SUPPLEMENTS ChampFood, and nothing else!
ChampFood celebrates 25 years of business this year. We reflect on the company’s evolution with Jan Baltussen and Eric Vernooij and the changes in the supplement
market, many of which were initiated by ChampFood. By Roel Dreve
T
oon Donkers, Jan Baltussen’s father-in-law, is one of the pioneers behind the development and production of the first supplement,
Millichamp, back in the 1970s. “At the end of the 1980s, Toon saw opportunities for an improved product. One that was more in line with deve- lopments taking place toward phase III and incubation of compost in tunnels - aspects that were top of the agenda in the early 1990s. ChampFood contained a wider variety of raw materials than existing products and offered different release properties so it produced higher yields in later flushes, better quality mushrooms and a longer shelf-life. In short, a new product that was a good response to tunnel compost, at that time a new concept. Donkers was instru- mental in the success of ChampFood.” Together with his relative Gerard Krol and Jan, he stood at the cradle of the company that celebrates its 25th anniversary this year. Vernooij: “The expertise entailed in producing supplement is highly specific, and Toon has that expertise in abundance, he is a living historical database.” “He ‘officially’ stopped work in 2000, but he still drops by every Wednesday to check if everything is OK”, adds Baltussen with a smile. The emergence and growth of phase III produc- tion was paralleled by ChampFood’s rapid expansion in the 1990s. “We started production in Eindhoven before moving to Gemert in 1994, where ChampFood solely produced supplement. In 2008, still driven by a need to expand our capacity, we relocated to Vierlingsbeek. When we started in 1991 we produced 17 tons per year. We now produce 14 tons an hour! And we have almost reached ‘full’ capacity here too’”, explains Jan.
Global market
Similar to the spawn market, the supplement market has also changed. In the past, growers met in study clubs, shared a lot and there was less mutual competition. The majority of
40 MUSHROOM BUSINESS
‘From 17 tons a year to 14 tons an hour’.
growers who switched to phase III compost also started using supplement, or more of it. The results spoke for themselves and sales were mainly driven by word of mouth. Baltussen: “Growers added the bags of supplement themselves on the head filler, but later on composters also started using our product. Walkro (known then as Theeuwen) was first over the bridge. They were initially anxious about hygiene issues, but soon gained confidence in our product and mastered the art of controlled dosing rates. This forced supplement producers to change their commercial strategy accordingly. “In the Netherlands, we used to sell direct to growers, with the emphasis on quality improve- ments. But nowadays the market is more price-oriented with compost producers using supplements sourced from various suppliers, so that growers often don’t know exactly which supplement is in their compost”, says Vernooij. ChampFood customers abroad are often still the actual growers, who also make their own compost, so they are the decision-makers. “Outside the domestic market, our wide experi- ence means we can offer more to the end user and add value to our products” comments Vernooij. Baltussen agrees: “We know all of our end users personally, and can actively contribute to discussing the properties of our range of supplements, and how to use them best. We are a producer, distributor and advisor in one package and all we make is ChampFood, and nothing else.”
According to the company, which has 10 fte, it commands a share of around 40% of the global market.
Changes The headquarters in Vierlingsbeek.
Highs and lows in the past quarter of a century? Baltussen shrugs: “We haven’t really experien- ced any lows! Progress has been gradual and steady; introducing new products and facing the challenge each time of expanding your market share. In the USA for example, you come across
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