End of an era: Zespri leaves Zeebrugge after 40 years of operations

Starting in 2028, the New Zealand kiwifruit marketer Zespri will move its import operations for Europe from the port of Zeebrugge in Belgium to Vlissingen in the Netherlands. 

In a statement, the company explained the decision comes as part of a restructuring of its logistics network in Europe that seeks to strengthen its supply chain on the continent and support category growth.

Zespri operates in Zeebrugge through Belgian New Fruit Wharf (BNFW), under a contract that currently extends until 2028. However, after reviewing its logistics model, the company decided not to renew the agreement. 

Image by Steve Allen via Shutterstock

Zespri confirms partnerships with other European operators

As part of this transition, the company said that the Northern European hub will operate alongside its logistics partner Lineage, which will handle the direct distribution of the fruit to storage or customer distribution centers upon arrival.

Zespri noted that it has worked with Lineage for the past two years on complementary fruit handling operations and highlighted the firm’s experience in fresh produce logistics. Furthermore, it confirmed that it will continue to collaborate with its partners APM Vado, in Italy, and Fruport, in Spain.

The company maintained that this new model will better support its growth in Europe and generate better results for both customers and kiwifruit producers. It also said that it will work together with BNFW to ensure an orderly transition over the next two years.

Concern at the Port of Zeebrugge

Zespri’s decision was received with concern in Belgium. 

According to local media outlet VRT News, the company's departure represents a significant impact on the port of Zeebrugge, one of the main entry points for fresh fruit into Europe, where kiwifruit constitutes an important part of the logistics activity.

The mayor of Bruges and member of the board of the Port of Antwerp-Bruges, Dirk De Fauw, told the outlet that port authorities were not informed of the reasons behind the firm’s departure before it was made public.

Image by Zespri

"We regret Zespri's decision and would like to know the reasons that motivated it. We never received complaints or were informed of problems," he stated.

According to the specialized media outlet Flows, more than 300 workers are employed at the BNFW facilities in Zeebrugge, where conditioning and packaging kiwifruit calls for a significant amount of labor.

Some reports in the Belgian press have indicated that repeated port strikes could have influenced the decision. However, Zespri has not publicly provided any specific reasons for its departure from the port, only stating that it responds to a strategic review of its European logistics network.

*Main image by Steve Allen via Shutterstock.

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