“We were among the first to focus on imports from the Netherlands and Belgium, and to this day we source a wide variety of tomatoes from both countries, among other things,” says Ender Güner, managing director of “EN-DER” HandelsgmbH, based at the Großgrünmarkt in Vienna. However, the core competence of the family-owned company, founded in 1999, is the import and distribution of Turkish products, primarily from the in-house production of its partner GNR in Antalya.
All year round, two trucks full of fruits and vegetables arrive in Vienna from Antalya every week. The goods find their way to customers via the bustling fresh produce hub in the geographical heart of Europe. “About 70% of our sales volume goes to ethnic supermarkets, not only in the greater Vienna area, but also in Graz, Salzburg, and Linz. However, we also have many customers in other Central and Eastern European countries, including Poland, Slovakia, and Slovenia. Due to our proximity to the Slovak capital of Bratislava, there are even food retailers there who source part of their supplies from us.”
© Hugo Huijbers | FreshPlaza.com
Founded in 1999, the company is now led by Ender Güner, representing the second generation of leadership. In the domestic market, the company markets its own brand, Ender, while the GNR brand is used for exports. All produce grown on the company’s own farms is lab-tested before being offered on the market.
In addition to its proven year-round products, such as fruit vegetables grown in Turkey, EN-DER is dedicated to distributing a wide variety of seasonal products. These include the greenish-yellow plums of Turkish origin, which are usually marketed as Renekloden. “This year’s season is already drawing to a close. The marketing window for this fruit is generally very short, lasting only four to six weeks.” The cherry season, on the other hand, is gradually picking up steam: “We focus primarily on Italian cherries; we offer Hungarian and Turkish fruit to a lesser extent.”
Eid al-Adha, the Islamic festival of sacrifice from May 26 to 29, also provided a boost to sales this year. “Watermelons are particularly in demand during Eid al-Adha, though all seasonal fruit sells well for this occasion. Items like medlars are also currently popular,” he adds.
© Hugo Huijbers | FreshPlaza.com
Belgian strawberries are also a seasonal part of the assortment.
Inflation and the political situation are dampening the mood
Despite his company’s encouraging performance, Güner views the near future with some skepticism. “Unfortunately, the current political situation in Austria is very difficult. Furthermore, ongoing inflation continues to weigh heavily on the fruit and vegetable trade. A product like strawberries is currently far too expensive, while increased costs—for example, for gas and electricity—are having a negative impact on margins. In general, purchasing power continues to decline sharply, so the outlook for the next five to ten years is unfortunately not particularly rosy.”
For more information:
Ender Güner
“EN-DER” HandelsgmbH
Großgrünmarkt Vienna
T: +43 (1) 615 24 23
[email protected]
www.enderobst.at