Successful 2015 for Saint Charles and numerous projects to work on
The General Meeting, whose guest of honour was the new Prefect of the Department of the Pyrénées-Orientales, Mr Philippe Vignes, also welcomed another important guest, Mr Olivier Andretic, Partnerships Manager & Marketing Manager of Business France. A partnership agreement was signed with Business France at the end of this Ordinary General Meeting.
In the President’s Report, Mr Julien Batlle reminded that first of all “the strength of Saint-Charles Export lies in its group”. An atypical group as it gathers producers, importers/exporters and transport/logistics companies at the same time as part of strong public/private collaborations. A cooperation that makes sense today. However it was not obvious at all some fifteen years ago. A governance just like “one man, one voice” allowing everybody to express their points of view, and point out their specific characteristics.
The General Director of Services, Mr Cyril Gornes, highlighted the actions carried out by the government in 2015, as well as several projects, by stressing the following particular points:
Reaffirmed Presence Abroad
Saint-Charles Export decided to focus, and rationalize its presence and investment, on three important trade fairs dedicated to the fruit and vegetable industry - Fruit Logistica in Berlin, very popular and welcoming more than 70,000 visitors from all over the world, Medfel in Perpignan, the BtoB convention of the Euro-Mediterranean, which is also the key meeting of harvest forecasts for peaches/nectarine, apricots and melons, and Fruit Attraction Madrid, the latest trade fair which is making great progress.
Receptions of Buyers
Various operations took place throughout the year 2015. As a matter of fact, we received Portuguese buyers of the major chain of supermarkets – CONTINENTE. We also received Irish importers for an extensive exploration of the advantages of our group for this market representing nearly 5 million inhabitants.
And we organized BtoB meetings with top-level decision-makers of German, Dutch and Polish trade.
It has also been underlined the important participation of Carrefour Poland which was represented by the head of the “Fresh produce” Department, manager of “Fruits and Vegetables” section and buyer of “Stone Fruits” section during the “Summer Fruits” action 2015.
We sometimes need to be patient in the trade industry, and especially in the current international situation, since we have met Carrefour Poland several times and the project will finally be achieved… in late June 2016 with the first Roussillon’s stone fruits ordered and shipped out: “We have to prepare the soil, plant seeds and be patient until the harvest period…”
Results
Glowing reports are always appreciated, but nothing is better than eloquent numbers. Since its creation in 2006 until late December 2015, Saint-Charles Export had recorded an increase by:
+83.4% in value, i.e. +331 million Euros.
+89% in volume, i.e. +299,863 tonnes.
Very positive numbers, in particular if we compare them with the French foreign trade numbers, that increase for the same period and except for Saint-Charles Export as far as fruits and vegetables are concerned by +45% in value and +20% in volume. Therefore it is attested that the strategy adopted by the group of SMEs is competitive with nearly twice the number of shipments/exports for the year 2015 in comparison with the year 2006.
Projects
In 2016, Saint-Charles Export is starting exploratory missions abroad with two missions to European countries representing the priority targets for the companies of the group:
- Germany: last mission was carried out in 2010, and it is therefore time for us to travel to that country which is the number one customer of the Platform. This new market research is possible through sponsoring by one of the founder members of Saint-Charles Export – Banque Populaire du Sud.
- United Kingdom: a second mission will take this place in that country. As a matter of fact, United Kingdom is not among the frontrunners as far as the customers of the platform are concerned. So, the group has decided to focus on this destination, and presented its main assets and advantages to the major British operators of the chain stores network of fruits and vegetables.
Receptions of buyers will also be succeeding:
- From 19 to 21 June 2016, a mission sponsored by another founder member – Crédit Agricole Sud Méditerranée – will allow to receive Danish, Norwegian, Irish and German buyers, and make them discover the produce of the South of France (stone fruits, apples, and green salads). The second part of this mission will take place in the 4th quarter of the year 2016, after the grape-harvest period, with the reception of ‘wine’ buyers who will have the opportunity to discover our rich terroir. That will be a first-time event of that kind organized by Saint-Charles Export.
- Other three receptions of buyers are scheduled in October and November. They will be sponsored by the Communauté Urbaine de Perpignan Méditerranée and the Department Council of the Pyrénées-Orientales.
And, finally, two lines of thought can be identified:
• The first one concerns a destination that should be “reopened” for European products in the future: Russia.
• The second one concerns a cooperation action with the University with the aim to promote our industry among today’s and tomorrow’s students.
The Prefect concluded and highlighted the positive action of public services and, more particularly Customs services, with the continuous search for simplification of administration services “in order to support economic action”.