A complete assortment under one roof

A further building is to be erected directly adjacent to the modern distribution centre. This will then house the administrative offices, which are still currently co-located with the 4 400 m² production facility just a few kilometres away at the old company premises in Oostrozebeksestraat. Benelux is run by the third generation of the family, the three brothers Geert (production), Eddy (accounts) and Rik Demey (sales). It employs approx. 50 staff, eight of whom work in administra-tion. Next year the family firm will celebrate its 75th anniversary, having started out as a milling business in 1932 with the regional sale of food for ornamental birds and chickens. The father of the company's founder then gradually expanded the range to include new foods and accessory products and also initiated exports to France. Since the founder's sons took over management of the company in 1985, both the range and sales abroad have grown considerably year on year. Benelux now stocks a range of over 6 000 products and supplies importers, wholesalers, speciality pet stores and garden centres in over 20 countries. Over the years exports have come to account for more than 70 per cent of sales. France, Spain, Portugal, the USA, Hong Kong and Taiwan are among the company's principal export markets, with strong growth being achieved in southern Europe in particular. In Belgium and France, the speciality trade is looked after by field sales teams comprising four and eight staff respectively, and customer deliveries are carried by the company's own fleet of lorries.The rapid expansion of Benelux made it necessary to relieve the pressure on the limited space available at the company's premises, and so it commissioned the construction of an ultra-modern distribu-tion centre in Ooigem's industrial zone just a few kilometres away. The new building covers an area of 15 000 m² and has four loading ramps. Benelux is both an importer and a manufacturer. As well as various products "made by Benelux", it also imports part of its range from other European countries and from the Far East. Benelux is thus able to offer its customers a complete assortment of articles. Growing importance is attached to the private label business, which now accounts for 50 per cent of sales. What makes Benelux so attractive to many retail businesses is its wide, in-depth range of foods and accessory products. With over 3 000 products, the bird segment continues to be the most important. In addition to its house…