Did you see aartsenfruit flying by? For many years, Aartsenfruit has been the main sponsor of the Aartsenfruit 10 km run during the Singelloop running event in Breda. This year’s edition was dominated by the new Nonstopfresh campaign. The runners and crowds in the Halstraat could not have failed to notice Aartsenfruit, which also had a prominent presence on the Markt. For the occasion, the Dickens & Jones restaurant was rechristened the Aartsenfruit Skylounge. All the communication for the event, from the invitations to the signboards, also featured the new Nonstopfresh campaign. This included the boarding passes and check-ins for the runners. The Singelloop campaign really took off when the numerous runners came flying by (full of energy!) in their new Aartsenfruit shirts. Or as it said on their shirts: a highspeed fly-by. It was a wonderful day which also simply flew by. That’s why this <strong>Refresh</strong> features another brief recap of the Singelloop. 11 12
Hassan Benmoussa: for Aartsenfruit From intermediary to friend Born and raised in Morocco, Hassan Benmoussa has been making his home in Paris for many years now. The relationship between Hassan and Aartsenfruit goes way back too. ‘In the early eighties I was the Moroccan marketing manager for fruit and vegetable exports to Europe, which was government-controlled in those days, like all exports. That was when I first got acquainted with Aartsenfruit. In 1987, Morocco switched to a free export trade market. It was after this that I became an intermediary between Aartsenfruit and Moroccan growers. Over the years, my activities for Aartsenfruit intensified, and our relationship evolved too. Jack Aartsen and I have become friends’, recalls the amiable Benmoussa. inMorocco This autumn, Aart Bezemer and Hassan Benmoussa took a trip to Morocco together to visit existing partners and get better acquainted with new prospects. While Aart is a familiar face to many, Hassan has a less prominent position, working more in the background. He is, in the words of Jack Aartsen, Aartsenfruit’s ambassador to Morocco. Pillars of business success Described by Jack Aartsen as an ambassador for Aartsenfruit, Hassan Benmoussa considers it an honour to represent the company. And a big responsibility as well. ‘I have to know a great deal about the company and the market and to share that knowledge with growers in Morocco. I explain the strategy, aims, organisational culture and working methods to them, which, given the cultural differences, is not always easy. An ambassador has to be a diplomat, and that suits my activities and personality. My job is about more than phone calls and emails, money transfers and quality reports – the crux is relationships and trust; those are the pillars of business success, and they need time to grow.’ Hassan Benmoussa and Lag Zouli ‘It’s not the differences, but the similarities that are important.’ Typically Moroccan ‘I work from Paris, not only because it’s centrally located, but also because it’s a city that Moroccans love to visit, so I can meet with lots of customers here. I stay involved, talking with them, listening, and making sure to stay well informed. That’s crucial, because growers want to know all the ins and outs of the market, and of course Aartsenfruit likewise wants to know how things operate in Morocco. Recently, Aart and I took a trip to Morocco together. We go over regularly in order to cement relationships. That’s our objective, not volumes. Our first concern is the relationship, because both parties have to be happy, since the quality of the products is at stake. Competitors tend to want large quantities, but our approach is different, and sometimes that’s an adjustment for Moroccan growers. We have to take the time to explain it to them. One thing we’ve noticed during our trips is that we always get a warm welcome. That’s typical for Moroccans, to be friendly and want to be a good host. Growers invite us into their homes, even when there’s not a business deal in the offing.’ Different customs Mediterranean countries require special handling and patience, explains Benmoussa. ‘Europeans often have trouble being patient. Cultural differences are a fact and you need time to get used to each other. There are big differences between the Netherlands and Morocco. Everything is different, in fact: the climate, the religion, politics and the general mentality. It’s not the differences, however, Hassan Benmoussa but the similarities that are important. If you make the effort to understand each other, you won’t have any difficulties. And if the Dutch can exercise patience, doing business is no problem at all.’ Business faux pas ‘When we go to visit companies in Morocco, we don’t need to schedule meetings with existing relations. That can feel strange for Dutch people because they like to have firm appointments in their diaries. But Moroccans don’t work that way. We’re always welcome to drop by or call from the airport. Time has a different meaning there. One of biggest faux pas that Europeans can make when doing business in Morocco is to get hung up on the time. You have to demonstrate to your partner that you’re willing to make as much time for them as needed. It’s rude to say that you’ve only got one hour free for an appointment. It can ruin your chances of making a deal at all. Also, it’s tricky to turn down an invitation, especially if you’re asked to someone’s house for a meal. People won’t understand. The same with the idea of Sundays being a family day or day off, for Moroccans, those are days like any other.’ Don’t wait for lighting to strike Hassan Benmoussa sees a bright future ahead. ‘You always have to seek out new horizons, to keep pushing forward. Never be satisfied. Morocco still offers countless opportunities in terms of regions, products and growers. But don’t sit around waiting for lighting to strike; if you want something, you have to go after it. In time, we are looking to import a succession of new products from Morocco. Currently, the focus is on citrus and tomatoes, but we recently also added watermelons to the Moroccan range. The country is developing at a lighting pace and that opens up opportunities for us and for Moroccan growers.’ Benmoussa sees lots of opportunities for Moroccan products in the Benelux. But there is work ahead too, in areas such as product development and new packaging design. Many Moroccan companies have started exporting more products to Russian and the United States, shifting some of their attention away from Europe. In short, there is plenty of ground to be gained for Moroccan products. Proud of Aartsenfruit Although he works from Paris, Hassan makes it clear that he really feels part of the company. ‘I have a strong commitment to Aartsenfruit and represent them exclusively. I am proud of everything we’re achieving. I’ve known the company for so many years and I foresee great developments and opportunities just around the corner.’ 13 14 Aart Bezemer and Hassan Benmoussa
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