Paul Coenen is the head of the German office of VLAM, the Flanders Agricultural Marketing Board, whose responsibility it is to promote fresh produce from the Flanders region abroad. Flanders currently exports approximately 150,000 tonnes of fresh vegetables and 50,000 tonnes of fresh fruit to the German market annually. Mr Coenen is due to retire at the end of the year.
Fruitnet.com: How did you first get into the fresh produce business?
PC: I was born and raised in the vegetable garden of Mechelen in Flanders. In my region, they tell children that babies come from cauliflowers, which is an honourable compliment for this noble vegetable. My grandparents were traditional producers of fine vegetables. Having gained a degree in agricultural engineering in livestock and economics from the university of Louvain, I worked for three years in a pig integration and then for four years as a plant manager for the fourth poultry slaughterhouse in Belgium.
When did you start working for VLAM?
In 1980, I started work at the national office of the NDALTP, which has been known since 1993 as VLAM, or the Flanders Agricultural Marketing Board. I have worked as product manager for the flowers and plants sector, the poultry and eggs sector and the pork and beef sector.
Since September 1989, I have headed up the VLAM office in Cologne. I am responsible for the communication and promotion of fresh produce from the Flanders region on the German and Austrian markets. I consider my role as the link between producers in Flanders and customers on these markets.
How many people are there on your team?
I have two colleagues here in Cologne. The VLAM office is embedded in the Belgian House, with all the other commercial and tourist services.
What do you see as the biggest challenge facing the fresh produce industry?
Sustainability will, without doubt, play a big role in the future. It will be quite a challenge to properly and correctly measure all the aspects of this issue and to communicate real things to retailers and consumers. Otherwise it could turn out to be a trap rather than an opportunity.
How much travelling is involved in your day-to-day work?
Every week, I spend a day at our office in Brussels, meeting with colleagues and stakeholders from the fresh produce business. I also attend events in Germany as often as possible in order to meet stakeholders from the retail and wholesale sectors.
What do you do to unwind after a tough day at work?
Coming home and playing with my grandchildren and looking after my ponies and horses takes the stress away in an instant.
When you retire at the end of this year, what do you think you will miss the most about your job?
I will miss the contact with people in the fresh produce business. It has been fabulous to meet so many people from so many different cultures. But I think I have enough conversation in my life. And being able to spend more time with my grandchildren in France will certainly make up for it.
