“We keep adapting to see how we can add value for our members,” said Anne Florin. “One of our challenges for 2015 is to make sure everyone has the same quality standards and reach another step in the Démarche Qualité Saint Charles.” The set of guidelines has been in the works for quite some time, and it will be another benefit among many that are provided for members, said Florin.
“We have representatives in Brussels that advocate for our firms,” she said, “as well as on all of the major professional organizations that have to do with fruit and vegetables.” They also established a group known as Saint Charles Export, which is comprised of public and private associates and organizes missions with a party of experts in international trade and logistics that meet foreign retailers on behalf of Saint Charles. Through their efforts, they've managed to increase the export rate for their members by 77 percent over the last seven years.
Their proximity to Spain, the nation from which their members import 60 percent of their goods, is also a boon.“ We can receive goods easily by road,” explained Florin. “The harbour is only 20 minutes from us, so we can receive goods by sea.” Their current arrangement helps facilitate the annual trade of 1.5 million tons of fresh produce valued at 1.6 billion Euro. The majority of product that moves through their platform is from Spain, and Morocco, at 23 percent, the second-largest source of their produce.
Though all of the brokers who are on the Saint Charles platform are competitors, Florin noted that the platform allows everyone to work together on issues that benefit all. Worries about whether younger generations are consuming enough fresh produce, for instance, can be addressed as a group.
“We are the largest French importer of tomatoes from Morocco,” said Florin. “The firms are competitors, but they are gathered in one syndicate. When there is a problem or questions over contracts or with new regulation, they can discuss this all together on the platform.”
History of Saint Charles International
The platform was founded by Paul Marquillanes to facilitate the import of Spanish citrus before Spain was a part of the European Union. The platform grew as with the arrival of new importers, exporters and transport and logistics companies, until it was officially recognized in 1998 as a platform with a European vocation. It was the first and only private platform which got that status. That allowed Saint Charles to receive public subsidies that were used to retrofit the warehouses with the cooling systems necessary to handle fragile products, like strawberries and peaches.
Today, half of what the platform handles is fruit and citrus and half is vegetables. The main trading partners are Spanish, with about 941,000t, and Moroccan partners come in second, handling about 363,000 tons.
For more information, please visit: www.saintcharlesinternational.fr
Fruit Logistica
Saint Charles Export will be at Fruit Logistica Berlin in Hall 22 stand B12 with the following member companies : LEGROS BIO – ALMA TRANSITAIRES –DELISOL – DORLEANE – FESTIVAL –TRANSPORTS JH MESGUEN – MARQUILLANES – JMF PARTENARIAT – VIGNALI TRASPORTI – CAUSTIER by STC – LACOUR – REGAL’IN EUROPE – FRESH FORWARD LOGISTIQUE