In 1996, six small, individual enterprises based in the main production areas in the north and south of France decided to unite to offer the retail sector a stronger single-source volume option. They followed this in 2001 by formalising their joint effort as a public company - Pom’Alliance.
Now, thanks to its involvement in the production sector, the company consolidates, packs and markets more than 250,000 tonnes of French potatoes a year.
The six pioneers recognised that the time had passed when loose unbranded product being sold to an unaware, price-focused consumer was the mainstay of the potato job. Potatoes have gained their “lettres de noblesse” and companies such as Pom’Alliance, know that part of their future success is the ability to offer varieties that are in sync with consumer demand year-round.
And when it comes to varietal mix, sourcing from different areas with myriad soil types gives the group a vital competitive edge. “We take charge of the development of new varieties,” says marketing manager Guy de Foucaud, “and we select the perfect soil for them to flourish. For instance, Agata is successfully produced in the Beauce and Champagne regions, but not in the North. Amandine, on the other hand, also performs well in Beauce, but can also be produced in other areas.”
Soil expertise is integral to sourcing strategy. Intimate knowledge of the advantages of a production area and, more precisely, the soils within that area, is the trump card that marks Pom’Alliance’s point of difference on the French market.
The road to commercial production and marketing of a variety is a long one. Pom’Alliance trials more than 30 new varieties each year - maybe one or two will get the commercial green light. The balance between yield potential and dry matter content and appearance, flavour and shelf life must be spot on before any variety gets the go-ahead. Pom’Alliance uses different facets of its expertise to first monitor and upgrade the production process, and then to ensure that production volumes agree with the marketable tonnage. All selected varieties are put through stringent taste tests to validate consumer opinion and potential usage ideas.
The Pom’Alliance attention to detail is driven by a fear that failure at any stage of the process could lead consumers to turn to competing foodstuffs - rice or pasta. The minutiae of measuring the level of oil potatoes absorb during frying or the sugar level in their flesh give valuable indications to their future marketing use.
The increasing number of varieties available through its production network gives Pom’Alliance the opportunity to develop on the UK market, explains the company’s Andrew Foster: “There is good potential to introduce new varieties. Charlotte is well-known and Amandine, a younger potato, is an interesting alternative, especially as its season is longer.”
The UK has already sampled a lot from the Pom’Alliance portfolio, he adds - including Agata and Anoé, and lesser-known niche varieties such as the red Cherie, Ratte, the purplish Vitellote and the ancient “Bleue d’Auvergne”. Specialities also include peat-covered Ratte potatoes packaged in wood.
“We essentially work with wholesalers whose clientele is restaurant and catering,” says Foster. “Segmentation is not as developed in the UK as in France, but variety is increasingly important for our customers and, not only price. Awareness of cooking methods is also gaining ground.”
Significant efforts have been made on the packaging front. Pom’Alliance claims to have been the first potato packer to introduce a 10kg corrugated box for its loose product. Other developments included a 5kg wooden tray designed exclusively for the catering sector and a 1kg netted sack for the hospitality trade. The latest innovation is a 750g P+ pack for baby potatoes that might even find room in the competitive retail sector. “Value comes through our work with wholesalers,” says Foster, “because this remains a relationship between professionals. Some 90 per cent of what we pack for the UK market is for catering, through wholesalers.”
Pom’Alliance is now ready to take the next step. The company is building up a partnership with a recognised breeding company, Germicopa, which sees the benefit in adding value to its varieties through volume of availability.
The partners have one, simple principal objective: to gradually transform Amandine into a viable alternative to Charlotte. Germicopa, Pom’Alliance and Rush Potatoes will be working together on a communication programme to that end. The strategy is to provide the UK market with Amandine from France, as the ideal British soil and climate has not yet been identified. In France, Amandine is produced by specialists selected by Germicopa and 15 packers are licensed to market the variety.
The UK marketing plan will follow the French model. Distribution will be selective but not exclusive, as it is often the case in the apple sector with the developments of club varieties. Spreading the product through just two or three operators is not the aim.
Amandine will hopefully begin to fulfil its potential when the first marketing exercise kicks off in October.
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