The business in the catering trade should be able to completely trust their wholesalers. They depend on the quality of the products. Ercan Duruöz is the manager of Elele a fruit & vegetable Gastro Service in Essen. He knows: "The quality must be impeccable. Many of our customers buy the merchandise without seeing it. The dealer and the customer must trust each other. It won’t work otherwise."
In addition to trust, the price and the service of the wholesaler are the main deciding factors, according to the manager. "You cannot provide your customers with bad product. Gastronomy needs fresh produce," explains Duruöz, "You have to keep up and know what is in high demand. We are happy to offer customers our help even with special requirements."
The range of the wholesaler includes specialties such as edible flowers or fancy herbs. “We always try to offer our customers unusual products. With a bit time all wishes can be fulfilled.”
The demand of pre-cut products increases among the customers of Elele according to the wholesaler.“ Preprocessed products are primarily ordered by customers who have a high turnover of goods. Unprocessed goods can be stored better. So these are more suitable for customers who sometimes want to store their products for a few days."
The summer is the time for light and fresh products. “In the summer the demand for salads is very high,” says Duruöz, “The demand for seasonal products is always very high. The asparagus season just ended and now the demand for edible mushrooms such as chanterelles or porcini increases. This is why you have to be up-to-date as trader and offer your customers the newest products.”
The origin of the merchandise is important to the customers, but not a reason not to buy the produce. “Our customers find the price and the quality of the products more important than the origin. They trust us to deliver the best quality for a good price.” Customer satisfaction is the bread and butter of a supplier of gastronomical products.
