‘It was the powers of persuasion of one of your account managers that won us over in the mid-1990s,’ laughs Michel Delbaere. The CEO of Crop’s (a fast-growing food chain specialising in the production and sale of frozen vegetables, fruit and meals) can still depend on the service of the same team today. ‘This continuity and stability in people is very important. It enables us to know what we can expect from each other.’
The growth of Crop’s has coincided with the expansion of the insurance team at Vanbreda: today Crop’s is insured for property, fleet, occupational accidents, employee benefits, marine and credit insurance. ‘Vanbreda’s strong presence in the insurance market ensures a thorough knowledge of the sector and good contacts with all insurers.’
Since Crop’s was founded in 1977, the company has developed into an international player with branches in Costa Rica, Morocco, Portugal, Spain and Serbia. ‘Five of the eight locations are insured through Vanbreda.’
Just like Vanbreda, Crop’s is a family business. ‘This familial grounding ensures stability in policy and governance,’ believes Delbaere. ‘It means you’re not suddenly confronted with surprises resulting from changes in management.’
As ex-president of the Flanders’ Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Michel Delbaere comes into contact with the cream of the Belgian business world. ‘Whenever the topic of insurance is discussed, the name of Vanbreda often comes up. You could say that Vanbreda Risk & Benefits is part of the industrial fabric of Flanders.’
