Building, losing, and rebuilding. A CEO’s honest story

What would you do if your business lost €100 million almost overnight?

In this episode of Behind the Fruit, Lennart van den Heuvel, CEO of Fruitful Ventures, shares the reality behind leadership in the fresh produce industry.

From growing up in a fruit family to stepping into leadership at 29, Lennart’s journey looks like a typical success story on the surface.

It wasn’t.

He talks openly about losing €100M in turnover, rebuilding the business from scratch, and what that period taught him about resilience, leadership, and decision-making.

This is a conversation about what happens when things don’t go to plan.

And what it really takes to keep going.

We also get into hiring, developing young talent, and why character matters more than experience in building strong teams.

If you’re leading a business, growing a team, or navigating uncertainty, this one will stay with you.

About LCR International

LCR International supports senior hiring across the global fresh produce sector.

We work with businesses where roles require a mix of technical, commercial, and leadership experience, often across regions.

Typical support includes:
 • Retained executive search
 • Talent mapping and competitor insight
 • Org structure and succession planning

If you're hiring and want a clearer view of the market before you start, you can get in touch here:

👉 https://www.lcrint.com/

Transcript

SPEAKER_00 0:00

We had some really difficult time because I lost a brother in that time. So you know that that two years humbled me a lot. Uh in a way, like, you know, uh before everything what I did, I wouldn't say it turned into gold, but you know, uh I I was pretty successful and suddenly everything what I tried was not working anymore.

SPEAKER_03 0:23

Welcome back to Behind the Fruit. I'm Lucy Robinson. What do you do when your business drops from 120 million to 20 million overnight? Lennart shares why he calls it the best period of his life. Welcome to Behind the Fruit Podcast. Today I'm really pleased to be joined by Lennart van den Hovel. Lennart is the CEO of Fruitful Ventures. Lennart, thank you so much for joining me today. It's great to have you here.

SPEAKER_00 0:57

Good morning, Lucy. Thanks for having me. It's uh it's a pleasure to be here.

SPEAKER_03 1:00

So thank you.

SPEAKER_00 1:02

How are you?

SPEAKER_03 1:02

Good, yeah, very good, thank you. Yeah, we were just talking, it's uh well, feeling a little bit more like spring, at least here in the UK, maybe not so much in the the Netherlands, but uh yes, it's on.

SPEAKER_00 1:11

Spring is a beautiful time of the year.

SPEAKER_03 1:13

It is, I love spring, yeah. I was just saying yesterday, actually, to somebody that's everything is reborn in spring. Yeah, that's it. We've got all the daffodils, we have the crocuses, like, yeah, I love it. It's great.

SPEAKER_01 1:23

Beautiful, beautiful, beautiful.

SPEAKER_03 1:25

Very nice. So, to start, um, could you give an introduction of yourself, fruitful ventures, so just more of a sort of initial top-line overview would be brilliant.

SPEAKER_00 1:36

Of course. Um yeah, so as you said, my name is Leonard van den Hevel. I'm uh CEO of Fruitful Ventures. I'm uh 45 years young, um happily married, two kids, a son of 15 and a daughter of 14, and born and raised in the Netherlands. So, and and I'm coming really from a fruit family. The Van den Heugel family is is widespread in the fruit business. So, and and fruitful ventures is a is a group of companies um with what is uh vertically integrated. We have production uh in in South Africa and North Macedonia, but the main companies is in Holland, so where we import and distribute a lot of fruit. Uh, our main companies is Olympic Fruit and Hofmann-Rothstand and Fresh Pride. And in this company, so we are serving the markets of Western Europe, uh, Eastern Europe, uh, uh Southeast Europe, but also ex-Soviet states. Uh we have some business in the Middle East uh and and also a small office in the Far East uh with Fresh Pride. So we are are pretty much all over the place and spread it and diversified and and and we're doing a lot of things. So yeah.

SPEAKER_03 2:56

Great. And what's we can talk more about because obviously you've got the different companies within Fruitful Ventures. I know more recently you've obviously the Fruitful Ventures name in itself is is relatively new, isn't it? Is that right?

SPEAKER_00 3:05

Yes, but yeah, that's correct. That's that's I think now it it it's it's one and a half year uh that we changed our holding name in into Fruitful Ventures. Um it was also uh one of the reasons was you know to also to to uh uh expose more the group, F company, and and and explain. So if you look under that, uh the own production, we have we have a nice farm with grapes in in South Africa called Sederberg, and then we have a production location in North Macedonia where we're also planting and growing grapes, but we have also some cherries and apricots there. It's called Doyerana Fresh. Uh, and if you come to Holland, the the main company is Olympic Fruit, uh importing a lot of fruit from all over the world. The main categories is is is uh grapes and citrus, uh and and that we distribute mainly in Western Europe, a lot in Holland, where we have also some service providing deals with supermarkets. So it's a big part of our business is supermarkets, what we supply. But then we have also a trading desk where we, you know, where you can serve your your also your suppliers and customers in in a more broader perspective. Um then Hofmann-Rothsand is our export company uh where we service ex-Soviet states. Uh we still we still export quite some business to to Ukraine, to Russia, even if it's uh it's a difficult uh uh uh part of Europe uh to to work with, but but we do that uh because we are in that business since 1994. Uh actually, this company is also bought in 2008. My father bought it from Mr. Hofman, uh who was the founder of that company, uh, and we bought that business. So it's a nice business. Um and then the fresh pride, what we have uh where we we do business in in the Middle East and the Far East. Uh but but yeah, all all the different companies has a different profile and also a different market where they where they are active, let's say.

SPEAKER_03 5:04

Nice. Okay, well let's let's go back because it'd be I'd love to understand more about the the history. I actually wasn't aware that you'd bought um I'm not gonna I'm gonna pronounce it incorrectly, but Hoofman Road Sands, yes. Um so yeah, but obviously your story is a bit different because you didn't build the company yourself. Obviously, you took that over from your your father. So tell me a bit about the early days and what was it, what it was like growing up around the business that your father built.

SPEAKER_00 5:30

So actually the early days, because actually we have this year the anniversary of Olympic fruit, it's 25 years of Olympic fruit this year. Um so but the early days I'm 45, so you know I was 20 when it was founded. So but even before that, as I just thought, you know, the van den Hogel family was was always very uh well presented in the fruit business. So my father and my uncles they they they they uh they had a company called Hage. And Hage is later is is is now incorporated in in the greenery, is the import part of greenery. But that company was founded by my uncle, uh uh and and my father and my other uncle, you know, they were driving this company for many, many years together. Uh, and when I was a young boy, uh I you know all my free time I spent actually in the warehouse there and and you know, driving the forklifts and and and and and making the pellets, etc.

SPEAKER_03 6:20

So from a young age like only from what like a teenage years or yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_00 6:25

If I could tell I was younger, then I will be child uh child uh uh no I think from from 12, 13, no 13, 13 years old, you know, in that time, but that was okay, that was normal. And that I enjoyed it also a lot. And actually, you know, I learned a lot. I mean, I mean, I mean, you know, I was in touch with the products all the time, and and and uh uh yeah, there where I started learning. And of course I was still in school, but in my free time I was I was was working there and and it was uh was a was a nice time. But when I was 20, 20, 20, yeah, in 2000, uh 2001, sorry, uh my father decided to to start his own business. Uh so uh uh yeah, we and then he started Olympic fruit. And he was 43 at the time. Uh so uh and and I just finished my school, my college at that time, and and in the start I started to work with him also, but it was very still very small because I just started. And uh then uh I think I only spent a few months, and I told my father that uh it was too small, I was bored. So he said, okay, you know what? Uh uh then go to abroad and and to learn things. So I spent uh then I think uh four or five months in Greece. Uh where uh yeah, we have a big supplier of us to Olympic fruit Balakanakis. The company still exists with George Balakanakis. And uh I had a great time there actually.

SPEAKER_03 7:58

Uh you were working in Greece.

SPEAKER_00 8:00

I I I I presumed to be working there, yeah. I enjoyed my life. Uh learned Greek, by the way, so that was uh so I did something. I got a stuck with you.

SPEAKER_03 8:09

Can you still speak Greek?

SPEAKER_00 8:10

Yeah, I can still speak Greek uh with pretty fluently. Uh so it's uh I don't know if it's there was the best language to learn, but it's nice to speak it. So uh nice, yeah, yeah. And uh after but after that I I I I returned back and I started to work with uh a German company called Frutania. Uh it uh it's now it's a huge berry company, uh one of the biggest berry uh distributors and suppliers in in Germany. But at that time uh they just started and I spent almost two years with with them, with the the the founder, Mr. Markus Schneider. And actually, there I had a great time. I learned a lot. I was a young boy, I was you know thrown into the deep, uh buying, selling, uh in German markets, with supermarkets, with with growers, with with everything. So that was uh was a really a great school for me.

SPEAKER_03 9:07

Do you speak any German then with that?

SPEAKER_00 9:09

Yeah, fluently, fluently. I mean, if you are there for two years, I mean you should be, and and and now a lot of German people start to speak English, and that's good. But at that time, you know, you had to speak German. They were only speaking very good German, and they had to speak German. So uh it's it's it's you know, I always say people don't learn Dutch, so uh we have to learn the other languages, so yeah. Yeah what can we do?

SPEAKER_03 9:31

Yeah, that's it.

SPEAKER_00 9:32

So that was my school time, and then then I returned back to my father to Olympic fruit in 2000 end of 2003.

SPEAKER_03 9:40

Okay, yeah. And what and what did you return as? Was it still commercial? Were you in the on the commercial side?

SPEAKER_00 9:45

Yeah, yeah, I was just a young commercial guy, you know. I was I was I was responsible for buying from Greece, uh uh uh uh and Egypt and Turkey uh at that time. Uh Greece, of course, because I spoke Greek, so you know that was handy. And and Egypt I was developing and I was doing the sales into Germany because I spoke spoke German, you know, so then that's how it goes. But I was just uh still a junior, and I was 23 years old at the time, and and I was just one of the juniors of the team because there was, you know, my father was the founder, there was a management at that time already. Uh some some older guys uh who were in the management, and then I was one of the youngsters.

SPEAKER_03 10:23

So, how then did you progress from there from being like you say one of the youngsters, you know, junior commercial role to eventually leading the business, talk me through that transition? When did that come? Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 10:33

Yeah. Actually, that's that's a pretty long way, but but actually, I also I was a little bit lucky in a way. You know how that goes. It's always difficult in companies where your father is the owner and you're the son of the owner, so you're kind of this, you know, how to say it, prince uh or predecessor, uh wanna be, or and and then there is also an older management, and they look at you that you were the young boy, and and you know that that even sometimes can give some friction and tension in that. But uh so actually from 2003 to 2008, I was just, as I just told you, this import manager and and and doing sales, etc. And then my father bought Hofmann-Rotzand. Uh my father was buying at that time quite some companies, he had uh stakes in different other fruit companies also, uh, and even also in other uh things like uh a fresh cut company, etc. But anyway, he bought Hofmann-Rotzand. And Hoffman-Rotzand at that time was one of the biggest export companies into the Russian market. They were huge. They were they were uh and they were a big customer to many uh uh uh to many importers in Holland. But Mr. Hofman didn't have the predecessor, you know, his son was not interested in the business, his daughter was I don't know, I think she was not really also willing to lead the company. He was end of his 50s, and and so he was open to sell. So my father bought that company because strategically it was, I think, a good company, especially in that booming market of Russia in the in the in the mid-mid-2000s. And and I um my father told me, look, look, move over there, go to work there, learn that business. Mr. Hoffman actually had a deal that he would stay three to five years, and then he will go uh out of the business in in pension. But that three to five years turned to be only one and a half years. So uh uh I learned that business. I I joined that business, and after one and a half years, I thought to my father, I said, listen, Mr. Hoffman, I think he's not very motivated anymore after his sale, and I can imagine that. I mean, you know, and he was more enjoying his life. He said, Yeah, well, Steve.

SPEAKER_03 12:40

Yeah, why you should be here then, you know.

SPEAKER_00 12:42

Uh I may so I was 29 in 2 beginning 2010, and then I became director of Hoffman Rothsand. So it was a different company, actually, it was a good environment, and and and to start as a as a director, uh so that was my really first uh uh uh uh leadership role. And uh I was only 29, so I did uh I made many mistakes when I uh in that age. But uh yeah, so that's that's how I became to to my leadership role, my my first leadership role.

SPEAKER_03 13:17

So you were overseeing the the business in its entirety, you were the the top person, is that right? And how big was the company in terms of headcount at that point?

SPEAKER_00 13:25

Well, it was it was pretty big. It was uh I think when we bought it, we did about, if I remember well, what 75 million euro turnover? Oh, yeah. So and and and in the five years following, I we we were the team, we bailed it out to a business of 120 million euro turnover into Ukraine, Russia. We were doing business with all the supermarkets in Russia, uh uh the markets, and so it was it was a huge business. And and yeah, I was leading that and and and yeah, also, but I was also working hard, still also in the operational side. So it was it was uh you know a very hands-on leadership role at that time. It was it was just with the team and working hard every day and and and I yeah, and I enjoyed it. It was really nice. I learned a lot.

SPEAKER_03 14:15

Did you have leadership experience prior to that? Had you already been managing teams?

SPEAKER_00 14:21

Not really. Really?

SPEAKER_03 14:22

That's interesting. Okay, yeah, it's really thrown into the deep end in terms of managing people at that point. Yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_00 14:28

And that was also uh I it was a very steep learning curve. I mean, I mean, I I you know I had to I had to learn that really. I mean, it it's not easy. It's it's it's you you make mistakes, especially in your communication, how you you know, treat people or don't treat people sometimes. Uh it it was uh learning by doing, and yeah, that's it. But it in the end it turned out okay, but yeah. But it's still some people from that time, they're still working in Hofmann Roads, they didn't run away.

SPEAKER_03 15:02

Yeah, yeah, yeah. So you didn't do too badly. Um so just thinking about that then, so you know, there was obviously there would have been so much to learn, just to absorb at that time. But you said obviously you did make mistakes. Was there was there anything that changed in terms of your way of thinking, more mindset as what a leader was, maybe to maybe what you see a leader as now? Or yeah.

SPEAKER_00 15:26

Um, not at that time. Not at that time.

SPEAKER_01 15:29

No.

SPEAKER_00 15:29

I was just doing what I'm doing, working hard, and and what what was doing right. And uh maybe I was even also a bit stubborn and trying to do it my way. Actually, that came a little bit later because you know, after that Hoffman went through a very difficult time. I mean, uh Russia in 2014 started the boycott against European fruits. So our business went down in from 2014 to 2016 a lot. So we went from 120 million euro to 20 million euro. So I was losing 100 million billion euro of of business.

SPEAKER_02 16:06

Gosh.

SPEAKER_00 16:07

So uh in that time, uh, and we had also in the our private life, we had some really difficult time because I lost a brother in that time. So, you know, that that two years humbled me a lot uh in a way like you know, uh before everything what I did, I wouldn't say it turned into gold, but you know, uh I I was pretty successful, and suddenly everything what I tried was not working anymore. And the business went down, and and that that's you know, that period was not nice, but I'm saying sometimes maybe it was the best period of my life. Uh in a way like uh I learned to deal with uh adversity and and and setbacks and uh not always getting the result what you expect to get if you work hard. And and so it was tough. So it humbled me a lot. And uh, you know, in that time I really also started to uh trying to how to say it, you know, to to to dig in a lot of information, how to actually about psychology and and about people and about business and how how to run a business, because look, I was running a business, but I I I never I was doing just what I thought to do, but I never really realized it so much in a way uh uh uh so I you know I really tried to teach myself and and to do some courses and management courses, etc. So actually that period I learned maybe much more than the years before, and and what I carried on, yeah, I think even till today. Uh so uh it was not a nice time, but it was uh but it was a very valuable time.

SPEAKER_03 17:50

Yeah, but how I mean it might be some people listening that um maybe, I mean, hopefully not going through similar, but obviously there's a lot of challenges in the economy currently, and people will be having to you know m tackle some challenges, you know, resilience obviously will be coming into play, but going through something like that, how do you get through that? How do you bounce back? Is there anything that you did in particular? Do you just kind of head down, keep going, or anything else?

SPEAKER_00 18:15

Yeah, yeah, in the end of the day, yeah, keep your head down and keep going. That's but that's not easy. And I have to say, you know, uh uh uh my my my lovely, beautiful wife, and also my family stood strong uh around me. Uh, you know, they they supported me a lot, uh telling me that we can do it. And and and also my colleagues at that time, you know, they were loyal and and and uh uh yeah supportive. And yeah, in the end of the day, just keep on going. But also reinventing yourself. I mean, that's what we also did. We uh reinvented the business of Hofmann at that time. Yeah, we we had to find new ways, new products, new uh new venues, and that's what we did in that year. And and but that's yeah, you had you're starting from scratch again, and and with if nothing, and you know, where we were exporting always things uh uh from Europe. Now we had to find things in in in overseas, in in in in uh countries like South Africa and South America, and we had to rebuild business, and so yeah, you have to keep on going, always going. I mean, don't give up. I mean, and then there will always be opportunities again. But uh yeah, it's it's it's you need some resilience in it.

SPEAKER_01 19:28

Yeah, definitely.

SPEAKER_00 19:31

So, but you know that that's also I think valuable because if you can do that, you can push through that. That that gives you a lot of uh strength in the end for the rest of your career.

SPEAKER_03 19:43

So absolutely. And then when did um Olympic fruit come into play for you?

SPEAKER_00 19:49

So yeah, my father was leading Olympic fruit himself till 2015. And then he uh he he said that he wanted to do some other things in his life, and he also had didn't have the uh energy because of that also that that private situation, what we have. Uh what uh what he lost a son, and he was he was really he was yeah, he had a he had a difficult time with that, and so he he didn't want to continue as a as a CEO at that time. And I at that moment was not ready for that. I I I I had also you know to deal with myself and my Hofmann Rothson story, and actually at that moment I also set it up Fresh Pride. There were some reasons for that. Let's not go too deep in that details, but anyway. Uh uh and so we appointed uh management uh for Olympic Fruit. And uh so from 2015 to 2020, Olympic Fruit was leaded by by external management, so people who was directors, etc. And I don't wanna uh how to say it, scrutinize these people, but it was not very successful uh for different reasons, for different reasons. Um and uh the company went down a little bit, and in 2020, uh beginning of 2020, there was a uh some guys who were leading the company and they left. Uh they went somewhere else, and actually, you know, there was nothing left in the leadership team at that moment, and then people started to ask me because at that time I had Hofmum, but you know, it was growing again and it went well. And actually, I I also made a deal with my father. I bought that company already from him because you know I was leading that company. I said I want to buy it, so made a deal in 2018 that was. Anyway, 2020, and they came to me said, Hey, you wanna also take the leadership role in Olympic fruit? And I said, Listen, uh in the one said, Yes, I want it, I said I was really afraid because you know, I my other businesses, Hoffman and Fresh Bright at that time was doing well. I had focus there and it was growing. And I knew that if I go to Olympic, I had to do a lot of work there to revitalize the business, you know, and also maybe change the team. And there was a lot of work to do.

SPEAKER_03 22:14

You don't want to neglect the other businesses. You want to make sure you're not sure.

SPEAKER_00 22:17

And I was not sure if I could do it, if I could make it. So um I struggled a bit with myself, and I didn't want, and I tried to avoid it, and in the end of the day, I did it. So because you know it's the family company, what my father started, and you know, how can you say no in the end of the day?

SPEAKER_03 22:38

Gonna say, did you feel pressure to take it, or was the then or was that more like psychological pressure, maybe? I don't know.

SPEAKER_00 22:45

Like I don't know if I made that pressure to myself or or they did it to me, or maybe a combination of the two. I I I it was uh I think it was a combi of the two, and and but as I said, in the end of the day I did it, and actually it turned out pretty okay in the end. You know, it was a hard work, we did have to do a lot of things and uh uh to revitalize the business. And actually, I was very lucky also. I found one of my young employees in Hoffman, uh uh was of uh he is still the director now today, but he was a young boy uh who was coming through the ranks, and and I gave him the responsibility at that time. I said, okay, you lead Hoffman and I'm going there. And and he did a brilliant job. He did a brilliant job. So you know that was really amazing for me, also because have somebody you can trust like that and just pass it over to you. Somebody I can trust and suddenly would take off 90% of the workload what I had in Hoffman and Fresh Pride off my plate, and and and and it was running, actually, it was growing. You know, he he he did even maybe a better job than I did. So, you know, it was perfect. So, and then I started in in Olympic uh to to you know rebuild the team, rebuild the business with customers, with suppliers, uh etc. etc. So it was it was uh, you know, it was a lot of work, uh, in especially the first two, three years. Uh uh, but you know, I had uh I found the right people, I had a few good people in my team, and and we kept on again, we kept on fighting. We kept on, you know, uh and and and got there, yeah.

SPEAKER_03 24:31

Um had your father completely stepped away from the business at this point?

SPEAKER_00 24:35

Yes, totally, totally. In 2021. Actually, after one year, I already saw that that that I I saw the thing that I could get Olympic on the right track. Uh and I went to my father, I said, listen, let's make a deal. I will buy you the business. And uh actually, you know, also my brothers and sisters are shareholders in the business, but they were not active. So I said to them, I said, listen, I want to buy the business because I'm I'm I'm working here all that time all those years, and and uh I'm happy to buy you out. So we made a very decent deal uh and and I bought all the shares from them. And uh that deal was closed uh or finished last year with uh with all the the earnout payments. So and my father, and I'm I'm I'm very proud of him there. I mean, he you know you you see sometimes that an older generation still wants to you know have his shadow over the company and have his his uh his uh my father not at all. He is he stepped away. Uh of course he's interested, and hey, we're talking to each other, drinking a cup of coffee and what's going on and and discussing things, but in the end of the day, he says, Hey, it's your company, do what you want with it. Uh good luck and and and no interference at all from his side. So nice.

SPEAKER_03 25:57

That made it easier, I imagine. A lot easier. Yeah, you have somebody because you hear a lot of stories, don't you, about people that um I suppose the founders or directors struggling to step away and struggling to yeah, just just let go of the control. Yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_00 26:15

Luckily, not me. Luckily, not me. So I'm very grateful for that, also to my father, uh, that he could do that, because in his time he was very, you know, he was also kind of a dominant man. Yes, he was. And yeah, that made him also successful. But uh yeah, he he let me do what he wanted. And that that I think also is going well, so you know, that gives him also peace of mind, I I hope.

SPEAKER_03 26:39

So were there any challenges at that point? So if you'd taken over the business, you'd you'd you know you had someone to look after the other business for you? Um were there any challenges that came along that you didn't expect at that point?

SPEAKER_00 26:54

Yeah, I I I I was thinking this is a good question. Um I was thinking about that, but I was looking actually not you know, maybe what surprised me the most uh is that in my feeling I could turn it around in the right way pretty quickly again. Then maybe that surprised me the most, uh to to you know to bring energy into the team again and to bring energy into the company again. Uh and that that went pretty quickly. Uh so maybe I I'm maybe I was more afraid up front than it was in the in the reality, but and and but yes.

SPEAKER_03 27:36

And did you just have the self-belief to do it? Did you go in and you just felt that it would it would work? Did you have any sort of doubts at that point?

SPEAKER_00 27:42

Or you should always have self-belief. I never did it, so I I think I can do that. So now I mean I think I have a healthy balance between self-belief and self-doubt. Uh uh don't take your yourself always too serious, and and don't uh but also don't put yourself too much down. I mean, I mean uh uh I always try to look at things realistically, but with positive glasses, you know. Uh uh, I mean, uh uh yeah, that that that that's don't be too negative about things, but but okay, put your feet, keep your feet on the ground.

SPEAKER_03 28:18

Yeah, exactly. No, it's important, it's very much the same for us, actually. It's always about having that positive mindset. Yes, being realistic, of course, you have to be realistic.

SPEAKER_01 28:27

Yeah.

SPEAKER_03 28:27

But um, I think as a leader, it's so important just to bring that positive energy because then that's what motivates the team, keeps them going, particularly from the top of the mindset.

SPEAKER_00 28:36

If the leader is not positive or or at least, you know, uh uh expressing that positiveness or or can-do mentality, I mean, what do you expect from your people? I mean, I mean, I mean, you know, it starts from the top, right? So, you know, you always have to be the can-do and and I you look, I mean, everything what you can imagine can be done. I mean, my I mean, uh uh uh uh uh so you know if you can think of something, you can create it. But yeah, then you need dedication, uh focus, and and and determination in that.

SPEAKER_03 29:10

And when you came in at that point, so it sounds like there was a lot of work to be done to to change um where the business had got to, how did you did you decide what to preserve in terms of it could have been culture, it could be the business model, and then what needed to change?

SPEAKER_00 29:29

So, look, in principle, I didn't change a lot the business model. I mean, the business model what was there, I I we still do today in essence. And so, but uh we I think I ch what we had to change was was especially the the the self-belief and the energy, what we you know what what was was faded away, let's say. And uh yeah, we need we needed to to to to boost that again and and to show that Olympic was a really good company and a nice company with with selling uh super good fruits. And and you know, our our biggest uh uh uh uh things was uh citrus and grapes, and that's still today. It's 17% of our business. So, you know, that didn't change a lot in a way that we uh totally did something different, uh only uh uh I think with much more energy and self-belief. And of course, hey, uh you have to evolve yourself in the time, you know what what what topics are are important nowadays. I mean, hey, nowadays, again, it's it's very important all these things with sustainability and and and and food safety. There's a lot of focus on that, especially from retailers. So, you know, you have to do your homework really good in that stuff. So that that's things what we maybe in the last years brought into the business as as other pillars where in the past maybe only quality and and and and availability was really important. So uh uh did we change a lot? No, and yes, of course, you always have to adapt at at uh in your time where you are acting at that moment.

SPEAKER_03 31:06

And let's talk about that in terms of sustainability because I know that's something you have a big focus on in terms of upcycling um products into new food products. So tell me more about that.

SPEAKER_00 31:18

Yeah, yeah. Yeah, I mean, I mean, sustainability, of course, is is is uh look, first of all, I think with the eight billion eight, nine billion people what we are on this earth, we have to be really preserve the earth in a better way. I think I mean that's clear. And we have to try to at least to keep it stable and not not take more from the earth than we can give back at the moment. So so there we have uh a task, I think, everybody in his life. But, you know, that's that's of course all well known uh that's nicely said, but what are you gonna do? And also in your business. I mean, we made assessments, like what can you do in your business to be more sustainable? And you know, I'm I'm a hater of greenwashing. Uh I really don't like that. Uh if I want to do, I want to do something concrete and something really what is tangible, you know? And not that I'm telling, hey, listen, uh we took 10 cents off your box and we planted some trees in Africa for you, uh, you know, that kind of stuff. Uh and and probably there is good intention in that. I don't want to judge that, but but it for me that that doesn't make sense. Uh uh, but that's personal for me. Anyway, so what we in our business see is that uh the the the food waste, uh we import a lot of fruit from from South America, South Africa, what is packed here, especially in citrus, uh mandarins, oranges. And you know, a lot of fruit is not putting into the nets what we sell to supermarkets because you know there is some skin damages or maybe small small defects, etc. But it's still good fruit. And now, you know, that a lot of that fruit was is is wasted just giving for a biomass uh thing. Anyway, in our area here in Barnett, there was a lot of talks about these, you know, upcycling things, and again, a lot of talks, talk, talk, talks, and nothing was done. So, what I said uh two years ago, I said, listen, you know what? I don't know if I'm gonna be successful, I'm gonna try something. I'm gonna take all this citrus and and let's see if we can do something with that. So, you know, I I rented a small space, I bought a citrus machine, I uh bought a few things, I I I hired a guy, and what we try to do here is to upcycle all our citrus waste and to you know make make uh uh uh uh juice out of it and or other uh uh things. And you know, then we work with other companies. So, for example, we made a uh a Mandarin Rattler beer uh together with a brewery in Rotterdam.

SPEAKER_03 33:51

I've actually tried it when I came to Berlin.

SPEAKER_00 33:54

Yeah, so you know, we make all these funny things and is it super successful today? No, not today, but you know, uh everybody's excited about it, everybody likes it, everybody understands what we are doing, yeah, and in this way we really try to do something sustainable. And actually, here in our area, we try now to also to attract other companies to give their waste streams also to us, you know, that because you know you need mass and volume to be also sustainable, to have a sustainable business model. I mean, in the end of the day, you know, also this has to be sustainable, and not that we have to make a lot of money at it, but yeah, if it lose every year a lot of money, then it's also difficult. So, you know, we try to build that and and about build a community around it. So it's it's it's it's fun, it's it's not easy, it's difficult, but you know, we try to do something. And you know, uh so in this way we try to be sustainable, and that's of course not the only way. Uh, but also I think for our customers, it it's interesting to see that you know they can also tell the story that their supplier, you know, what we do, and we try to incorporate that with them. So uh yeah, I see many opportunities in in in in that whole thing, and and it's uh it yeah.

SPEAKER_03 35:08

Yeah, no, it's exciting, and it's you know, I love the fact that you just you're just trying, you know, it's just trying different things, seeing what works. And you don't I don't hear many other companies talking about that, to be honest, or doing anything similar. So it's yeah, it's it's really interesting. And just coming back to you, because I would love to talk about um leadership, hiring, obviously that's a big, a big part for us. So you took out when you moved to Olympic, it sounds like there were a lot of long-standing employees there. Is that right? They've been there with business for a long time or some.

SPEAKER_00 35:40

Yeah, there were a couple, yeah. Just a couple, okay.

SPEAKER_03 35:42

I was gonna say, how do you how did you build trust with those long-standing employees coming in at that point?

SPEAKER_00 35:51

Look, um that was not very difficult at that moment because actually they were asking me even to come also to Olympic. Because they know they knew me for a long time, uh, because you know, they had a long time there, and okay, I was in the other companies of my father, but you know, I'm around all the time there. So, and and uh, but you know, uh look to build trust with them is you know, in the end of the day, it's to take them serious, to to hear them, you know, to also to listen to them, what they have to say, because uh uh uh long-standing, you know, that means also they have a lot of experience, you know, they know things, they uh uh yeah, so uh yeah, it was was not that difficult at that moment, but uh uh uh that that of course the next step was to steer them also in the right direction again and and give them the confidence and and the energy to you know to really to boost the the company again.

SPEAKER_03 36:51

And on the flip side then it sounds like you also um had more junior junior employees that you brought into the business and you obviously developed within the organization. So, what are your thoughts on bringing in uh people at that level? So junior level, I mean, I don't know if they did they have any experience in the industry or were they completely fresh? And what are your thoughts on? Because that that's something you don't see that often. Companies tend to want people with experience.

SPEAKER_00 37:15

So uh if you would look in the last uh five, maybe even longer, but year of our hiring, um, you will see that 80% of our hiring is young people without experience. All young people, and we love to do that.

SPEAKER_03 37:32

Um why do you love to do that? What why why does it work so well for you?

SPEAKER_00 37:36

Sometimes we like to make our life difficult.

SPEAKER_01 37:38

Um why not? Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 37:42

No, um, of course, there is always pros and cons in in you know, unexperienced people and raise them, and or more experienced people, you know, who can have much faster traction, of course, in their in their in their work. But you know, our experience is that with the young people, uh, and you know, that's also what something I love. You know, I I cannot be more happy that I see young people come in the company and who literally know nothing and and and can do nothing, and uh and then gradually grow through the ranks, and you know, uh uh uh yeah, where you see really people grow up and and and and really get experience, but also grow up as a person, you know, uh not only from but so uh we love to do that and we love to see that. And you know, uh for example, uh my director in in Hofmann-Rodzand, he came in uh uh he he did uh he was writing his thesis and doing a training ship in our company. And he is he he he ended up as director. Uh so you know uh uh yeah that's that is that is beautiful. And and also look, with young people you can you can shape them, you know, you can give them your DNA or your uh culture of the company, what is and where you hire more experienced people, you know, they bring their own uh backpack of experience, but also behavior, DNA, etc. And that doesn't have to be bad, but but you know, uh it's it's more difficult to you know to fit them in your culture. So uh uh we like to hire young people. Uh it's sometimes a little bit more difficult, and yes, also sometimes you have some casualties on uh during the road because not everybody is is fit for this job. Uh that's also a fact. I mean you have to love it, it's uh time and energy consuming. So uh but uh yeah, we have many examples here in the company from starting with zero experience and doing now a very good job.

SPEAKER_03 39:49

If you look at the people that have succeeded, that started um you know very fresh without any experience and have done very, very well, what do they have in common, particularly at that sort of younger level? What are they coming in with in terms of like behaviors, for example?

SPEAKER_00 40:04

You see, in the end of the day, it's only one thing. It comes back to one thing, it's character.

SPEAKER_02 40:10

Right.

SPEAKER_00 40:11

It's character. Do you have the the hungriness, the the willingness to succeed? And if you have the right doses of that, you will succeed. And and that's the common factor, I think, uh uh uh with that people who succeeded. I mean, they were very ambitious, they were working very they really want to learn something and they wanted to work very hard.

SPEAKER_03 40:38

So is that something you can pick up in the interview process?

SPEAKER_00 40:42

Yeah, that's a good point, of course. That's always the thing, the difficult thing sometimes, also, you know. Uh uh so no, no, you cannot always pick that up. But you can sense it. You can sense it.

SPEAKER_03 40:58

But yeah, sometimes it's not a hundred percent, I guess it's you know, you can get it wrong because people can come across one way in an interview and then in reality it's something else.

SPEAKER_00 41:09

Yes, that's true. On the other hand, you know, your gut is telling you always a lot.

SPEAKER_03 41:17

Yeah, so trust that instinct, trust the the feeling.

SPEAKER_00 41:20

Yeah. I I went against my gut a few times and always then, and it went the other way, it went south, and then I said, I knew it. I knew it.

SPEAKER_03 41:31

Yeah, why didn't I listen to that? Why didn't I listen to that niggle that was there? Yes.

SPEAKER_00 41:35

I knew it. But it you know, that's fine.

SPEAKER_03 41:39

That's not a yeah, you learn through experience, don't you, essentially?

SPEAKER_00 41:41

It's not a big thing. I mean, it happens, you know.

SPEAKER_03 41:44

And I know many businesses in fresh produce are struggling to attract like the next generation of talent. That's quite a big thing. So, what do you think the industry needs to do differently?

SPEAKER_00 41:55

Yeah, that's of course a very good question, and and and it it it it it it is really uh uh a thing. Uh but look we have such a beautiful sector, we have such beautiful and healthy products, and for somehow reason we are not very good telling that story in a in a way, and that's that's that's I think a pity. Uh I think that also the the the how you say the associations in the different countries should have a job. Uh for example, in Holland we have the Grunt en Fruithouse. I think maybe IFPA, what is a little bit more international, but you know, we should tell that story more what what a what a nice sector we have. We have the nature of products what we work with. On the other hand, it's also it's you know, as I said, it's a tough job. It's not it's not an easy job. You know, it's it can be also, let's be honest, it can be very stressful, uh, with with everything that's going on in in in in in in supply chains what is broken and quality issues what you have so and and customers who are demanding a lot. So um so to attract the young generation is is we have to to advertise better what we are doing, but I think also companies can do more in a way like, and that's what in our companies what we try to do to also to give quite some secondary things, not only about the job, and not about only about the salary, but also things around it. Like, you know, we have a gym, we have uh we are serving a lunch, we have a Friday afternoon uh uh place where we can sit there, we have a bar there, we have uh uh uh a pedal court where we where people can go play pedal.

SPEAKER_03 43:42

And that's in your building that's all in your building, the all the company can say.

SPEAKER_00 43:49

Yeah, uh we have uh uh uh uh so many things what we try to do for the people, uh giving them uh possibilities to have uh uh uh uh to go to school or How you call it uh courses, yeah. Uh uh yeah, all these kind of things. What I think nowadays is is needed to attract people and to uh it's not only you know a good job, a good share, a good computer, and a good salary, it it it's much more than that, I think. Uh and that the companies also have a have a role to to recognize that and and do your job in it.

SPEAKER_03 44:23

And you have all the businesses under one roof, is that right? Or within the Netherlands, I mean.

SPEAKER_00 44:28

In the Netherlands, yes. In the Netherlands, yes. But yeah, we have also we have uh a branch in Serbia, we have a branch in Singapore, and of course the production location in North Macedonia and in and in uh in South Africa, and then we also have even an office also in South Africa. So, you know, not everything is under the same roof, but in Holland, yes, everything is in Holland, yes. Yeah, yeah, yeah, correct.

SPEAKER_03 44:49

And how important is it, do you believe, and I know this is very common in fresh produce, but to have everybody obviously within the Netherlands or uh in the office together, and why is that important?

SPEAKER_00 45:04

Uh yeah, that's of course also the debate of working at home or working in the office. And look uh uh uh uh if you see here in a daily basis how many interactions there is between colleagues and how many information is shared, but in a quick, in a quick way, just just a comment, just a saying, just three sentences. Just I mean that that cannot be done if you are not here. It's it is then then you would be all a day on the phone, I think. And and and I think also the people, I think many of my people they uh they don't have the desire to work at home in a way. Like, you know, they like it also the social environment and and and you know the the the work together. And then there is also people who really effective work at home or another place, who was doing some projectional work or even even and and but they are very I'm looking always like this is are these people responsible and and what's their output? I mean, if their output is fantastic, I mean I'm the last one to say you cannot work at home. No, come on, you can do whatever. In the end of the day, it's the result what counts, right? It's it's it's it's but in fruit companies, there is a lot of quick communication, and and I think to do that in the distance, it's difficult.

SPEAKER_03 46:28

It's difficult, yeah, definitely. And I've been through sort of both sides in terms of when when I started the business, it was 2019, just pre-COVID, very, very just pre-COVID. So the first year was you know, everybody was at home anyway, of course. And um, you know, I thought it was great, amazing, work from home, can go put a wash on in my brake, you know, whatever I want to do. But now we do have a global team, we do have people um overseas, but now I am really trying to build the the office in Leeds and hire people here because one, I miss it, I miss being in the office and having people there. Two, yeah, I mean, having to think about updating people, you know, like you say in the office, you just overhear what's going on. You don't have to think, you don't have to think about it, you don't have to think about culture.

SPEAKER_00 47:13

You know, you know, you you you you hear it.

SPEAKER_03 47:16

Yeah, yeah, you just hear it, it just happens, yeah.

SPEAKER_00 47:18

Actually, you know, we had this we had this funny uh uh this typical situation, you know, in COVID, of course, okay, we could go to the office but restricted to limited people at that time, and I think only half the staff would could go come here because we were an essential uh uh uh uh role in the in the society as a fruit company, anyway. But the moment uh the restrictions were uh were erased, the next day the office was totally full of people, everybody was there.

SPEAKER_03 47:51

Yeah, everyone ready to get back, yeah.

SPEAKER_00 47:53

Everybody was there. So I was really I was proud to see that. I said, okay, cool. Look, you know, you see the bond between the people and the social bond, what they have also. And that's I think very important also for a company with, I mean, it's not only the work or the result, it's also the social bonds what you have with your, you know, with your colleagues and and with your teams and and and yeah.

SPEAKER_03 48:15

Yeah, and actually wanting to get back in, the fact that they wanted to because they enjoy being there, they enjoy being in the office and seeing their colleagues, yeah. No, it's great.

SPEAKER_00 48:23

That was great to see. That was really great to see.

SPEAKER_03 48:26

And so looking back now, so you went into your leadership without any prior experience, there was a lot of challenges, a lot of learning along the way. If you were giving advice to somebody now who was going into their first leadership position, what advice would that be?

SPEAKER_00 48:48

Look, don't go in a leadership role for the sake of leadership. I mean, do it because you love what you do. I mean, uh uh so I mean a leadership role is not easy always, you know. It it is it's hard work sometimes. It's it's you know, in the end of the day, you have to the make the difficult decisions sometimes, you know. It's it's so be sure that you want that. Be sure that you, you know, uh uh uh that you that you want that role and and uh uh and be patient, take time, you know, don't be in a hurry. Uh you know, there is this saying like people are always overestimating what they can do in one year, but they're underestimating what they can do in ten years. So you know, uh uh sometimes you have to be patient if you want to build things, build teams, also build businesses. In the beginning it goes slow, you know, and sometimes you can also be like, why goes this go so slow and why it goes don't go faster. And but after three years, you look back like, huh, look where I was that time, and now look where I am now. So you know, you need that also that that that peace of mind sometimes, you know, to not to be too restless all the time. Uh otherwise, you know, you can make yourself crazy, I think.

SPEAKER_03 50:08

But uh yeah, patience, it's uh yeah, a good skill to have, a skill that not everybody has. So yes.

SPEAKER_00 50:15

I certainly don't when I was younger, not at all.

SPEAKER_03 50:18

Yeah, so the that can be developed though, I think.

SPEAKER_00 50:21

Yeah, yeah. You know, the life the life is shaping you, you know.

SPEAKER_03 50:24

Exactly. And if you could go back to your first year, this is a big question, I think. If you could go back to your first year as CEO, what would you do differently, if anything?

SPEAKER_00 50:36

I don't regret anything.

SPEAKER_03 50:38

No.

SPEAKER_00 50:38

I I can't recall of anything, really. I I I for sure I've made mistakes, yeah. 100% I made mistakes. Everybody made mistakes. Yeah, me, I'm the first to say that I've made mistakes, but nothing that I regret, I say, or that I should be totally different. No, not at all. I mean, I mean, I I can't recall of anything. Um so no.

SPEAKER_03 51:01

Is that because it's yes, there were mistakes being made, but do you see those mistakes as as positive in a way in terms of where it took you or the learning, or yeah?

SPEAKER_00 51:10

Yeah, yeah. Look, maybe even the mistake is not the right word. It's you know, it's it's it's learning events, you know.

SPEAKER_01 51:16

Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. That's it.

SPEAKER_00 51:17

I mean, it's it's just how you take it. I mean, what's the worst thing that can happen? I mean, nobody died. You can and you can apologize to someone, say, sorry, I I didn't mean that, or that was wrong from my side, or you know. Uh uh so you know it it's as long as it's not irreversible and and uh I mean I I mean everything can be fixed and uh you do it with the knowledge you have and with your best intentions. I I I I don't yeah, I don't regret anything. It's it's look, I think in the end of the life, the only regret what you have is mostly about things what you didn't do and not about the things you did.

SPEAKER_03 51:57

Great. Love that and um so what type of company do you hope fruit fruitful ventures will become in the next sort of 10 to 15 years? Like what does the future look like?

SPEAKER_00 52:10

Luke, um I hope that we will be uh uh uh uh a nice working place for a lot of people who is ambitious, who want to grow and want to learn and want to sell healthy and tasty fruits. I mean, because that's at the end of the day what we sell. We want to sell to consumers healthy and and tasty fruits. But I hope that fruitful ventures and the companies of fruitful ventures will be a we be a very uh uh exciting place to work for for a lot of also these young people and and but maybe also you know uh but a mix of of different people. Yeah, that that that's that's what what I'm aiming for. And and how big that will be, or you know, how much that's for me not a I don't have even a goal in that. I mean, I mean if you if you do things right and you are enjoying what you're doing, you know, the growth and the results will come anyway.

SPEAKER_03 53:05

Nice. Well, thank you so much, Leonard, for sharing such an honest perspective. That's it for today. Um, but yeah, it's really fascinating to hear the the background, the story, how the business has evolved, but also the the journey, like your personal journey behind that. So, look, if anybody wants to reach out to you, are you happy for them to reach out? And where's the the best place for them to connect?

SPEAKER_00 53:26

Yeah, people can reach out to me. I mean, uh uh uh my uh my email address is uh uh maybe you can put it in the show notes or you can find me on LinkedIn or or or things. Um yeah, and anybody who wanna reach out to me to help. And thanks for having me. It was a pleasure.

SPEAKER_03 53:46

Thank you so much. Yeah, thanks again for joining us. Thanks for listening to Behind the Fruit, a podcast by LCR International. We are global experts in fresh produce executive search. Hit subscribe if you enjoyed this episode. And for more industry insights, connect with us on LinkedIn.