Visafslag Lauwersoog (Fish Auction Lauwersoog) will join the international online auction system of pefa.com. As of the 4th of January 2016, fish and shellfish landed in Lauwersoog (on the border of the provinces of Friesland and Groningen) will be traded through the world’s largest market place for fish. This means that Lauwersoog, the leading shrimp port in the Netherlands, will gain access to a large group of international buyers. With the inclusion of Lauwersoog, the number of auctions in the Netherlands, Denmark, Sweden and Italy that sell their fish and seafood through pefa.com will total 14.
Visafslag Lauwersoog, situated on the Wadden Sea, is the largest shrimp port in the Netherlands. The turnover in 2014 exceeded 18 million euros, 72 percent of which was attributable to the supply of North Sea shrimp. Currently, more than 100 cutters use the auction in Lauwersoog to sell their catch to about 60 buyers. By participating in the online auction system pefa.com, the number of potential buyers will more than triple. “Pefa.com provides us with the technology we need to optimally function as an auction. Furthermore, we also recognise the substantial added value of the network of the 14 auctions which collaborate under the Pefa umbrella,” says Harry Smit of Visafslag Lauwersoog. “Together with Pefa and the other auctions, we can for example also start linking product traceability and sales transactions in the near future, thus even further improving the service to our customers.”
Growth Pefa Gijsbert Spek, managing director of Pefa, is pleased that Visafslag Lauwersoog has joined pefa.com. “This expansion allows us to further continue the strong growth which we have been experiencing in recent years. Our range of products becomes even more interesting for our buyers.” Pefa.com was launched in 2008 and already comprises auctions in the Netherlands, Sweden, Denmark and Italy. In 2014, pefa.com traded 62 million kilos of fish at a value of 197 million euros. This took place through 550,000 transactions. Some 65 percent of the transactions are made remotely – which means from behind the computer and via the app – and 35 percent take place on-site at the so-called ‘mijnzaal’ (auction hall) of the associated auctions. “Currently, we are also working very hard to facilitate the mussel auction in Yerseke, Zeeland. As this sector is accustomed to sales by tender, integration into the existing auction clock of pefa.com is not possible. A separate system for mussels will therefore be introduced, which we expect to be ready in early 2016.” Following the inclusion of mussels, Pefa sales are expected to grow to 300 million euros in 2016. Auction
Clock app Last year, Pefa had a global first with the auction clock app. This digital technology is not yet in use anywhere else in the world – including the flower, vegetable and fruit sectors. Currently, some 50 buyers have the app on their mobile phone or tablet. The auction clock app allows purchasers of fish to bid from any location at 13 auctions in the Netherlands, Denmark, Sweden, Italy, and, from January 2016, Lauwersoog as well.
