Kultive has been attending the Fruit Logistica fair for the past 10 years. “But this year will be the first time that we share a booth with other companies from the ‘Demain la Terre’ community, which we joined 3 years ago,” explains Alexandre Picault, commercial director at Kultive.
“Demain la Terre” is an association of fruit and vegetable producers gathered around common sustainable development objectives. “Being part of this initiative has enabled us to clearly show the good cultivation practices already implemented by our producers and the ones that they wish to adopt in the future. The cucumber, our flagship product, was the first vegetable entered in the approach. Last year, the bell pepper and the eggplant also joined and we are currently working on the cherry tomato and the beetroot. The approach does not only concern the agronomic side via the producers, but also the marketing aspect, the offices, the packaging warehouses, recycling in general, the preference for local companies…” As a member of Demain la Terre, Kultive is part of a continuous improvement process evaluated each year by a rating system.
Zero-pesticide residues: a popular approach
Kultive’s range of zero-pesticide residue products is perfectly in line with the company’s commitments in terms of sustainable development. “Our role is to accompany the producers who want to follow this approach,” explains Alexandre. “It is important to note that this decision is entirely theirs, with no pressure from us. We prefer to fully leave the association aside so as not to impose this choice on them by marketing means.” And the producers’ interest in zero-pesticide residues is unmistakable. This year, 50% of the producers from the association have expressed their willingness to commit to the approach, even before the campaign started, compared to 10% last year.
“The zero-pesticide residues is an interesting third way for all French greenhouse products which are difficult to cultivate organically, such as the cucumber, tomato, bell pepper and eggplant. Today, we do not yet have the tools necessary to grow these vegetables organically in the field, as required by French law, or even in cold greenhouses. Proposing a zero-pesticide residue greenhouse product is therefore an interesting alternative in France. And in the end, we will obtain healthier products, cleaner than the biological products which are often imported, thus subjected to different legislations.”
Some important developments presented at the fair
"There have been some big developments for us on greenhouse products like the bell pepper and the eggplant for example. We are practically the only ones offering the yellow, green and red bell peppers in France. We tripled their volumes, going from 800 to 2,500 tons this year. As for the eggplants, 1,000 tons of products will be available this year, compared to 500 tons last year,” reveals Alexandre. “So another reason why we are attending the fair is to discuss these developments with our clients. But we are first and foremost French, so we sell the products from our French producers first on the French territory. We are actually more and more skeptical about the French clients’ interest for the French suppliers. Today, they seem to be more interested in meeting their import suppliers. As a French company serving the French market primarily, the Fruit Attraction fair in Madrid has been more significant than the one in Berlin so far, for our range of products and our clients.”
Find Kultive at Fruit Logistica Hall 22 D-02
For more information: 
Alexandre Picault
Kultive S.A.S.
Phone: 02 38 49 33 49
Mobile: 06 79 00 34 01
Fax: 02 38 49 33 48
Email: a.picault@kultive.com
www.kultive.fr