Yannick Carteret is a Corsican grower. Yannick: "In Corsica, the production potential is very good. When we get to complement each other, we have the capacity to supply the entire island with vegetables, at least for the winter. To encourage this, Yannick and other producers founded ‘Drivulinu': the first production drive from Corsica. Consumers can place their orders online, subsequently picking up their order at a delivery point. Yannick says: "By 2019, we wish to be serving all of Corsica."
Drivulinu continues to grow very fast. "It's been four months since Drivulinu started. Right now, we consist of 25 producers, and we have one main delivery point. The goal for this summer is to have a total of 40 producers, and three delivery points. We already have more than a hundred customers. In July, we expect to have grown to 300 to 400 customers per week."
Yannick points out that Drivulinu is an association, not a company. "Drivulinu is very collaborative. The collaboration allows all producers to present an offer comparable to the offer of large and medium-sized stores. Without this collaboration, we could still live off of tourism, but we are still in small niche markets which do not ensure the strength of farms in the long run. Today, the personal history of each producer is closely linked to Drivulinu.” This includes the personal history of Yannick.
Yannick Carteret
"I haven’t always been a grower. I used to work in the fishing industry for 20 years and travelled all over the world. I returned to Corsica six years ago to carry out an agricultural production project. It’s a small project on seven hectares, with animal as well as fruit and vegetable production. The project focuses on local marketing and direct sales, and the Drivulinu collaboration helps me market my products.”
Yannick only produces seasonal vegetables. "Our harvest is rich and very diverse, as we offer between 50 and 100 varieties. We produce products such as tomato, zucchini, eggplant, melon and watermelon in summer. In winter, we offer salads, spinach, cabbages, beans, and many more. Especially beans grow very well here.”
"Corsica has a year-round production, and the island offers a very wide range of products. Think of tomatoes, grown outside, available from early June up until November. Tangerines, clementines, pomelos, almonds and hazelnuts are also characteristic of the island."
Yannick thinks self-sufficiency is a political objective for Corsica. "By its agricultural production, food wise, the island could ensure its sovereignty."
For more information:
Drivulinu
+33 6 22 79 11 51
Yannick Carteret