According to Anthony Lepage, in charge of commercial development at Les Herbes du Roussillon, “dried herb bouquets sell really well this time of year.” He has developed a whole line of bouquets for vegetable trays, with different combinations of herbs depending on the dish (fish, pork, poultry…). But this year, the herbs specialist offers a new line of bouquets to be inserted directly into oil bottles.
These new bouquets for vegetable trays and oils are selling really well, and some neighboring countries are very interested in them as well. “Foreign professionals have contacted us to develop this range in their country. A major German wholesaler working with mass retailers has asked to import this concept to Germany and set up operations for ‘all dried herbs.”
Dynamic demand
The sales of classic mini-bouquets and more ‘special’ ones in trays accelerated last week, especially because of the colder temperatures. “Although people consume less in general, some classic, traditional and economical winter dishes remain a safe bet, as confirmed by this season’s sales. I believe that consumers will behave much like they did during the Covid period when they used to mostly cook their own meals.” The market has also been dynamic for the oil bouquets of dried herbs.
Zero-plastic packaging
Les Herbes du Roussillon shifted to zero plastic a few months ago for its line of classic dry bouquets. This decision has enabled the company to increase its sales. “This has opened a lot more doors to us because it fits consumer expectations.” However, we have not found a replacement yet for the plastic packaging of our fresh herbs. “Fresh herbs are very fragile, so a plastic film is necessary to protect them. “We are still working on a solution. The packaging sector is in constant evolution, and new solutions have come up in recent months, but they are all very expensive. Between the cost of raw materials, transportation, packaging, fertilizers, and fuel, we are a bit lost, and it is very difficult to pass on this increase in costs to our clients.”
For more information:
Anthony Lepage
Les Herbes du Roussillon
Phone: +33 (0)4 68 81 61 03
anthony@lesherbesduroussillon.com
www.lesherbesduroussillon.com