BuyEuropean.com connects European family businesses directly with the consumer.

The platform starts with wine and will later expand to other artisanal products.

European family businesses have gained a new sales channel since last Friday. BuyEuropean.com is the first platform that connects European family businesses directly with the consumer. No importer, no wholesaler, no supermarket. Just the producer and the customer. The goal: more transparency in the chain, a fairer price for the maker, and direct access to authentic, quality products from Europe. The initiative comes from Cees Erkelens, who, after forty years in international trade, set up the platform through his company Groupe CBEV.

Why now

The European wine sector is undergoing structural change. Several regions are experiencing persistent overproduction and a growing gap between producer and end consumer. At the same time, pressure on traditional distribution models is increasing, causing value to shift further along long supply chains. For many European family businesses, often active for generations, the challenge lies not in quality or craftsmanship, but in visibility, positioning, and access to the consumer. BuyEuropean.com responds to this development by offering an alternative channel where origin, narrative, and pricing structure become more transparent.

Direct from European producer to consumer

BuyEuropean.com opts for a shorter supply chain, with European family businesses selling directly via the platform. This creates a more direct relationship between maker and consumer and allows for a fairer pricing structure and transparency on the origin of goods.

“Many family businesses make beautiful products but rely on long distribution chains where margins are piled up. We want to bring producers and consumers closer together again.” says initiator Cees Erkelens. “This way, the producer receives a fairer price and the consumer knows exactly who they are buying from.”

Start with wine, expansion will follow

The platform launches with a carefully curated selection of European wines from family-run businesses. Over the coming months, the offering will be expanded to include other food and non-food products from European family businesses, including olive oil and honey.

According to Erkelens, the need for origin and authenticity is growing among consumers.

The stories behind the products

Every producer on BuyEuropean.com has their own story. From family businesses that have been making wine for generations to small-scale producers of olive oil, honey and other products. The platform not only introduces consumers to the products, but also to the people behind them, and focuses on those who consciously choose quality, origin and entrepreneurship within Europe. More about the vision behind the initiative can be found at BuyEuropean.com.