Magazine_October_2023

WE RUN AARTSEN
Noël Geutjes
Sales Representative
Marco Zanoli
Accountmanager
Bram Schoonheijt
Accountmanager
Jeroen Hasselt
Sales Representative
Max Simons
Order Picker
‘In the 27 years I've worked
here, I've never not felt
like going to work, every day
is different.’
‘Everyone has the
same drive at Aartsen,
there's a strong
communal spirit.’
‘Sport and exercise
are an integral part
of our company
culture.’
‘Variety and
thinking on your feet,
that's what I like.’
‘Being fit and healthy is
important to me.’
Every day, around 120 market vendors and
retailers purchase their fruit and vegetables
from Aartsen cash & carry. When they arrive
at the door with their truck or van, they know
who they'll be dealing with since I've been
working here for 27 years. Some customers
I've had since the very beginning, but there
are always new ones coming through.
We develop connections with all of them.
Building trust is top priority, you want people
to keep coming back because of the quality
and price that we offer.
The Southern Europeans are born traders,
while German merchants like to stand out
with the more expensive, unique branded
products they get from Aartsen. They have
no trouble selling a pineapple even for 10 or 12
euros at their gorgeous, colourful city markets.
Everything I do essentially revolves around sales.
But thanks to all the relationships I’ve built with
people, my work is so much more than that.
In the 27 years I've worked here, I've never not
felt like going to work, every day is different.
At Aartsen I'm a member of club 9119,
the elite society of employees who have
worked here for 25 years or more. The club
emblem is stitched onto the sleeve of our
company uniform. Every year on the first
Friday in October, we all do something special
as a group. We go visit somewhere, have a
nice meal together and enjoy a good catch-up.
Nice that our manager thought of it, right?
He himself is a member too, of course,
since he's been working here longer than
anyone. To me that's proof that Aartsen is
about more than just turnover and profits.
At Aartsen, it's the people who matter most.
As a boy, I used to help out at my granddad's
greengrocer shop. After finishing school
I worked for a bit in the same sector,
and then made the transition to Aartsen
Venlo. Six years ago I started as an order
picker, which is when the ball started
rolling. True, I now know the seasonal
calendar like the back of my hand, and
all of that product knowledge came from
right here at Aartsen. And because our
range varies so much throughout the year,
I never get bored.
From order picking I moved through to
Cash & Carry, where one of my jobs was
to do the size and colour sorting of the
fruit and vegetables. One year ago, the
company asked me whether I would be
interested in a sales position in the office.
I was hesitant at first, since I really enjoy
being around people. Would that kind
of job suit me? And would I have to say
goodbye to all the direct contact with
clients and colleagues in the warehouse?
But I ultimately decided to go for it, and it
turned out really well. Socially nothing has
changed, I feel very much at home here
too, and can continue to grow in sales by
always pushing myself and the business
to greater heights.
Everyone has the same drive at Aartsen,
there's a strong communal spirit.
True, we all work pretty long days, but as
a team we're all very committed. So during
the week I mainly concentrate on working
and getting enough sleep. But that's absolutely
no problem for me. It feels good!
The first thing I do when I wake up in the
morning? I check WhatsApp for messages
from clients. I don't see it as a form of
pressure though. Or rather: I see it as a
good thing. That impetus is my daily dose
of get-up-and-go, then I know it's time to get
to work. I had the same thing even as a child:
I would finish assignments if I was under
pressure, but not if I could put off handing
them in for weeks and weeks. My teachers
also told me that those assignments were
always the better ones, haha!
Another thing is that in sales, no two days are
alike, so for people who like a bit of excitement,
the job is still interesting even after five years.
I'm responsible for banana sales in Venlo,
and I'm not tired of it yet at all. Something else
that makes a difference: Aartsen works very
hard to create a pleasant working atmosphere
for everybody. A core value of our organisation
is that everybody be treated equally, and that
we communicate with openness and honesty.
Newcomers quickly realise that they are part
of a family business. We are a close-knit and
easy-going bunch, and as employees we are
regularly treated to extra bonuses.
I do crossfit just like Jeroen, and I also play
hockey. Sport and exercise are an integral part
of our company culture. In the Venlo office,
at least, I don't know anybody who doesn't get
involved. And people really get into it at work
too – goading each other to do better at sport
is part of a regular working day for most of us!
I've already had many different jobs during
the six years I've been working for Aartsen.
I started out as an order picker, I've been a
handyman, worked in the sales department,
and now I'm working on the team implementing
the new internal Fresh data system. From the
forklift to the computer, then helping out in
the warehouse whenever they need extra
help: you might say I'm the most versatile guy
in Venlo. Variety and thinking on your feet,
that's what I like. I don't cope well with
super-quiet days at work. They just don't
agree with me. I need action!
Another thing that's equally as important
to me is the social aspect. Spending time
with colleagues, even outside the office.
We might go to a festival together, or organise
a skiing and clubbing trip in Germany.
It's all about enjoying each other's company.
But make no mistake: most of us are also
very sports-oriented. Although more women
have come to work at Aartsen in the last few
years, it's still a bit of a man's world. We are
very competitive. I'd love to take on Team
Breda and Team St. Katelijne-Waver in a
dragon boat race or Viking Run with Team
Venlo one day!
Every year, I take part in one or more of the
running races that the Dutch and Belgian
branches of Aartsen participate in. And again,
to me it's all about the atmosphere of the event,
since where sport is concerned, my heart really
lies with Crossfit. Those workouts are a lot more
intense, which is just more my thing.
My working week begins on Monday at 04:00,
with a non-stop 12-hour shift. On all the other
days I start at 05:30 in the morning, and work
until 15:30 or 16:00. Sure, I can keep it up no
problem. Once I get going I lose all track of
time, partly because in the warehouse there's
never a dull moment. There are always new
pallets waiting to be unloaded. Getting enough
sleep? Also no problem – I don't go to bed
until around 23:00 each night, since four
hours’ sleep is more than enough for me.
I spend almost all of my free time on football,
football and more football. I coach a youth team
where I live, and also play in the local league
myself. So that's already three nights of training
and two match days per week. Add to that at
least 30,000 steps minimum that I take at work
every day, and you might say that I'm in tip-top
shape. Being fit and healthy are important to
me, and to everybody at Aartsen. So of course
it's great that we all work at a fruit and vegetable
business. I used to only eat fruit at home if
there was some in the bowl. But here I always
take a little bit extra, it's automatic.
At the end of the summer I will have been
working at Aartsen for two years as an order
picker. Before this job, I worked at a car-parts
dealership, but there I had gone as far as I
could. I came to Aartsen via my mother-inlaw,
who is one of the cleaners here. I should
have come to Aartsen a lot sooner, it's so
different here to what I'm used to.
The atmosphere, the team, people's
willingness to help each other out. As a
group-oriented person, I feel completely at
home here and 100 percent happy. And I
think I still have lots to learn at Aartsen too!
58 | CULTURES CULTURES | 59