For already several years, Sint-Katelijne-Waver, Belgium, and its surroundings are pre-eminently the production centre for vegetables. This area is also located in the centre of the Belgian and the European consumer. This explains why the system of auctions was started in 1950 by and for producers. Prior to 1950, producers had to rely on the early markets for the sale of their products, without any uniformity with regard to price-making, quality control, packaging, and terms of payment. The Auction of Mechlin, is the result of a fusion between the former Mechelse Tuinbouwveiling (Horticultural Auction of Mechlin) and the Centrale voor Glasgroenten (Centre for Vegetables Cultivated under Glass). Since 1994, the Auction of Mechlin is working as a fusion auction.



The organisation of the auction is a co-operative society of over 2,500 market gardeners, principally located within a radius of 50 kilometres. In view of its location in the vegetable area, the Auction of Mechlin is primarily a vegetable auction. However, small quantities of fruit and flowers are also sold at auction. The Auction of Mechlin has the objective of selling the products, supplied by its member shareholders, under the best circumstances, and it also aims at promoting the sales.

This implies that the market gardeners, who want to commercialise their products by means of the auction, must be shareholders. Only producers of horticultural products may become shareholders, and therefore buyers, staff members or any other parties cannot. Moreover, a producer cannot become member of another auction. All products of the member market gardeners must be supplied at the auction. This condition is called the supply duty. The producer pays a commission based on the sum of the products supplied.

The turnover of the Auction of Mechlin amounts to 200 million EUR. This turnover makes the Auction of Mechlin the largest European co-operative society as an auction. Almost 40% of all Belgian horticultural products, traded via the system of auctions, are sold at the Auction of Mechlin. The turnover, expressed in EUR, reaches a peak during the months of April, May, June, and July, during which the turnover exceeds 25 million EUR. Expressed in quantum, the auction, however, reaches its highest activity during the months of May until August.

Already for a long time, food safety and hygiene are top priority for the Auction of Mechlin. The Auction of Mechlin, as first Belgian auction, obtained both the ISO 9002 certificate and the HACCP certificate. Both certificates were handed over by the SGS European Quality Certification Services.

ISO 9001:2000 guarantees the quality of the processes and procedures within the company. HACCP stands for "Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point", and can be described as a system, which helps guarantee that all food products, which reach the consumer, are hygienic and product safe. By means of the identification and the follow-up of the critical control points, which may influence the safety of the product within the auction procedure, it is possible to prove that all circumstances at the auction are controlled, and that safe products are delivered.

The Auction of Mechlin also obtained the BRC Higher Level certificate. BRC stands for "British Retail Consortium" and is a technical standard that determines the requirements suppliers have to meet to supply to English supermarkets. Finally the Auction of Mechlin also received the IFS certificate (higher level) and the EurepGap group certificate.  The Q&S certificate is being prepared.