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Home > News > Changing market place

Changing market place

Looking to the future Tom Salmon believes it is critical that growers understand the changing market place. In regard to imports from new EU member states, he says growers in these countries are getting organized.

While in the short term countries such as Poland have the advantage of significantly lower labour costs, he believes this gap will swiftly close. “Ten years ago Spain had the lowest labour costs in the EU, they are now the same as in the UK.”

Hedon’s policy is to keep the competition close and the company is currently working with growers in Poland, Egypt, Spain and Morocco.

While supplying leading multiples, Hedon has widened out its customer base and has a firm foothold in the rapidly growing food service industry, supplying companies such as Greencore and Northern Foods as well as major food processors.

“These markets traditionally took second quality product, they now have their own tight product specifications,” Tom says. “There isn’t the slack in the system for second quality produce. These are difficult times for the industry. There is no white knight out there – growers must meet the challenges head on.”

With the year round cucumber production facility, the company is now on track to hit its target of 220 cucumbers per m per year.