In mid-May, Twentse-based wholesaler Bani moved into new premises on the outskirts of Enschede. "We had outgrown our old premises. This move has tripled our total capacity to approximately 1,000 m² in one fell swoop," says junior manager Can Deveci, who runs the company, founded in 2016, together with his father and uncle. From the new location, the trio aims to continue growing, particularly across the border.
Direct import of herbs and fruit vegetables
Fruit vegetables and chopped herbs are among Bani's bestsellers, says Can, who has been working in the family business since 2018. "We import herbs directly from Spain year-round, without involving other traders or intermediaries. I expect demand to rise slightly in the coming weeks, especially for summer herbs like mint and dill. Despite the severe weather in large parts of Spain, we really can't complain about supply or pricing. In that sense, the weather hasn't had a major impact on the market."
In the fruit vegetable category, cucumbers and tomatoes dominate the offering. Can: "We try to source these products regionally, directly from the grower whenever possible. We started with regular cucumbers from Dutch cultivation on Valentine's Day this year. Snack cucumbers, on the other hand, are very late this season. The harvest is only just beginning. In winter, we import a lot from Spain and Turkey, including the well-known Turkish peppers, tomatoes, and snack cucumbers, complemented by Dutch greenhouse tomatoes."
The Bani trio: from left to right, Can Deveci, father Erdinc, and uncle Cuma Bani.
Steady growth in Germany
From the beginning, Bani has operated as a classic cash-and-carry wholesaler, welcoming a wide range of customers from 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. That will remain the case at the new location, Can assures us, "In recent years, we have made a name for ourselves among market traders and retailers
, particularly in the neighbouring German states of North Rhine-Westphalia and Lower Saxony. Our reach now extends to Münster, Osnabrück, and Bielefeld, and southward to Recklinghausen and even Dortmund in the Ruhr area. We definitely see further growth potential there."
Right:
Seasonal fruits like watermelons are also performing well at the moment.
The increase in capacity also opens up opportunities to expand the range. "In the long term, we want to attract catering customers with a broad offering of products such as mushrooms and sliced vegetables. We also want to offer more seasonal fruit, like stone fruit and grapes from various countries. In any case, space is no longer a limiting factor," Can concludes.
For more information:
Can Deveci
Bani Groente en Fruit Groothandel
Josinkstraat 21
7547AA Enschede
Tel.: +31 (0) 6 24808039
[email protected]