Tervuren Market got a taste of Africa this week, as Jean-Marie, a seasoned fruit grower and caterer, brought his vibrant, organic produce fresh from Benin, Madagascar, Togo, Uganda and beyond. It was his debut at Tervuren’s Friday market — a departure from his usual seven-market-a-week circuit across Belgium.
“We came to try. I think we’ll come back,” Jean-Marie told Tervuren+, smiling as he observed the market crowd. “Very diverse,” he added, noting the mix of colorful local and international shoppers.
Originally from Aného, a coastal town in Benin, Jean-Marie speaks Mina. That’s the language commonly used for trade in both Benin and neighboring Togo. “My father is from Wida, another city in Benin where they speak Fon,” he explained — hardly fazed by the linguistic diversity swirling around him at Tervuren Market.
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Jean-Marie has been cultivating exotic fruits since 1992, with pineapples as his proudest crop. “This one is the king of pineapple—variété cayenne. Very sweet. We call it sugar bread or bottle pineapple because of its shape.”
The fruits he brings are grown on his own land: 78 hectares in Togo and another 40 in Uganda, with two hectares each dedicated to vanilla and coffee. “I receive my fruits every two weeks — from Lomé and Uganda. Avocados, mangosteens, apple bananas, passion fruit, maracuja… everything is fresh.”
What about global supply chain disruptions — Trump’s tariff madness, Houthi rebels attacking merchant shipping, or pandemic logistics? Jean-Marie shrugs it off with quiet confidence. “I have my own workers, my own land. I know a little now — I’ve been doing this since 1992.”
When he’s not on the market circuit, Jean-Marie also runs a colorful épicerie at 21 Kernstraat in Brussels, not far from the King of the Belgians and the Royal Palace. Inside, shelves brim with African delicacies, rare spices, handmade chocolates, fine wines — and, of course, his signature exotic fruits. If you’re lucky, you might catch him blending up a fresh juice on the spot, tailor-made to your taste.
Auteur: Dafydd ab Iago. © Artikel en foto’s zijn gelicentieerd © 2024 voor Tervuren+ onder de Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International-licentie.
