Mobile Edition
Print
Get the Mag
Weekly UpdatesBelgium may be small in size, but it is by far the biggest producer of frozen vegetables in Europe, having packed 900,479 tons at 16 locations in 2008. Indeed, it has been the continent's most fertile garden for processed vegetables for more than two generations, and a number of the nation's leading companies have branched out in numerous directions beyond the homeland during the past decade with the acquisition of factories and construction of new plants abroad.
Overall output of frozen vegetables in Belgium was up by 29,129 tons last year, with companies in the fertile West Flanders region accounting for most of the country's 26% share of European production, exclusive of sweet corn. The export powerhouse shipped more than 800,000 tons beyond its borders.
[ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]
Figures presented at the April 24 Conference of European Vegetable Processors in Brussels by Professor Xavier Gellynck of Ghent University charted steady upward growth on the EU frozen vegetable front during the past four years, with a cumulative 5.37% increase to 3,439,200 tons packed in 2007-08 among 18 countries tracked. Previous year-toyear advances in production were on the order of 4.10% from 2004-05; 4.78% in 2005-06; and 4.24% from 2006-07.
Output of canned vegetables, on the other hand, has slid every year since 2004. Production was relatively fiat at -0.03% from 2007-08, however, at 2,788,052. The canning industry remains significant in scale with 171 production units operated by 139 companies in 16 countries. In the frozen vegetable sector, meanwhile, there are 176 processing plants run by 147 companies in 18 countries.
Poland is the number two producer of frozen vegetables in Europe, having packed 503,000 tons last year (up by 22,000 over 2007), which accounted for 14.62% of total EU production. There were 14 vegetable freezing plants in operation, compared with 10 canneries.
Third-ranked Spain was not very far behind in output, with 480,000 tons (up by 26,000 over 2007) accounting for 13.95% of the market. The number of frozen vegetable factories in action was 25, compared with l0 canneries.
Ranking fourth in frozen vegetable production was France at 470,000 tons (up by 33,671), which was good for 13.67% of the EU total. France far and away is number one in the canned vegetable sector, though, with output of 967,889 (1,000 units of 850ml) representing almost 35% of the market. Twenty-one canneries are active in the country, compared with 16 freezer plants.
Italy is first in the number of production sites, with 36 frozen vegetable plants and 32 canning factories. In terms of volume, tonnage of 258,000 in 2008 (up by 6,000 over the previous year) ranked it fifth in Europe, with a 7.5% share of the market.
Good Turnout for Conference
Held every two years under auspices of the Organization of European Industries Transforming Fruits and Vegetables (OEITFL), the Brussels Conference attracts the EU's leading vegetable and fruit processors as well as government officials and representatives from regulating bureaucracies, retail and foodservice distributors, equipment manufacturers, seed specialists and other suppliers. The sixth edition was well attended, with 170 participants from 12 EU countries plus the USA on hand.
Conference speakers addressed subject ranging from Trends & Fig
ures and Promotion of Processed Vegetables, to the EU Sustainability Directive, and Carbon Footprint Labeling in the Food Industry. Cochairs of the event were Ardo Group CEO Jan Haspeslagh and J.B. Bonduelle, director of external relations for the Bonduelle Group in France.
Professor Gellynck's presentation, which was co-authored by fellow academic Hans De Steur of Ghent University's Department of Agricultural Economics, provided an overview on major forces driving consumer societies of industrialized countries.
"Today's aging baby boomers, those 50- to 60-plus-year-old, are the First generation in Europe to cash in on a double retirement," he pointed out. The professor was quick to add that 49-58-year-olds nowadays regard themselves as, and behave like forever-young 34-43-year-old persons.
While there is no lack of disposable income among the majority of newly "gorgeous grey" shoppers in the EU, they are often time-pressed and stress-challenged as technology rapidly marches forward at break neck speed in an environment of constant communication bombardment. Indeed, the warp-speed of information exchange has morphed in less than a generation from fast faxing and faster e-mailing to Internet Instant Messaging, nano-second SMS texting and Twitter tweets.
While the convenience and value of processed vegetables fits in well with the lifestyles of many modern Europeans, "People expect more than a product," said Gellynck. "They are looking for an experience."
The frozen vegetable segment, arguably more so than the canned sector, has proved to be adept at providing consumers with meal "experiences"--particularly in the form of ethnic stir-fry dishes and value-added blends that run the gamut from Waldorf Salad to Malay Wok Mix featuring a medley of Asian-style vegetables including baby corn, bamboo shoots and peppers.
With the exception of imported Asian vegetables, most of the basic ingredients for popular mixes are generally available in ample supply from European producers. In fact, last year the production of a number of key frozen vegetable components was up, as detailed in the box at left.
The output of peas advanced dramatically, reaching 591,913 tons compared with just 412,890 tons in 2007.
Production of cabbages was also
up (from 462,068 to 478,181 tons), though brussels sprouts tonnage fell from 76,643 to 70,717 tons.
Among key vegetable varieties with reduced tonnage figures were carrots (declining from 456,075 in 2007 to 426,696), and to a lesser extent leeks (down from 53,485 to 52,964), non-fried potatoes (retreating from 64,225 to 58,651) and spinach (dropping from 242,486 to 222,382).
While 2008 EU internal trade import statistics were not available to analyze at the conference, 2007 numbers showed that Germany was the leading destination for frozen vegetable imports as it received 500,000 tons. The United Kingdom ranked second, taking in a bit more than 400,000 tons, followed by France at approximately 380,000, Italy at 300,000, the Netherlands at about 240,000, Spain at roughly 180,000, and Scandinavia at approximately 120,000.
On the all-important export side of the ledger, Belgium [as already reported] and Poland topped the list with external shipments exceeding 800,000 and 300,000 tons, respectively.
Ranking third through eighth in exports were the Netherlands (250,000), Spain (249,000), France (approximately 190,000), Hungary (100,000), Germany (about 80,000) and the United Kingdom (approximately 60,000).
Sustaining Industry & Environment
"Sustainability" has evolved in recent years into a politically correct buzz word with widespread currency, thanks in no small part to environmental-protection driven campaigners. Safeguarding the integrity of biological systems to endure and remain productive over time is nothing new, and has long been near and dear to the hearts of vegetable and fruit processors who rely on harvests from the good earth for their living.
OEITFL Frozen Vegetable Product Group Chairman Jan Haspeslagh, noting that the organization's members are all for sustainability, commented: "But we still have to operate our business. And there are too many schemes [proposed and implemented by governments and their bureaucracies]...We are not against change, as long as it's practical."
Better Living Without Chemistry?.
One such scheme, though it was not clear if Haspeslagh was referring to it, is the EU's Framework Directive on the Sustainable Use of Pesticides. Steps for reducing risk to human health and environment were addressed by Anne-Cecile Cotillon of the European Commission's Directorate General for Environment. She outlined objectives of the EC's "thematic strategy" that included promotion of the use of Integrated Pest Management and alternative approaches, such as non- chemical alternatives.
"Integrated pest management means careful consideration of all available plant protection methods and subsequent integration of appropriate measures that discourage the development of populations of harmful organisms, and keep the use of plant protection products and other forms of intervention to levels that are economically and ecologically justified, and reduce or minimize risks to human health and the environment," she stated. "Integrated Pest Management emphasizes the growth of a healthy crop with the least possible disruption to agro-ecosystems and encourages natural pest control mechanisms."
James Clarke, science and business development manager of ADAS Sustainable Crop Management, Boxworth--Cambridge, England, remarked: "Resistance to pesticides is widespread".., and "downward pressure on availability of new or existing plant protection products (PPPs)" is intensifying.
[ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]
[ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]
"Nearly three-quarters of pesticides that used to be available are no longer available," he continued. "A bad situation is getting worse. Herbicide losses are very likely. Fungicide losses will depend on definitions, and insecticide losses are possible."
Clarke warned that among the impacts of new EU pesticides legislation on vegetable crops will be higher costs for growers and lower expectations for "clean crops" and desirable size yields--particularly when it comes to carrots.
Controlling weeds in onions is apt to be an especially acute problem starting in 2013, when a ban on key herbicides pendimenthalin, linuron and ioxynil goes into effect.
FEED