As a third-generation endive grower in the heart of the Hauts-de-France region, Pierrick Capelle decided to move into root production in 2010. It is a choice motivated by the ambition to give all producers access to the same quality endive as the big endive growers do.
© Aurélie Pintat | FreshPlaza.com
"I do not sell nice roots, I sell nice endives"
Knowing what it is like to grow endives is an inescapable asset in Pierrick Capelle's mission. "I do not sell nice roots, I sell nice endives. The decision to uproot is not only made on the visual aspect of the root. Other intrinsic criteria, such as dry matter content, total nitrogen, and nitrates, are all factors to be taken into account if you want a good-looking endive before harvesting the root, however large it may be." Pierrick Capelle's technical requirement comes from a genuine passion for his trade that guarantees growers quality produce.
Selling small quantities, all over France, throughout the winter
Another special feature of Pierrick Capelle's business is his ability to deliver very small volumes by storing the roots himself, thus offering invaluable flexibility to growers who have neither the time nor the infrastructure to produce and store their own roots. "For both conventional and organic production, the minimum quantity a grower can order is a pallet of around one cubic meter, which I can send anywhere in France, even to the most remote places. I also take care of the storage myself, which means that growers can order only the quantities they need as they go along, rather than buying large quantities all at once. This has the big advantage of being able to adapt the variety to the season."
It is not easy to sell this way, but it is what I love and what drives me in my job. Meeting and talking to producers from the 4 corners of France is extremely rewarding."
Responding to changing consumer demand
In all the years Pierrick has been in the business, he has seen a trend emerge in recent years, driven by consumers. "Producers now want to offer a full range of vegetables, including endives. But the consumers who buy at markets and directly from the farms want more than just endives. They want endives that are produced by the grower."
But producing roots is a technical and time-consuming job in its own right. "By supplying root vegetables to growers, my role is to help them produce their own endives to meet consumer demand. Additionally, producing endives means that the labor used for summer and spring production can be put to good use in winter, which makes growing endives very interesting from this point of view too."
For more information:
Pierrick Capelle
La Ferme du Plant d'Endives
Phone: +33(0)6 84 97 13 95
[email protected]
https://lafermeduplantdendive.fr
