Family-run fruit and vegetable specialist Marcel Grosbusch & Fils has invested €19 million in an expansion of its Ellange site in order to better fulfil its clients’ requirements; a new warehouse with 8,000 m2 of additional space is taking shape alongside the company’s current offices and premises.
The Luxembourgish fruit and vegetable specialist has launched a new phase of development by building a second warehouse at its current site in Ellange. The “Ellange 2” project, as it is called, should allow Marcel Grosbusch & Fils to bring together its various production sites, and in particular to increase its production and storage capacity.
“The goal is to meet our clients’ increasing demand, and also to diversify our activities and extend our expertise at an international level,” explained Goy Grosbusch who, with his sister Lynn, represents the 4th generation of the family to lead the company.
Simplifying distribution
The investment of €19 million leads to a new warehouse that is already ISO 9001 and ISO 14001 certified and offers an additional 8,000 m2 alongside the existing 5,000 m2. The site will include 41 new loading docks, 13 separate storage areas in which the temperature can be adjusted depending on the product being stored and a washing facility for the company trucks. The new working tool will regroup the Fruit@office service (already located in Ellange), the fresh products chopping facilities (which are stationed in a different warehouse in Ellange) as well as the prepacked goods department, which was until now located at the Cloche d'Or.
"Our company's expertise and the quality of its suppliers will therefore be joined by a very effective tool to facilitate distribution at the European level while guaranteeing the same quality of service to our clients who are also growing very quickly," explained René Grosbusch.
A natural and friendly environment
In addition to the 800 m2 of office space reserved for administrative purposes, the “Ellange 2” project will include the construction of a 100 me auditorium which will house the future Grosbusch Academy, intended to offer specialised training for the fruit and vegetable industry. Furthermore, Marcel Grosbusch & Fils is planning to hire more than 75 new employees to expand its workforce by 2020. The new warehouse will include a 129-space underground parking area covering 4,000 m2 as a well as a gym and rest areas. The company has also called upon interior design specialists to offer its employees a young, friendly and natural work environment. Solar panels, vegetation walls, lemon trees, interior plants and other aromatic herbs will fill the new premises by the end of the year.
About the company
In business for nearly 100 years, fruit and vegetable importer and distributor Marcel Grosbusch & Fils has become well known within the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg and throughout the ‘Grande Région’. By focussing on the quality of its products and respecting its producers and clients, the family company has slowly developed by combining tradition and innovation.
The story began in Differdange in 1917. Jean-Pierre Grosbusch decided to launch himself into the fruit and vegetable market by opening a small greengrocery. He was joined by his sons, Jean and Marcel. André and René, Marcel’s two sons, grew up in this environment and, in 1982, founded Marcel Grosbusch & Fils. In 2012, René Grosbusch’s children Lynn and Goy joined the company, which now counts 200 employees.
