Dutch fresh produce import-export group Hillfresh International has announced that Hans van den Heuvel will join founders Pieter de Jong and Leo van den Heuvel in heading up the company's management as of 1 September.
In a statement issued this morning, the two founding directors said they were excited about Mr van den Heuvel’s arrival: 'With Hans van den Heuvel, we are gaining someone with a great deal of expertise and experience in the fruit and vegetable business,' they commented. 'In combination with his leadership qualities, this is a perfect match.'
Hans van den Heuvel has spent the past year on gardening leave from the fresh produce business following his departure from his position as import director at Hagé International/The Greenery in May 2007.
His decision to leave Hagé has been a matter of some contention within the Dutch fruit and vegetable industry ever since July 2007, when it emerged that 13 members of Hagé's import department (including Leo van den Heuvel and Pieter de Jong), as well as a number of warehouse staff, had also decided to leave the company.
The subsequent formation of new company Hillfresh by Leo van den Heuvel and Pieter de Jong was beset by further controversy when, in August of last year, The Greenery revealed it was investigating the possibility that Hans van den Heuvel might be breaking an agreement not to work in the fresh produce sector until September 2008. Preliminary legal proceedings are understood to have taken place, but no further news was forthcoming.
According to Hans van den Heuvel himself, he is now highly motivated to set to work at Hillfresh. 'On leaving my previous employer at the end of May 2007, I spent quite a long time away from the market,' he said. 'I already mentioned before my departure that I would be working in the fruit and vegetable business in the future, but I arranged with my previous employer that I would not participate actively in the market until 1 September 2008. I am highly motivated to devote my experience to Hillfresh and make it useful for them.”
Since its establishment on 3 September 2007, Hillfresh has put itself forward as an alternative to existing firms, offering 'the benefits of a major, professional organisation with a high level of service and wide flexibility'.
Having started out with 30 staff, Hillfresh now employs more than 50 people and expects to grow further during the next 18 months. 'We can see sufficient room in the market for yet further growth,' said Mr de Jong and Leo van den Heuvel. 'We offer expertise, flexibility and vigour and this is recognised and appreciated in the market.”
