Working Together in a Changing World

Specialising in the marketing of fresh produce, Planet Produce first opened its doors for business in 1998 in order to provide a dedicated service in the exotics market. Based in the Vale of Evesham, the four founders of the company - Norman Heyes, Glenda Heyes, Pete Watson and Becky Watson - are still at the helm today, with Norman and Pete having 50 years of experience between them in the industry.

This experience, in tandem with a genuine passion for fresh produce, has helped the company to expand its portfolio dramatically over the past decade, with Planet Produce now handling over 150 product lines, including speciality lettuces, herbs, berries and citrus. In fact, renowned for its exceptional customer service, Planet Produce has today acquired a reputation as one of the leading suppliers in the UK marketplace.  

Priding itself on delivering quality, freshness and convenience to its customers every single time, Planet Produce offers a large variety of fruit and vegetables, every one carefully inspected and selected according to its own high standards. Indeed, the company works closely with suppliers to ensure product safety and quality, and is committed to supplying only the finest quality produce, with the maximum service and the minimum fuss.

10 Years of Sustained Growth

With the company now celebrating its 10th anniversary, Planet Produce's continued aim is to supply its customers with the best quality product at the most competitive price. To achieve this, the company has invested heavily in the most forward-thinking, quality conscious growers, dedicated staff, and in facilities that allow it to consistently exceed customer expectations. Three-quarters of the company's turnover is handled at its Evesham site, while the balance is handled at its clearing agent's site at Heathrow, where the company employs a full quality control team to monitor the produce.

What's more, Planet Produce likes to keep things simple, encouraging sales staff to communicate readily and accurately with the warehouse and production staff, allowing them to ultimately act as one team. It will come as no surprise to discover therefore, that the company's experience and attitude has generated a large, long-term customer base, which is growing every year.

Expertise in Exotics

Planet Produce sources fresh fruits, vegetables and salads from more than 30 countries with the goal of achieving 

year-round supply of most products wherever possible. Moreover, its success has been built on its expertise in the supply of exotic fruits and vegetables and speciality salads.

Today, the exotic vegetable side of the business still accounts for 47% of the company's turnover; exotic fruit and berries (15%), Melons (6%), salads/vegetables (2 0%), and baby vegetables, baby leaf and herbs (12%) making up the balance.

The company is expected to handle 2.5 million boxes of fresh produce this year, with its biggest lines being Kenyan-grown fine beans, mangetout and sugar snaps, for which it is currently handling some 20,000 cartons (equivalent to 40 tonnes) each week.

 

An Uncommon Expertise

Supplying discerning customers throughout the UK, the key behind Planet Produce’s success is that it provides the complete service. It also offers a specialist expertise that is becoming increasingly rare in Britain today and one that its customers have come to trust and rely upon. This is achieved in several ways, with four of the most important aspects as follows: 

• Planet Produce's primary goal is to exceed customer expectations. The company does this by building relationships with both customers and suppliers in order to ensure that the entire chain is committed to quality.

• This quality is the foundation of the entire Planet Produce culture and incorporates extraordinarily stringent methods of sourcing the best produce, as well as in-house training and development for employees.

• Each customer is unique, with Planet Produce listening closely to individual needs and requirements to allow it to meet all of its customer s' expectations.

• Planet Produce is dedicated to consistency, in both quality of produce and the service that is at the very heart of the company's work ethic.

A number of companies today it seems, want to throw as many facts and figures at their customers as is humanly possible. Planet Produce, on the other hand, and despite having enough 'facts and figures' to impress even the most cynical of readers, prefers to build its company philosophy around strong personal relationships, based upon mutual respect, understanding and trust.

Going the Extra Mile

Planet Produce serves a broad portfolio of customers, including caterers, food service operatives, wholesale markets, supermarket packers and processors, providing a specialist service where it offers mixed pallets of a range of produce for its customers. This commitment to going the extra miles typifies the company's approach to the industry, and is a tribute to the outstanding individuals who have contributed to its success.

Every day, the 35-strong team strive to provide the highest quality goods and services to its loyal customers, with everyone committed to the founders' business philosophy of integrity, reliability and trust. 

Its customers benefit from a product that has been monitored from the field to their door, complemented with up to date information on growing conditions, potential shortages and logistical problems that may occur from time to time. What's more, the company's extensive product knowledge allows it to advise growers and exporters on many of the issues relating to the UK market - preferred varieties, pack sizes, packaging, and UK and EU legislation in respect of food safety and pesticides. 

This has given the company full control over the end product, including traceability. With today's increasing media, consumer and government attention on food safety, the partnerships it has fostered over the years have become a practical way to guarantee the integrity of the produce This important area is managed by the company's Food Service & Technical Director, Dr Nick Smith.

He explains: "Thanks to the partnerships we have developed with our growers, we have managed to strengthen our key brands, thus improving reliability of supply and quality of both product and packaging."

 

Understanding Growers and Customers

The sales team at Planet Produce has extensive experience within the fresh produce sector and an unrivalled knowledge of the produce it procures for customers. There is a strong belief within the company that understanding the needs of growers and customers is critical to achieving its goals.

Good relationships are vital, with many of Planet Produce's customers having been with the company since the very beginning. Customers know that they can buy with confidence, that the product will meet the highest quality and safety standards, and that the company will endeavour to meet their orders even when a product is in short supply. This loyalty has given Planet Produce a platform to build on its turnover of £2.8 million in its first year, to over £15 million in 2008. Indeed, the last 10 years has seen tremendous growth, and with the recent site development the company expects the turnover to increase to £20 million by 2010.

Investing in the Future

Planet Produce has invested in excess of £1 million over the last few years to increase the size of its warehouse - it is now a 35,000 sq. ft. facility, which is BRC approved to the highest level and temperature controlled throughout. Packing and ripening facilities are also available.

This underlines the fact that Planet Produce has been developing impressively throughout the early years of the 21st century, reaching the point where it needed to invest in the site and take everything to the next level. The company is now confidently moving to that next level, having also doubled its office space in tandem with the investment in the warehouse.

At a time of gloom and uncertainty within the industry (and the country in general thanks to the current 'credit crunch'), Planet Produce is optimistic about the future. "We are looking to take the business forward all the time and as long as we continue to control costs, maintain high service levels and develop product with our suppliers, the future looks positive," says Norman Heyes.

It is a company constantly looking to grow and improve. Expecting to see considerable growth in its baby leaf, herb and micro herb business, for instance, Planet Produce will also become heavily involved in Spain during the coming winter too, with Spanish salads, vegetables and citrus being a new project for the company. 

The majority of this produce will go to the catering sector, which the company has served for many years, whilst a smaller percentage will go to its new retail clientele.

The spread of the company's customer-base provides it with a certain amount of protection from a rather rocky economy. Planet Produce expects trading conditions to remain challenging, but believes that it has the resources in place to see a further increase in sales, despite margins being squeezed year long.

Strengthening the Management Team

Traditionally, Planet Produce has been involved primarily in the catering and wholesale sectors, and more recently has enjoyed considerable success within food service. Now, however, it is looking to become more and more involved within the retail market, and has recruited a sales manager to help progress this project.

Whilst the company is always looking to recruit experienced and dynamic staff, it has recently made internal promotions with Ally Clelland and Simon Beard taking on the role of sales director in their respective departments.  This move strengthens the company's management team and recognises the contribution and dedication of the staff it has trained up from a junior level.

Huge Potential for Quality Growers

Planet Produce is structured so that its sales team procure and sell to ensure a direct flow of information from grower to customer. Where possible, delivery direct from source is arranged, which not only reduces cost in order to makes its customers more competitive, but also cuts down on 'food miles', an increasing important aspect in an environmentally challenged world.

Moreover, due to its portfolio of customers, the company's suppliers can enjoy direct access to the UK foodservice and catering sectors. These suppliers benefit from a broad spectrum of varied customers, ranging from privately run local firms through to large multi nationals. Being the fastest growing sector in the UK fresh produce industry, the potential for supply is both challenging and exciting.

Great Growers, Great Products

Food safety and product quality are of paramount importance to Planet Produce and believing that these values are fundamental to the success of the business and the industry, the company looks to procure from suppliers that are working to, or have achieved, relevant third party accreditation from the Assured Produce Scheme, Eurep Gap and the BRC packhouse standard, or EFSIS. The company's technical team is more than happy to assist its suppliers in achieving and maintaining these accreditations. 

The UK marketplace, like any other, has different sectors with varying requirements. Consequently, in order to serve its customers, it is critical that these requirements are understood and met. The technical department at Planet Produce works closely with its customers and suppliers to established specifications and a clear understanding of these requirements. The company's aim is to determine what can realistically be achieved to offer continuous availability of the best possible value product.

Meeting the Challenges of the Future

Although very proud of what it has achieved during the first 10 years, Planet Produce is eager to meet the challenges of the future, and believes that one of the most crucial components for achieving this is listening to its customers, with their feedback providing the blueprint for future growth. This growth will only be constrained by Planet Produce's requirements that its quality and service must never be compromised simply for the sake of added volume. 

However, Planet Produce is always looking to develop new products to add to its existing range. Interesting ideas are continually being sought and tried from its suppliers around the world. Should any supplier be reading this that has a new idea or product they would like to put forward, Planet Produce would be delighted to hear from them in order to determine its potential.  

Where Quality is All Encompassing

The real key to the company's success, though, is its dedicated and reliable workforce, with Pete Watson keen to stress the importance of having excellent staff. Planet Produce wants its employees to have pride in their work, whilst also believing that since work is such an important part of life, everyone should have some fun whilst accomplishing their goals. In short, a happy team is a better performing team.

This then makes working for Planet Produce more than just a job; it is a way of life. People at this enlightened company understand fresh produce, its challenges, and its rewards. 

It is true to say that Planet Produce has a quality, strength of management and a record of accomplishment that would be hard to surpass. What's more, it is a company that understands that the customer has a right to choose, and still firmly believes in personal service and good old-fashioned courtesy.

Most companies talk about this kind of uncompromising service, but very few actually deliver it. At Planet Produce, they believe that quality is all encompassing and as it continues to grow in response to customer requirements, this belief characterises its advantage in providing customers with a year-round supply of the very finest fruit, vegetables and salads.

Turning Challenges into Achievements

So what will the coming years bring for the fresh produce industry? "Trying to visualise what it will be like in 50 years time is futile. Indeed, having seen the changes that have occurred over the past decade or so, and if they continue at their present rate, it is anyone's guess what the fresh produce world will look like in 2020!  People still need to eat. It is as simple as that. However, how we grow, market, package and distribute that food will be the new challenge," says Pete Watson.

A particularly exciting period lies ahead then, with Planet Produce well positioned for strategic growth and expansion. The vision and hard work of everyone at the company will no doubt, translate strategy into reality and challenges into achievements. So, if you are looking for a professional company to successfully market your crop, contact Planet Produce today on 01386 832455. Alternatively, visit the website at www.produce-planet.com.