This is a great moment for the fruit and vegetable sector, a historic moment that marks a turning point for professionals in the sector. On December 11th, 2025, Serge Papin, the French Minister for Small and Medium-sized Enterprises, Trade, Craft Trades, Tourism, and Purchasing Power, officially announced that fruit and vegetable retailers would be able to obtain craftsman status for their preparation or processing of fruit and vegetables. This is a major recognition for the profession, and the culmination of in-depth work undertaken over several years by Saveurs Commerce to restore the prestige of the fruit and vegetable retail trade.
© Saveurs Commerce
Giving the fruit and vegetable retail trade a new name and identity
This recognition is all the more commendable given the long road it took to achieve it. "When I first joined Saveurs Commerce, we were called 'retailers', 'merchants of fruit and vegetables' and sometimes even 'resellers of fruit and vegetables'," explains Sandrine Choux, general delegate at Saveurs Commerce. "The first step, therefore, consisted in an essential identity-building exercise for a profession that has always suffered from a lack of recognition compared to other food trades."
Expertise that has long been underestimated
This delay was illustrated by the absence, for many years, of competitions to recognize expertise. "All the culinary professions had their own competitions for over 30 years, except us," explains Sandrine Choux. Greengrocers themselves struggled to recognize the value of their own trade. "They tended to devalue themselves and did not see how their know-how could be eligible for such competitions." Saveurs Commerce worked with the Ministry of Education to draw up a set of guidelines. Today, the competition is in its fifth year, with 15 Best Craftsmen of France, Selectors of Flavors.
Structuring the profession through training
While these awards have helped to demonstrate that there is more to the profession than just buying and selling fruit and vegetables, the next step was to create a training course, which so far had been nonexistent. "The greengrocer profession requires real know-how and a wide range of skills: refining produce, shelf displays, showcasing local produce, selecting flavors, understanding crops, communicating and raising awareness among customers, as well as fresh-cutting, another skill that we have sought to develop among greengrocers," explains Sandrine Choux. Until now, these skills and knowledge were mainly passed down from generation to generation, but there was no official training - a key factor in structuring the sector and making the profession more accessible. "We realized that there simply was no diploma for this profession, unlike other food professions. So, in partnership with Interfel, we worked on creating a reference framework to set up the Greengrocer CAP training program, complemented by the Best Apprentices of France competition. This is a key step in structuring the profession and ensuring that skills are passed on."
Recognition for the craft sector, a logical next step
The question of the craft sector, therefore, naturally came up. In 2019, Saveurs Commerce put together a file with a view to obtaining this recognition. It was a long and difficult road, slowed down by the health crisis, but supported by a number of political figures, including Françoise Gatel - now Minister for Regional Planning and Decentralization - and Catherine Vautrin - former Minister for Employment. The announcement by Minister Serge Papin is the culmination of this work: fruit and vegetable producers who process and prepare fruit and vegetables are now recognized as craftsmen.
A major step forward for the entire sector
Being able to achieve craftsman status as a greengrocer opens up new prospects for the sector. "This will certainly help to attract employees, as craftsmen enjoy a much higher status than simple shopkeepers. It is a recognition that could also attract a new clientele, sensitive to know-how and manual work. We sometimes get the impression that fruit and vegetables grow by themselves. This recognition shows that there is real work behind it, which is also rewarding for the grower. It is therefore a major step forward for the whole sector, which should lift the whole profession upwards. It is the beginning of a new chapter, and everything remains to be built. From now on, one of our missions will be to help the fruit and vegetable retailers who wish to obtain this status to do so."
This good news comes at the end of a difficult year, marked by an uncertain geopolitical and economic context. But it is also the culmination of a long period of work carried out with perseverance and conviction by Saveurs Commerce, and in particular by Sandrine Choux, who will pass the torch to Marie Daniel on December 22nd. This is the last major milestone before her retirement, leaving behind a fine legacy for the entire sector.
For more information:
Marie Daniel
Saveurs Commerce
[email protected]
www.saveurs-commerce.fr
