After acquiring a new ultra-modern cherry grading machine in 2023, Sicoly is now breaking new ground by joining the C'est qui le Patron?! initiative. It is a "real opportunity" for the French industry, whose future is still uncertain. "Our involvement in the initiative was really at the request of the producers. This is what appealed to Nicolas Chabanne. The call came directly from the producers themselves to market part of their cherry production under the C'est qui le Patron?! Brand," explains Jean-Bernard Cherblanc, director of the fresh fruit sector at the Sicoly cooperative.
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Promoting the whole cherry range to ensure the long-term future of the French industry
This year, C'est qui le patron?! decided to enter the world of fruit and vegetables. Cherries will be the first fruit to join the brand's other products. "This approach aims to find ways of increasing the value of sizes that have been undervalued until now. Today, it is not difficult to get value out of large sizes. But from the +24 sizes, it becomes complicated, which ultimately lowers the average price in the orchard. If we are to continue to have French cherries, it is important to promote the whole range."
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Some chains are already interested in the approach
Consumers voted in favor of a 500g tub of HEV-certified cherries of size +24, picked when ripe, for €4.98 [5.63 USD] in shops, enabling the producer to be paid €4 [4.52 USD] per kilo. "We are going to see how the market and our clients react. We have been canvassing the market, and some chains have already shown some interest. On the whole, the news has been well received, and we feel that this is an innovative and appealing concept. As seen with milk, consumers are keen on this kind of approach. A study has even shown that some consumers sometimes go into a shop just for a carton of C'est qui le patron?! milk! So the retail chains know that this can be very interesting in terms of customer recruitment."
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The campaign is shaping up well
As far as the campaign is concerned, it is shaping up well. "We have had a very good flowering season, with a good number of flowers on the trees. There was a lot of rain last year, and we also had a very cold winter, so the trees have not suffered. We have not had any problems with frost on the fruit so far, and we are past the most critical period. Although we still need to be cautious, all the indicators are in the green for a good production year. We are expecting a potential harvest of 1,800 tons, based on an estimate of 200 tons of cherries sold under the C'est qui le patron?! brand. We will then adjust according to the demand. We will have the product, and we will just need to package it under the brand. As soon as we have achieved the expected quality and size, we will be able to offer this new range of C'est qui le patron?! cherries to our clients, starting with the first varieties.
For more information:
Jean-Bernard Cherblanc
Sicoly
[email protected]
