For Nick, this trip to the United States revolved around one key objective: ensuring we have sufficient sweet potato supply for our customers in the coming months. Together with colleague Edwin, he travelled to North Carolina, one of the most important sweet potato regions, to align with our partners and make concrete plans for the season ahead.
The focus of the trip was to further refine planning towards the season. As a chain partner, we are closely involved in what’s happening, but being on location together allows you to move faster and make decisions more tangible.
“You’re sitting around the table together and can take action immediately,” Nick explains. “By reviewing the planning together on the farms, you make sure everyone is aligned and clear on where we are heading.”
A visit to Battleboro Produce, our joint venture partner within SPOT, was of course part of the programme. In addition, several growers we’ve been working with closely for many years were visited.
“These relationships have really been built over time,” says Nick. “We’re in regular contact and know what to expect from each other. That’s exactly what allows us to speak openly now about availability and expectations, and to decide together how to approach the season.”
The strength lies in this combination of partners, enabling us to supply year-round and adjust where necessary.
The added value goes beyond formal meetings. “You sit at the table together, share meals and talk outside of work as well,” Nick explains. “That’s where the trust is built, which you need to be able to respond quickly.”
That personal connection keeps communication accessible and makes it easier to find each other, especially during busy or more challenging periods.
The outlook for the coming period is challenging. Due to a disappointing harvest in Mississippi, pressure on North Carolina has increased, while availability remains limited.
“We’re already looking ahead to the new crop in October,” Nick says. “It will be tight, so it’s important that we stay on top of things together and adjust in time where needed.”
The trip itself came with its fair share of obstacles. An expired ESTA caused a false start, followed by a medical emergency landing in Canada. It didn’t stop there: a damaged suitcase came down the baggage carousel completely open, and a late-night drive to the hotel ended with a check by a state trooper.
“At times, everything seemed to go wrong,” Nick reflects. “But those are the moments you go through together. Afterwards, you can laugh about it – and in a way, it’s part of trips like these.”
What stands out most are the conversations and the shared sense of responsibility. “Everyone is doing everything they can to deliver,” says Nick. “By discussing it together and making decisions, you know you’re truly in it together.”
This trip once again underlines how important it is to keep meeting in person. By regularly sitting around the table and being out in the field together, plans don’t remain theoretical – they become something everyone is committed to. And that ultimately makes the difference in a season where nothing is guaranteed.
