“0% tears, 100% mildness”: this is the promise of Orion, the latest addition to the range of condiments. The name was chosen as a reference to gold because, according to its creators, Orion is a real “gold nugget”. It is a welcome innovation, as explained by Yannick Chevray, marketing manager at Bejo France, because the condiment market is rather calm when it comes to innovations. “The advantage of this product is that it has all its characteristics from the time it is harvested, so it can just be marketed right away.”
Developed by Bejo France in partnership with 5 French producers of the Loire Valley and Champagne region, the first volumes arrived on the market two weeks ago. The first feedback from consumers is not expected for another month, but Orion has already seduced our retail clients.
A different product to attract new consumers
According to Yannick Chevray: “The goal is really to attract a clientele who do not normally consume onions and to convince those who do not want to buy onions (anymore) because of their bitter taste, the smell left on the fingers after preparation or the fact that cutting them makes them cry. The absence of pyruvic acid is the differentiating element that gives the Orion its mildness and completely new flavor.”
The new variety presents many other qualities. The Orion can be eaten raw or cooked, and it caramelizes during the cooking process, which gives it a slightly sweeter taste. It also keeps for up to 8 months, which is much longer than other onion varieties.
A group of 5 producers brought together for innovation
Ferme des Arches, Ferme de la Motte, Val Légumes-Ferme de Fontenay, Beauce Champagne Oignons and Allium Beauce Company. Bejo France has brought together 5 producers with a desire to innovate in the onion segment, “within a qualitative framework, with partners which we know will implement good practices and with the ambition to create a fair value at the production level. We presented the project to them in 2021 by explaining the direction we wished to take, our objective being to establish long-term partnerships.”
This French exclusivity, obtained by traditional selection methods, is still in pilot phase, with 5 plots of 1 hectare. “For the moment, we are trying to measure consumer satisfaction and we will then decide on the increase in production for next year.”
The variety marketed under the name Orion could eventually receive the HEV label. Some productions are already going through the process. The group is targeting multi-channel retailers and the catering industry. In the near future, we will focus on developing our export activity by focusing on the French origin, which is recognized as a guarantee of quality in many countries.
For more information:
Yannick Chevray
Bejo France
Phone: 02 41 57 64 75
Mobile: 06 07 95 44 95
y.chevray@bejo.fr