Willy Vandenbrande bids farewell to Verduyn

Tholen - This week (26 January 2016), our Purchaser, Willy Vandenbrande, will bid farewell to his employer, Verduyn. He was responsible for the purchase of carrots and contacts with growers. He was also called the chief of carrots or "chef carrot". "I took care of every aspect of purchasing,” Willy says. He now has reached retirement age, and has been working in carrots for over 43 years, of which 37 at Verduyn.

Job

Willy's job included volume planning and planning when the seeds would be sown. He also worked in the growing division. It is very important for growers that the soil is properly cared for and fertilised,” he explains. "Once the product started to grow, I also kept in touch with the growers to make sure that they only grew the best quality crops.” Verduyn has been growing and trading vegetables since 1950 and specialises in carrots. On the one hand, I look forward to enjoying some peace and quiet but I will definitely miss it.

Mixed feelings

Willy finds it difficult to choose what he will miss the most. "Everything actually,” he finally says. "The people and the job, I really liked working for Verduyn. It wasn't a 9 to 5 job though, more of a 5 to 9 job,” he says laughing. "My bosses were amazing. I have mixed feelings about leaving. On the one hand, I look forward to enjoying some peace and quiet, but I will definitely miss it. I will still visit regularly though." His boss, Alexander Verduyn, notices that Willy has a hard time leaving. "We really enjoyed working with Willy. He was a hard worker, but he always contributed to a warm atmosphere, adding a humorous note to our team. He had a lot of knowledge and was always willing to share it with us, to teach us." Karel Claerhout will take over Willy's job.

Contact Alexander Verduyn at alexander@verduyn.be for further information

Author: Gertrude Snoei
Copyright: www.agf.nl

Willy Vandenbrande (second from the left) standing in between the Verduyns.
Daniël to the left, and his sons Alexander and Nicolas to the right.