A 5kg case of Belgian endives was advertised at €7 [8.26 USD] in an E.Leclerc center in the Hauts-de-France region, right in the middle of the French endive campaign: enough to make the sector cringe.
"Some stores do not promote the French origin"
© APEF
At a time when French endive growers are working at full capacity, the Association of French Endive Producers (APEF) is deploring the presence of foreign endives in certain sales outlets. "This is all the more regrettable as we enter key consumer months," explains Pierre Varlet, director of APEF. However, he points out that this is the case of independent stores, outside the policies of central purchasing agencies, "which more often than not do promote the French origin." Last week, Belgian endives were spotted on several shelves of French supermarkets. "For a few cents less, some wholesalers and stores prefer the endives of our neighbors. It is regrettable, especially as over the last two campaigns, which were marked by a shortage of supply, we gave priority to the French market at the expense of exports," explains the manager. "At this price level, there is a risk that consumers will lose sight of the real value of endives and turn to other competing vegetables. We are defending prices that cover production costs and give the sector prospects. However, some store managers are always looking for cheaper products, which inevitably drags prices down. However, producers today are not looking to make a fortune, but simply to maintain the viability of their farms and continue to invest in order to meet the challenges facing the sector. Offering consumers 5kg boxes is a complete aberration in terms of preservation, freshness, and product quality."
Recruiting new consumers
While the 2025-2026 endive campaign has returned to volumes close to those of 2021/2022 - estimated at 120,000 tons by the end of 2025 - the sector is also benefiting from the arrival of new consumers, an objective clearly stated during the preparation of the campaign. The vegetable still suffers from an aging image, so APEF has deployed a vast communication plan (TV, radio, and internet) aimed at the younger generation. "We are now entering the third week of our first communication wave of 2026. We will have to wait for the next consumer panels to fully measure the effects, but we remain fairly confident," explains Pierre Varlet. "Sales at the endive sites are down on N-1, but given the volumes of roots available in cold storage, we hope to compensate over time with an increase in volumes shipped. As is the case each year, there will be a slight slowdown due to the winter school holidays this month, but we expect to see demand picking up again in March and to extend the campaign as late as possible."
For more information:
Pierre Varlet (director)
APEF
2, rue des Fleurs
62000 Arras
Phone: +33 (0) 3 21 07 89 89
[email protected]
[email protected]
