Van den Bosch continues supply chain optimisation in East Africa

The vegetable oil industry in Kenya and elsewhere is growing incredibly fast. But despite increasing global demand for vegetable oils, their supply chain is barely growing with it. Tens of millions of litres are still being exported annually to Europe in flexitanks. Van den Bosch is now taking the first steps towards transferring this volume to sustainable ISO tank transport in order to optimise the supply chain.

“Our first transport for a leading supplier of vegetable oils has set a significant milestone for the Kenyan vegetable oil export industry,” says Laurens Tulleners, Area Sales Manager at Van den Bosch. "The supplier has thus switched from flexitanks to ISO tank transport. This means a shift towards greater efficiency, quality assurance and sustainability. Until now, largely uncharted territory for East Africa. But as the African vegetable oil market continues to grow, so does the demand for deep-sea transport. With commitment to innovation and sustainability, the industry can respond to new opportunities and meet the changing demands of the global market."

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The focus of Van den Bosch DMCC is on shipping liquid foodstuffs (such as sunflower oil and glucose) in ISO tank containers. "But we also transport a lot of juices, wine and spirits. We’ve been transporting these with ISO tanks for a number of large Kenyan beverage manufacturers in recent years," Tulleners explains. "This has led to the formation of a strong and reliable source of imports in the region. It will enable us to continue expanding our network, which will also bring new opportunities."

Tanzania

To make the most of these new opportunities, sound cooperation between various parties is essential, says Tulleners. "We’ve established a long-term partnership with Freight Fowarders Ltd. A family business that knows the market, has the right resources and with whom we’ve built a good relationship. Through this partnership, we have strong representation in the country, not only in Kenya but also in Tanzania."

Tulleners: "We also see opportunities in Tanzania for further optimising the supply chain, as we are doing in Kenya. There too, the market is growing and there are still many steps to be taken towards sustainability. That is why we see an opportunity to get involved here as The Supply Changer in Bulk."