Tom has only just started at Rola Fresh and already he has hit the media! The trade magazine Primeur conducted a nice interview with Tom about his return to our beautiful industry after working at The Ministry of Defence. Why did he come back to our industry and what did he learn from the Ministry of Defence? Find the interview below
Tom van Velden returns to Fresh Produce
‘In Defence, quick is three working weeks, in the Fresh Produce trade quick is five minutes.’
After an adventure in Defence, Tom van Velden is back in the Fresh Produce sector. He once started his career in the potato, fruit and vegetable trade, but the urge to try something new brought him to the Ministry of Defence. Although he had a very good time there with many valuable lessons, he missed the dynamics and speed of trading. Now he is back again, this time at Rola Fresh. ‘At Defence, fast is three working weeks, in the Fresh Produce trade, fast is five minutes,’ he succinctly sums up the difference between the two worlds.
From trade to army
Tom ended up in the Fresh Produce sector by chance after studying business management. "I actually had no idea what I wanted. Through an agency, I came into contact with Robert Voskamp, who was at Vitaal at the time. He said: 'You don't know anything about fruit and vegetables, but I think you can fit in. Just try it.'" Tom was persuaded and ended up staying in the trade for several years until he decided to look further ahead anyway.
Through an acquaintance, he had been approached for a civilian job with the Ministry of Defence. The organisation is in a period of growth, partly due to the war in Ukraine, so there were many new opportunities. ‘I experienced everything: sleeping in the forest under a poncho, going over storm drains and going out with commandos.’ Tom had a great time. Besides physical challenges, Defence also offered him valuable lessons in leadership and strategic thinking and a lot of knowledge about the IT chain.
Two completely different worlds
Although Tom looks back on his time at Defence with pleasure and learned a lot there, after a few years he noticed that the pace and bureaucracy were getting in his way. "Defence is a huge organisation and of course there is a piece of hierarchy involved. You first have to convince a number of people before a decision can be taken. They also look much further ahead. These are big differences from the Fresh Produce trade, where you are much more agile. Here, you have a good idea or a customer needs something, and you can execute it the same day."
His old contacts in the Fresh Produce world remained. Every quarter, he had lunch dates with former colleagues Robert Voskamp and Paul-Wouter den Ouden, who had founded Rola Fresh together. "At one point they dropped that they actually needed someone extra. At the time I was still thinking: I'm fine here at Defence. But when I started doubting whether this was my path for the long term, the ball started rolling."
Apple pie
That the transition from Defence to the Fresh Produce trade was the right one for Tom is evident from a simple anchor dish. "For my last working day, I wanted to treat my collegues to cake with coffee. Five working days before my last day of work, I tried to order it from the Defence catering company. However, here I was told that this was not possible because cakes really had to be ordered seven working days in advance. After that, it was no longer possible. I found that so typical of the way they work. Here in the trade? If a customer calls now because he needs potatoes tomorrow, we arrange it immediately."
Back on the old nest
At Rola Fresh, Tom has been working for a few weeks now and he feels like home. "I was in a huff on the first day. Some things just don't change." The team is small and flexible, which is a big contrast to Defence. ‘There, some 70,000 people work, here I am in action with three colleagues.’
Still, he takes away valuable lessons from his time in Defence. "In Defence, you learn to think strategically and plan ahead. In the Fresh Produce trade, it's much more short notice, but taking a step back every now and then and looking a bit further ahead certainly doesn't hurt." He also learned a lot about cooperation and perseverance, traits that now serve him well in the fast-paced world of trade.
For now, he is comfortable here. "This is a world I feel at home in. The speed, dynamics and collaboration make the work challenging and fun. And the best part? Here, apple pie is always arranged within a day."
