The Netherlands is a relatively small country in Western Europe, bordering Germany and Belgium. It is home to the largest seaport in Europe (Rotterdam) and plays a big role in European trade. The positives of doing business in the Netherlands include the its EU membership, high living standards, the culture of direct communication and English as a commonly spoken second language.
Breaking into the European market can be difficult. Your product has to be either really special, or your price has to be really low. Never forget however that apparel is a peoples business. Be unique, be open and communicate on a personal level. Try to build a network. That is how you get a place at the table.
Edwin van den Broek, Fashion sourcing expert
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The Netherlands can be seen as a gateway to the wider European apparel market. It may be small in terms of physical size and population (the seventh largest in the EU), but it is 4th in terms of apparel imports by value, re-exporting 90% of it. Dutch buyers can be hard negotiators. Successfully doing business in the Dutch apparel market, however, can open doors to other EU markets as well.
Breaking into the Dutch apparel market can be difficult. Finding unique products is the challenge. If you do want to service volume buyers, be aware that your price needs to be super-competitive. And still the quality needs to be ‘okay’. Even in the cheapest segments, items cannot have defects. Try to be different, in product development, pricing or presentation.
Edwin van den Broek, Fashion Sourcing Expert
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The Netherlands is the 4th-largest apparel import market in Europe in terms of value and a major distribution hub for other European markets.
To sell pine nuts in Europe, suppliers need to prove food safety, origin, species and consistent quality. Test every lot for cadmium, aflatoxins, nickel, microbes, rancidity and residues. Buyers expect Global Food Safety Initiative (GFSI) certification, UNECE-based specifications, traceability and protective packaging.
European buyers are placing increasing importance on consistent quality, low moisture content, adequate shelf life, and reliable traceability. Suppliers that can demonstrate strong quality control and supply chain transparency are better positioned to meet these evolving market expectations.
Antonina Blanc, Responsable Export & Développement Commercial at From Wild International s.r.o. (Czech Republic)
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Europe is an attractive market for pine nuts because it depends on imports and uses pine nuts as a high-value cooking ingredient. Demand is supported by pesto, Mediterranean cooking, premium retail, foodservice and plant-based diets. The best opportunities can be found in Italy, Germany, Spain, the Netherlands, France and the United Kingdom. Future opportunities will depend on providing a reliable supply, clear origin, traceability, organic certification and credible sustainability stories.
Pine nut demand has grown significantly since around 2011, as consumers have become more familiar with their taste and incorporated them more frequently into home cooking. While demand continues to increase, growth has slowed in recent years due to poor harvests and rising prices, which have affected consumer purchasing behaviour.
Antonina Blanc, Responsable Export & Développement Commercial at From Wild International s.r.o. (Czech Republic)
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Europe is an attractive market for pine nuts because it depends on imports. It uses them in Mediterranean cooking, premium retail and foodservice. The best markets are Italy, Germany, Spain, the Netherlands, France and the United Kingdom. Suppliers need to prove food safety, origin, species, traceability and consistent quality. China leads in terms of scale and price, while Mediterranean, Russian and Mongolian pine nuts compete on origin and story. Collection is expensive, keeping prices high.
European requirements for Arabica coffee are strict, and they are mainly the same as those for Robusta coffee. Though there are some country-specific requirements, most legislation comes from the EU and applies to all member states.
Helping farmers understand their buyers' markets enables them to adjust their produce to their needs. Producers benefit from improved communication, while all shackles benefit from mutual exchanges of knowledge. It starts with ripe cherries on the shrub.
Stijn van Mourik, Product and supply chain expert, Coffee farm manager – Cafés Dagobert, France; La Perla Roja, Colombia
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