The Salon de l’Agriculture opens on Saturday, and the brand Prince de Bretagne will have an array of samples on the Breton Land and Sea stand, alongside other specialities from the region. However Prince de Bretagne will not have their own stand. The brand which regroups 2,300 producers from 6 cooperatives, has opted for sponsoring to build their reputation.
Whilst leeks and Paimpol beans are very much products of the land, it is on the sea that they have chosen sponsoring, “The association of a brand on a sail leaves a lasting impression in the public memory,” says Emmanuel Descloux, Marketing Director for Prince de Bretagne.
Sponsoring also has the advantage of being used both as B2B and to consumers. Before the last Route du Rhum, Prince de Bretagne organised a trip out to sea on the boat with clients whilst presenting to the vegetable sector. Meanwhile, the general public had the chance to win a trip to an island. The brand was omnipresent at the start of the race, notably with a tent in the shape of a lighthouse welcoming 50,000 children, “we had the possibility of addressing a young public which we don’t normally have” said Mr Descloux.
In the Autumn, the brand will install a truck-stage for the public at the Transat Jacques-Vabre. In the summer they will take part in the Tour de France Sailing Race with increased presence on the beaches. The strategy seems to be working, today 63% of the French know that they produce fresh vegetables, i.e. 18 points more than in 2010 when they did their first Route du Rhum.
Prince de Bretagne sells over 500,000 tons of fresh vegetables annually in 30 or so countries. They are most well known for their cauliflower and artichoke production. Due to consumer demand for new products, they are now commercialising kale, which has come into fashion from the USA. They are constantly trying out new varieties, such as the Japanese aubergine. This year they will release a large, purple archichoke called the “Cardinal” which has a sweet taste. The colour palette of vegetables has become an important factor when cooking.
Consumers are more demanding than ever when it comes to knowing where their food comes from. The brand has the advantage of showing off their Breton origin in the name of their products. “What we are, corresponds well to what the consumers want nowadays,” remarks Mr Descloux.