Branded berries

Well-Pict European has been quietly nurturing the integrity of its supply base over the past few years. The main impetus has focused on being able to serve the UK marketplace, currently the largest destination for its specialist berry lines. While production sources such as South Africa have a role supplying the UK, it has taken up the challenge of developing the home market and constructively using the WPE branding of bespoke varieties and building produce and service integrity.

The WPE brand team met recently to discuss the launch of its new range of packaging formats in addition to using its supply chain network to build its business throughout Europe. Seen as a means to further enhance its current customer base through operating efficiencies, the program also offers tangible benefits for its own production and growers who currently work under the WPE umbrella.

Growers have been keen to adopt the branding initiative as a means to being part of a more substantial force at the point of sale. Grower can see that it is possible to develop small niche markets for their own farms, but customers look for a consistency of supply over a long season that growers are unable to fulfil.

The production base will continue to develop the quality of the product they offer. This has developed through association with sound breeding program and agronomic advances to produce fruit that has favourable customer acceptance. A key element is the company’s development of food safety initiatives allowing any customer the assurance that products are safe and meet all legislative requirements. Successful growing is very much about programming sales for a forecast demand; the days of speculative production are all but numbered.

WPE currently sells products from seven countries to nine European destinations and South Africa. While the current procurement-driven offices of the company have also been the principal conduits for sales, WPE is looking to form alliances with other organisations and companies to extend its network of sales. To date, all sales have started slowly and been built on the company’s expertise in ensuring the customers requirements are fully met. European sales of berries are expanding rapidly and there are a few other companies able to succeed in meeting the new service and product expectations.

The new branded packs will be launched and available to participating growers within the next quarter.

Winter 2004