requires good planning and good interaction with our farmers in order to meet demand.

The supply from Turkey ends in October, when it will be taken over by Peru and Brazil. We have taken a beautiful step this year with our regular supplier in Peru, to transport the figs partly by boat. This is more sustainable than flying. It does require a certain amount of effort to arrange this properly. Together with our farmer, we have acquired the necessary experience. After years of testing, our farmer knows exactly at what stage he should harvest the figs, we make a volume plan with our customers and carefully plan promotions. Then, under the right transport conditions, the figs are transported from Peru to Europe.

A few times a week, I walk over to our warehouse in Poeldijk to pick up a box of figs. I like to do a little taste testing myself. And I let my colleagues in sales have a taste. The taste varies throughout the season, and you need to know what you’re selling. Figs from Brazil still come for 100% by air and are of a different variety than the Peruvian. Each customer has their own preference when it comes to the variety they sell, and the real specialists naturally sell them both!

Get in touch

Dylan van Raaij
Product Manager
d.vanraaij@yex.nl
+31 (0)174 47 9168