The plaques presented to Guy d Luc Van den Broeke and Achim Schon
proclaimed: "Quick Frozen Foods International, the business
magazine of record serving the global frozen food industry since 1959,
proudly presents you with The Golden Ice Crystal Pioneering Achievement
Award.
"Ceremoniously awarded on Oct. 16, 2007, at the ANUGA,
Cologne, Germany, in recognition of unrelenting efforts and leadership
in pioneering the frozen food sector in the formative years and building
it into a first-class industry. QFFI salutes the acute vision and
energetic drive that continues to power today's ever-expanding
frozen food industry. You shine brightly as a Supernova among a galaxy
of stars."
And so, in a special ceremony attended by several hundred members
of the international frozen food industry, the executive directors of
Leuze-en-Hainaut, Belgium-based Van den Broeke-Lutosa and the chairman
of the R&R Ice Cream Group became the latest inductees into an elite
fraternity whose membership numbers only 15 persons. They joined the
ranks of luminaries including Harrison McCain of McCain Foods, Karl
Dusterberg of apetito, Andre Dejonghe of Pinguin, Edward Haspeslagh of
Ardo, Gerrit de Bruijne of Farm Frites, Per-Oskar Persson of
Frigoscandia, Dirk Milers of FRoSTA, Philip Dean Kruk of Salomon
FoodWorld, and Bob Prakken of BluePrint Automation.
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"Each award-winner, in his own way, has made contributions
that have greatly moved the frozen food business forward, said John M.
Saulnier, chief editor and publisher of Quick Frozen Foods
International. "We are pleased to honor them for their lasting
service to the industry and for providing leadership which advanced the
sector during decisive, early years of development."
Andrew H. Williams, president of E.W. Williams Publications Co.,
which has published QFFI since its beginning more than 48 years ago,
presented the Golden Ice Crystal Award winners with plaques spelling out
their achievements. He also oversaw the pinning of Golden Ice Crystal
crests on the labels of the distinguished honorees.
The Van den Broeke brothers grew up in the potato business. They
learned all about wholesaling and exporting from their father, while
mother taught them everything that was needed to know about buying raw
materials from farmers.
During the 1960s the family began raising potatoes on rented land.
In 1977, Guy and Luc entered the frozen french fry business and created
the Lutosa enterprise. Today Lutosa, which last year was acquired by
frozen vegetable specialist Pinguin NV, is global in scope. It annually
processes more than 600,000 tons of spuds at two plants, and exports
products to over 55 countries.
"We salute you for having the vision to expand your
multi-generational family potato business into the frozen french fry
segment and create the Lutosa brand, which has evolved to become highly
regarded throughout Europe and beyond," said Williams. "As
young entrepreneurs, each of you had the wisdom and foresight to look
into the future and embrace it, never hesitating to proceed till-speed
ahead without looking back."
In accepting the award, Guy Van den Broeke lauded the teamwork of
staff members who "have invested their time and energy to make the
company what it is today."
He also credited the firm's penchant for product quality and
innovation, as well as specialization and integrated operations as key
for ongoing success in the marketplace.
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Achim Schon was honored for a long and still-flourishing career in
the frozen food industry that began in 1965 when he was a salesman of
Baader Anlagenbau industrial food processing equipment. After receiving
a Business Economics degree in Foreign Trade, he entered the seafood
business as a chief trader with Flamingo-Fisch in Bremerhaven, working
there for several years before becoming head of marketing at Schottke
GmbH in 1975. Promoted to director of sales five years later, in 1983 he
was named director of marketing and sales. During that period, Herr
Schon was actively engaged in the launch and extension of the FRoSTA
brand of frozen fish products, ready meals and vegetables. In 1995 he
began a six-year term as a board member of FRoSTA Ag, responsible for
EUR 300 million in turnover, as well as four production sites and sales
operations in 10 countries.
In 2001 Herr Schon left FRoSTA to assume the helm at Roncadin, a
major producer of private label ice cream products in Germany. This was
a major challenge, as Roncadin was near bankruptcy at the time. In short
order, he successfully reorganized the company and strengthened its
position among retail buyers. In 2006 he took the Roncadin Group, which
was then a EUR 500 million unit of Oaktree Capital management and ranked
as Europe's third largest ice cream producer, into Poland with the
acquisition of Zielona Budka.
It's been a long and successful 40-plus year run for Achim
Schon, whose stellar career keeps going from strength to strength.
Recently he was named chairman of the R&R Ice Cream Group, which is
an amalgamation of the merged Roncadin and UK-based Richmond Ice Cream
companies. Few chief executives with his breadth of knowledge and
experience, if any, are still active on the job in a full-time capacity
today.
Kudos to Herr Schon and the Van den Broeke brothers!
COPYRIGHT 2008 E.W. Williams Publications,
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NOTE: All illustrations and photos have been removed from this article.