The Europech’ congress in Perpignan last month, though less well-attended than usual, gave delegates the same invaluable amount of information on stone-fruit volume forecasts and quality analysis.
There was something different in the air at this year’s meeting in the Catalan town, however. The presentations really emphasised the role of the wholesale sector in the effective marketing of products right through to stores. Of course, the desire to have partnerships with big retailers has never been so strong. And who could seriously think things could change so dramatically with just a snap of fingers?
But the signs were clear enough that an underlying change in thinking is taking place. For stone-fruit people with the purse strings, it seems wholesale retains its importance. French producers’ unions took the opportunity of Europech’ to present their promotional and advertisement programmes for the coming summer (we think it’s coming anyway).
As well as using the wholesale markets more, the groups of both peach and nectarine growers and apricot producers have announced their intentions to spend money at the crucial moments of consumption in summer instead of spreading their investment throughout the period of availability.
This is also good for the wholesale markets, which have the advantage of being in touch with the day-to-day changes in the season and can respond to promotional opportunities with less need for long-term planning.
Don’t get me wrong, wholesale has never been totally overlooked in France, as has often been the case for our British counterparts, but it is returning to the front-row after a period with the backs. Strategically, this might well be the result of the upstream analysis showing efficient use of the wholesale sector is instrumental to increasing penetration in the catering sector. It might also be the first side effect of the wholesalers’ policy developed during their Marrakech congress: to supply from the best sources, French or otherwise, and to answer specific customers needs.
Though all of this is still too fresh to have provided major movement in the industry dynamic, the next year will be interesting to watch. At the very least, the various factions of the industry appear to be talking again - at last.
The prayer mats are now out for a favourable summer season. Solid trading is after all the key to a peaceful relationship between producers and the people they rely on to sell their gear. If not, well that’s another column!
