Pecan Deluxe finds a way around Brexit trade barriers in Europe

The US-headquartered brand, which has grown to over 600 employees, offering more than 1,500 products in the US, Europe and the Far East said it was suddenly faced with numerous challenges exporting to their many European customers – with the potential to damage previously good business relationships. 

But unlike some companies Pecan Deluxe said it rose to the challenge and persisted in its efforts to make the buying process as smooth as possible for all involved.

The company worked hard to be able to offer DDP (Delivery Duty Paid) as a buying option because it’s the easiest route for customers who just want to take delivery of products without any involvement with customs, Duty/VAT etc.  The ability to sell with DDP means:  smoother logistics, customs clearance & inspections & reduced supply chain costs which all assist with keeping prices down.

Pecan Deluxe said the decision was made to use Calais as the single point of entry to the EU, enabling vet inspection & clearance to be streamlined at one place.  In addition, the whole procedure is now managed by a single import broker resulting in a much faster, more efficient shipping process.  After entry, the goods are free to circulate within the EU without any requirement to deal with customs officials at multiple border points and the consequent delays that would normally result from this.  The haulier can drive directly to the customer without the need to divert to discharge a T1 Transit document.

Graham Kingston, Pecan Deluxe Managing Director, said “Aside from streamlined delivery times, our DDP customers now have minimal involvement in the delivery element of their transaction. Essentially, from a customer perspective, the process that was previously fraught with complexity is now hassle free​.”.

New plant-based product formulations

Pecan Deluxe made the decision to reformulate a large proportion of its best-selling products traditionally made with animal-derived ingredients like eggs and dairy so that they can offer customers an equivalent plant-based version that does not require an Export Health Certificate (EHC) & vet inspection and the associated paperwork and cost that this entails.  Brownie, cake, cookie & cookie dough pieces are now all available without the ‘composite food’ classification that can bring additional hassle for European customers purchasing from UK suppliers – and they taste just as good, said Kingston.

Increased capacity

In a further drive to reduce lead times and improve customer service Pecan Deluxe has invested in a new bakery area which will be fully operational by the start of 2023.  The new bakery unit effectively doubles the companies’ production capacity and customers will reap the benefits of reduced production times as a result.

In addition, as part of a continuing project to improve output for fudge and caramels, Pecan Deluxe has achieved a significant increase in production yields by making adjustments to the manufacturing process.