'Next summer, at the end of the import season, we hope to move again,' Gert-Jan continues. We've achieved these thanks to the partnerships with our suppliers - some of whom we've been working with for decades - and don't forget our loyal customers spread across the local and overseas food service, retail, and wholesale sectors.' When asked about the company's strength, he answers: 'Reliability and quality are our priorities. We've laid a solid foundation for the future, on which we hope to build for many years,' says Gert-Jan. 'We're pleased with the team and product range's expansion. Furthermore, the company also has an office staff of ten people. In 2019, the assortment grew to include fruit, and soft fruit and citrus were introduced to existing clients and others.īy now, the Fortuna team has four members at the harbor who focus on logistics and quality. This development and range expansion followed a long-cherished wish of Fortuna Frutos' loyal customers, many of which have been doing business with the company since the very beginning.

In 2013, the Slobbe brothers accelerated their growth by founding Fortuna Frutos International together with Stephane Rion, as such expanded the company's range to include Spanish fruiting vegetables. While many importers and exporters abandoned trading with the Canary Islands, Fortuna Frutos expanded against that current. The company then relocated to Barendrecht, with its warehouse activities taking place at Opticool and its subsequent companies.

They also began working closely with a Dutch tomato specialist. With this partnership, the company imports tomatoes from the Iberian Peninsula alongside tomatoes from the Canary Islands. To counteract this downward spiral, Marco and Gert-Jan decided to partner with Grupo Paloma, the leading tomato producer from the Spanish Mazarrón and Aguilas region, in 2006. His sons continue the company in his spirit.Īt the turn of the century, the number of products from the Canary Islands declines, and thus so did Fortuna Frutos' import volume. That same year, Ger Slobbe dies at the age of 61. 2001 was an important year for Fortuna, when Fortuna Fruits Continental merged with Frutos Canarios, thus creating Fortuna Frutos Continental. With his third son, Patrick, who was involved with the company from 1997 to 2006, it is a true family business. In 1988, Ger's son, Gert-Jan, joined the business, and in 1994, Ger's oldest son, Marco did too. That proved to be a good choice: the company developed steadily in the 80s, and Fortuna has become one of the leading Canary Island trade companies since. Slobbe chose to have his own office in the Netherlands, so he could have a better handle on quality and control.

Last week, 40 years ago today, Ger Slobbe opened his own sales office for a few Canary Island tomato suppliers, which was still called Fortuna Fruits Continental back then.

Expanding client base