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  • Success story article
  • 16 August 2024

From the golden fields of Belgium to European markets

Alvenat, a family business specialising in the production of first cold pressed rapeseed oil and sunflower oil
Network partners
Sector group
Agrofood
Countries
BELGIUM

A small sustainable agricultural company can have many challenges to overcome when expanding its business. Exporting a product to other countries may seem complicated, but having the support of experts can make this process easier.

This is the case with Alvenat, a family business specialising in the production of first cold pressed rapeseed oil and sunflower oil. Also known as canola oil, rapeseed oil is a particularly popular ingredient in culinary scenes around the world, recognised for its nutritional benefits and high in unsaturated fats. Founded in 2006, the company produces the oil only from seeds harvested in local farms, using a technique to organically extract the raw material, and doing the filtering and manufacturing of different food products fully in-house.

"We are aware that, given the current economic situation, we needed to export to other countries. However, given the size of our company, we do not have the internal resources to access reliable legal information when we want to enter new markets," said Manu Lange, CEO of Alvenat. 

The company then decided to ask for the support of the Enterprise Europe Network. The Network office, AWEX in Wallonia, supported Alvenat since its early stages and helped the company to take this big step towards exportation of their products. 

Developing the strategies to reach international markets

Alvenat needed to find out if there were any taxes or duties applicable to the export of its sunflower oil to France, specifically for a client in the cosmetics sector. 

"The company was already aware of a tax applied in the country to oils for human consumption, and after internal research and support of one of the Network’s French partners, we were able to confirm that no custom duties or taxes were applicable for that specific purpose," described Guillaume Manon, project manager at AWEX in Wallonia, Belgium.

Further research by the Network led to another tax, established for the development of the vegetable and animal fats processing industry. However, it is not applied to imports from other Member States of the European Economic Area. "This specific support enabled the company to structure its export strategy and focus on the French market for the coming year," added Manon. 

"Help from the Enterprise Europe Network in this respect has been very important for us, as it has enabled us to call experts at no cost and to structure our internationalisation strategy by targeting the right market," stated Manu Lange.

Outcomes and outlook

Alvenat is currently doing business in Belgium and in its neighbouring countries France and the Netherlands, with customers in the food sector, including lasagne production, bakeries, community and hospital kitchens, as well as in the animal feed and cosmetics industries.

The Enterprise Europe Network has supported the company not only in the tax related domain, but also in export formalities, legal and regulatory issues, international payments and the research for foreign partners. 

"It is a whole strategy to put in place over the next few years. In terms of figures, we have just started exporting to France and the Netherlands, which currently represents 7 % of our turnover. Our aim is to reach at least 30 % within 2 years," emphasised Lange. 

"We are confident that the Enterprise Europe Network can assist us in the future by providing support for administrative procedures and a network of agents to find the right distributors to position our products in the various target countries," he added.