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DEKO: typically Dutch stainless-steel image
Monday 1 December 2008, 16:10
DEKO Holland wishes to continue Berkel’s success. “Berkel is a household name,” explained Kraijenbrink. “That does not only apply to the name – which somebody else has the right to – but most certainly to the product itself. The standard slicer 834 and the gravity feed slicer 800 are recognized by many.” That is nice, of course, but it is not all. What people particularly like about the 800 and the 834 is their quality. “They are reliable, typically Dutch products,” said Hans Jansen, the DEKO product manager. “That is the reason why Holland has been added to the DEKO brand name.”
The DEKO slicers are exactly the same as the machines that were previously produced under the name Berkel. “They are often even made by the very same people,” explained Viola Meijer, the marketing & sales support manager. “The company is now under new management.” DEKO Holland is currently being restructured and the company’s aim is to maintain the worldwide renown of Berkel. “We are only focused on production,” said Kraijenbrink. “We contract out the delivery and maintenance to a number of distributors.”
Market share
The slicers’ robust image has resulted in a robust market share in the Dutch supermarket sector. Supermarkets such as Albert Heijn and Jumbo are some of DEKO Holland’s regular customers. A number of C1000 and Super de Boer shops also use DEKO slicers. Many are sold in Germany and Scandinavia. “In time, we also expect to see growth in countries such as the Ukraine and Russia,” explained Jansen. “We have noticed that there is an increased demand in Eastern Europe, because people there also wish to slice an ounce of sausage in front of their customers. Furthermore, automatic EPB slicers are often used in these countries, the third type of slicer in our product range.”
“In the Netherlands, fresh meat counters are becoming increasingly popular,” said Meijer. “Supermarkets use these departments to maintain contact with their customers and to have more diversity in the products they offer. Furthermore, a fresh meat counter increases the margin.”
