who are we?
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In Short —
Ataste is a growing Ghent based company, specialized in sourcing, importing, exporting, distributing, branding and selling açaí and other tropical fruits. Thanks to Belgium’s well developed market economy we can outsource a lot of activities, always keeping our vision and high quality standard in mind. We strongly believe in a healthy revolution and we create added value in many different ways.
We brought the amazon flavor to Belgium and Europe already ten years ago and we’re still doing all it takes to provide the best fruit and superfood vitamins to our customers. You can shop our frozen fruits online or come over and taste them in Açaí Bar Gent.
WHO IS BEHIND ATASTE —
Hi, my name is Laurent, born in 1983 and raised at the Belgian coast. I grew up with my lovely family and discovered the fun and benefits of traveling thanks to my grandfather and my mom. Being quite hyperactive, I have always been practicing a variety of sports like swimming, athletics, skateboarding, basketball, snowboarding and martial arts. At the same time, I learned to work efficiently in the hotel and restaurant of my grandparents. There I was taught to ‘never walk around with empty hands’.
+ Details
At the age of 18 I moved to Ghent and started studying engineering. I loved Ghent and the Belgian coast, especially during summer times. I studied hard to pass all my exams so I could reward myself with three full months of vacation. Spain always appealed to me too. That’s why I took the chance to discover Valencia on Erasmus. There, I learnt to speak Spanish fluently. A great asset I still benefit from to this very day.
After my graduation in 2005 as an Industrial Engineer in Automation I travelled around South-America for 4 months, mainly in Venezuela and Peru. It’s hard not to fall in love with this amazingly warm and open culture. Needless to say that I had the time of my life. Back in Belgium - and back to reality - I started my career as a Project Manager for a small company specialised in food processing equipment. A few years later I wanted to do something more commercial and ended up as Sales Support Engineer for a multinational manufacturer of stainless steel machines for the food industry.
+ Beginning
Working for a boss is difficult when you are a "smart ass". So in 2010 I started ataste with two of my friends and a lot of help from many others and from my family. Our mission was - and still is - to become the number one açaí brand in Europe. Many things have happened in the past few years. It sure hasn’t been an easy road, but I found and still find pleasure in challenging myself over and over again. I am strongly determined to never give up and keep doing what I believe in: to share the healthy revolution of ataste.