Q & A with Noël Vergeynst

Gramibelle Company

Q- I need you to explain to me what the origin of this company is, its products and the markets it’s related to.

A- Regarding to the origin of the company, it’s a family-owned company, the Mila family, that started this company in 1988. They are original potato traders, potato merchants; and they set up the French fries company in 1988. The company has been growing very fast. Another company was established in 1996 for the production of potato croquettes and other potato-based products.

Then, in 2002, they started the Gramibelle company, I am the sales director for the production of dehydrated potato products like potato flakes and potato granole, which is a potato powder used for mashed potato and mainly used for the snack industry. For example, the Pringles type of chips all other products.

My colleague Johan is the sales director of Minibelle, for the frozen products. We are exporting to almost a hundred countries worldwide, in all continents of the world.

Q- All continents?

A- All continents, from Australia to South America, North America, Africa, Europe.

Q- What can you tell me about the Spanish market and how is it faring at this moment?

A- Spain is a very regular market. It has been one of the first markets in the history of our company. The mainland is quite a substantial market for Minibelle for the last 20 years.

Of course, with the crisis now it’s been declined, but still we have a product which is relatively cheap so it’s quite affordable for the customers to keep on buying. We don’t really feel the crisis in the type of product we are selling in Spain. The customers keep on going and we are even developing in Spain.

Q- Could you tell about your targets? I know you have many products for children.

A- We have a much diversified public answer, we are selling from adults to children. Children, for example, eat a lot of mashed potato and that’s one of our main products, that’s a dehydrated product which is mixture between milk and water, and they have the mashed potato. It’s very popular for children. It’s a very affordable market, it’s not expensive and it’s very nutritious.

Q- How is your work with the mass media as far as your products for hotels and restaurants are concerned?

A- My products are sold everywhere, in the retail market, in catering; it has such great applications in the house.

Q- Will we be able to find these products, for example, at El Corte Ingles?

A- Yes, everywhere. That’s the retail market and it’s a very important market for us. We’re also working on the development of the complete puree, the mix with hot water, a very easy and convenient product. Every year it’s in the retail market for dry products. It’s a growing market at a growth rate of 50 percent a year.