EXPORTING TO THE UK: HOW THE NETHERLANDS WILL RESPOND TO THE UPCOMING CHALLENGES & MAINTAIN ITS UK TRADING RELATIONSHIP GOING FORWARD Gert Mulder 5th of June 2019 London Produce Show

Doing trade with the UK: who’s the boss?

Brexit: The main concerns Add 1-2 minutes of inspection time to a HGV, both ways, at the border at Calais/Dover and you will end up with a traffic jam with a length of about 30-40 kilometers which will not disappear. NL alone export 50.000 HGV per year of fresh produce on a just-in-time basis. Unless new solutions are found third country procedures will effectively diminish trade.

Global player in fruit and vegetables...

Top 10 export of fresh fruit and vegetables to the United Kingdom

Channels Dutch export fruit & vegetables Retail Foodservice Food Processing Wholesale market

Let’s talk about tomatoes

British consumers like round tomatoes

Export fresh fruit and vegetables from NL to the UK

Import fresh fruit and vegetables into the UK, in 2018

Import United Kingdom, shares the Netherlands

Develop alternative inspection and documentation procedures What can we do? Develop alternative inspection and documentation procedures System control in stead of consignment inspection (audit) Digital exchange of data in stead of documentation For HGV there are options for tracking and tracing

What a the main drivers behind the NL-UK trade Integral cost efficiency Production costs Logistics (grouped transport ~60%) Flexibility Time between order and delivery (2x daily); Available assortment (stock management)

What need we most (from the politicians)? TRUST EACH OTHER There has been over 40 years of trust in each others inspection systems. Agree on a system of reciprocal pre-clearance Try to find an arrangement to keep the standards harmonised (continued participation in EFSA) Don’t fight over food

Seven challenges for UK retail Brexit Continuing uncertainty over Brexit is impacting business investment Weak shopper confidence Value will become more important to reassure price sensitive shoppers Low volume growth Retailers will continue to pursue operating cost cuts and shift sales to margin rich products Legacy estates Large stores need to be made more relevant to ‘little and often’ shoppers Growth of online Profitability remains hard to achieve with high costs not reflected in charges to shoppers Meeting rising shopper expectations Health and environmental concerns are here to stay Pressure to deliver short term success Pressures from shareholders for short term progress can inhibit long term strategies © IGD 2019 Source: IGD Research, Sept 2018

Challenges and meeting rising shopper expectations of shoppers are trying to eat healthier in some way 85% Would like more information from food & grocery companies to inspire them to make healthier choices 70%

Packaging now a key concern for shoppers “When choosing food and groceries in a supermarket, how important or not important are each of the following to you?” (% of shoppers who answered important / extremely important):

Can we do without packaging at all?

Healthy options particularly key when buying fresh products

Retailers encourage healthy eating Engaging with children Encouraging better choices Endorsements and sponsorship In-store advice VegPower: ‘Eat them to defeat them’ Tesco: Little Swaps Gousto: Healthy recipes Waitrose: Health eating guidance

Strong relationship NL and UK! Top quality and optimum taste higher interest in tomato with excellent taste! More sales directly to retailers without provider/packer Growing sales fruit & vegetables to foodservice Logistical advantage  food miles, efficiency, costs Demand for sustainable solutions  less plastic and foodwaste Higher sales of exotics via the Netherlands foodsafety, high quality, full package, NL stays in the heart of Europe

Showing interest is as important Prize for the best children marketing for fruit and veg